King Solomon's Mines
Page 17
"Then breathed I on them, and my breath was as the breath of a wind,and lo! they were not.
"My lightnings pierced them; I licked up their strength with thelightning of my spears; I shook them to the ground with the thunder ofmy shoutings.
"They broke--they scattered--they were gone as the mists of the morning.
"They are food for the kites and the foxes, and the place of battle isfat with their blood.
"Where are the mighty ones who rose up in the morning?
"Where are the proud ones who tossed their spears and cried, 'He is asa man already dead'?
"They bow their heads, but not in sleep; they are stretched out, butnot in sleep.
"They are forgotten; they have gone into the blackness; they dwell inthe dead moons; yea, others shall lead away their wives, and theirchildren shall remember them no more.
"And I--! the king--like an eagle I have found my eyrie.
"Behold! far have I flown in the night season, yet have I returned tomy young at the daybreak.
"Shelter ye under the shadow of my wings, O people, and I will comfortyou, and ye shall not be dismayed.
"Now is the good time, the time of spoil.
"Mine are the cattle on the mountains, mine are the virgins in thekraals.
"The winter is overpast with storms, the summer is come with flowers.
"Now Evil shall cover up her face, now Mercy and Gladness shall dwellin the land.
"Rejoice, rejoice, my people!
"Let all the stars rejoice in that this tyranny is trodden down, inthat I am the king."
Ignosi ceased his song, and out of the gathering gloom came back thedeep reply--
"_Thou art the king!_"
Thus was my prophecy to the herald fulfilled, and within theforty-eight hours Twala's headless corpse was stiffening at Twala'sgate.
[1] It is a law amongst the Kukuanas that no man of the direct royalblood can be put to death, unless by his own consent, which is,however, never refused. He is allowed to choose a succession ofantagonists, to be approved by the king, with whom he fights, till oneof them kills him.--A.Q.