hing sight of the
girl's face, which she had kept down, he was struck by its beauty, and
put the same question that the rabbit, and the elands, and the gazelles
had done.

Thakane answered him as before, and he instantly commanded that she
should be taken to the hut of his mother, and placed under her care,
while the man should be led to his father. Directly the ogre saw him he
bade the servant throw him into the great pot which always stood ready
on the fire, and in five minutes he was done to a turn. After that the
servant returned to Masilo and related all that had happened.

Now Masilo had fallen in loved with Thakane the moment he saw her. At
first he did not know what to make of this strange feeling, for all his
life he had hated women, and had refused several brides whom his parents
had chosen for him. However, they were so anxious that he should marry,
that they willingly accepted Thakane as their daughter-in-law, though
she did bring any marriage portion with her.

After some time a baby was born to her, and Thakane thought it was the
most beautiful baby that ever was seen. But when her mother-in-law saw
it was a girl, she wrung her hands and wept, saying:

'O miserable mother! Miserable child! Alas for you! why were you not a
boy!'

Thakane, in great surprise, asked the meaning of her distress; and the
old woman told her that it was the custom in that country that all the
girls who were born should be given to the ogre to eat.

Then Thakane clasped the baby tightly in her arms, and cried:

'But it is not the customer in MY country! There, when children die,
they are buried in the earth. No one shall take my baby from me.'

That night, when everyone in the hut was asleep, Thakane rose, and
carrying her baby on her back, went down to a place where the river
spread itself out into a large lake, with tall willows all round the
bank. Here, hidden from everyone, she sat down on a stone and began to
think what she should do to save her child.

Suddenly she heard a rustling among the willows, and an old woman
appeared before her.

'What are you crying for, my dear?' said she.

And Thakane answered: 'I was crying for my baby--I cannot hide her for
ever, and if the ogre sees her, he will eat her; and I would rather she
was drowned than that.'

'What you say is true,' replied the old woman. 'Give me your child, and
let me take care of it. And if you will fix a day to meet me here I will
bring the baby.'