the monster of
the first chameleon he met. "Not at all," he replied, executing the same
manoeuvre as the former. This stratagem was renewed so many times that
the elephant, tired out, gave up the contest and confessed himself
beaten.

In the wilds, as in civilization, the relation between husband and wife,
and more especially the downfall of the autocrat of the home, is a
favorite subject for jest. From the northeastern corner of the Congo
comes this illuminating story:

A man had two wives, one gentle and prepossessing, the other such a
gossip that he was often made angry. Neither remonstrances nor
beating improved her, and finally he made up his mind to drive her
into a wood amongst the hyenas. There she built herself a little hut
into which a hyena came and boldly installed herself as mistress.
The wife tried to protest but the hyena, not content with eating and
drinking all that the wife was preparing, compelled her furthermore
to look after her young. One day the hyena had ordered the woman to
boil some water. While waiting the wife had the sudden idea of
seizing the young hyenas and throwing them into the boiling water.
She did this and then she ran trembling to take refuge in the home
of her husband whom she found calmly seated at the entrance of the
house, spear in hand. She threw herself at the feet of her spouse,
beseeching him for help and protection. When the hyena arrived
foaming with rage her husband stretched it dead on the ground with a
blow of his spear. The lesson was not lost on the wife. From that
day forth she became the joy and delight of her husband.

The Congo can ever reproduce its own version of the fable of "The Goose
that Laid the Golden Egg." It is somewhat primitive but serves the same
purpose. As told to the naked piccaninnies by the flickering camp-fires
it runs thus:

Four fools owned a chicken which laid blue glass beads instead of
eggs. A quarrel arose concerning the ownership of the fowl. The bird
was subsequently killed and divided into four equal portions. The
spring of their good fortune dried up.

To understand the significance of the story it must be understood that
for many years beads have been one of the forms of currency in Central
Africa. Formerly they were as important a detail in the purchase of a
wife as copper and calico. The first piece of attire, if it may be
designated by this na