eserting the kraal Duguza, moved back to Zululand,
and built a great kraal by the Mahlabatine, which he named
"Umgugundhlovu"--that is, "the rumbling of the elephant." Also, he
caused all the fairest girls in the land to be sought out as his wives,
and though many were found yet he craved for more. And at this time
a rumour came to the ears of the King Dingaan that there lived in
Swaziland among the Halakazi tribe a girl of the most wonderful beauty,
who was named the Lily, and whose skin was whiter than are the skins of
our people, and he desired greatly to have this girl to wife. So Dingaan
sent an embassy to the chief of the Halakazi, demanding that the girl
should be given to him. At the end of a month the embassy returned
again, and told the king that they had found nothing but hard words at
the kraal of the Halakazi, and had been driven thence with scorn and
blows.

This was the message of the chief of the Halakazi to Dingaan, king of
the Zulus: That the maid who was named the Lily, was, indeed, the wonder
of the earth, and as yet unwed; for she had found no man upon whom she
looked with favour, and she was held in such love by this people that it
was not their wish to force any husband on her. Moreover, the chief said
that he and his people defied Dingaan and the Zulus, as their fathers
had defied Chaka before him, and spat upon his name, and that no maid of
theirs should go to be the wife of a Zulu dog.

Then the chief of the Halakazi caused the maid who was named the Lily to
be led before the messengers of Dingaan, and they found her wonderfully
fair, for so they said: she was tall as a reed, and her grace was the
grace of a reed that is shaken in the wind. Moreover, her hair curled,
and hung upon her shoulders, her eyes were large and brown, and soft as
a buck's, her colour was the colour of rich cream, her smile was like a
ripple on the waters, and when she spoke her voice was low and sweeter
than the sound of an instrument of music. They said also that the girl
wished to speak with them, but the chief forbade it, and caused her to
be led thence with all honour.

Now, when Dingaan heard this message he grew mad as a lion in a net,
for he desired this maid above everything, and yet he who had all things
could not win the maid. This was his command, that a great impi should
be gathered and sent to Swaziland against the Halakazi tribe, to destroy
them and seize the maid. But when the matter came on to be discu