well
deserved.

CHAPTER THREE.

THE QUEEN OF THE POOL.

Kassim was a sturdy lad from the Basoko country, and a chum of Baruti.
As yet he had never related to us a legend, though he loved to sit near
the fire, and listen to the tales of the days of old. This silence on
his part was at last remarked, and one night he was urged by all of us
to speak, because it was unfair that those who frequented our open-air
club should be always ready to receive amusement, and yet refuse to
contribute their share to the entertainment. This kind of argument
pushed home, brought him at last to admit that he owed the party a debt
in kind, and he said:

Well, friends, each man according to his nature, though there are so
many men in the world they differ from one another as much as stones, no
two of which are exactly alike. Here is Baruti here, who never seems to
tire of speech, while I find more pleasure in watching his lips move up
and down, and his tongue pop out and in, than in using my own. I cannot
remember any legend, that is the truth; but I know of something which is
not fiction, that occurred in our country relating to Izoka--a woman
originally of Umane, the big town above Basoko. Izoka, the Queen of the
Pool, as we call her, is alive now, and should you ever pass by Umane
again, you may ask any of the natives if my words are true, and you will
find that they will certify to what I shall now tell you.

Izoka is the daughter of a chief of Umane whose name is Uyimba, and her
mother is called Twekay. One of the young warriors called Koku lifted
his eyes towards her, and as he had a house of his own which was empty,
he thought Izoka ought to be the one to keep his hearth warm, and be his
companion while he went fishing. The idea became fixed in his mind, and
he applied to her father, and the dowry was demanded; and, though it was
heavy, it was paid, to ease his longing after her.

Now, Izoka was in every way fit to be a chief's wife. She was tall,
slender, comely of person; her skin was like down to the touch, her
kindly eyes brimmed over with pleasantness, her teeth were like white
beads, and her ready laugh was such that all who heard it compared it to
the sweet sounds of a flute which the perfect player loves to make
before he begins a tune, and men's moods became merry when she passed
them in the village. Well, she became Koku's wife, and she left her
father's house to live with her husband.

At first it seem