and carried off ten of his slaves.
When he heard what I had done, he trembled and sent gold; but I knew
that he had taken the girl home as his wife, and I would not listen to
the old man who sought to pacify me. Again I collected a larger force,
and attacked him in the night: we fought, for he was prepared with his
men, but after a struggle he was beaten back. I fired his house, wasted
his provision ground, and taking away more slaves, I returned home with
my men, intending soon to assault him again. The next day there came
more messengers, who knelt in vain, so they went to my father, and many
warriors begged him to interfere. My father sent for me, but I would
not listen; the warriors spoke, and I turned my back: my father was
wroth and threatened, the warriors brandished their two-handed swords--
they dared to do it; I looked over my shoulder with contempt, and I
returned to my house. I took down my skulls, and I planned. It was
evening, and I was alone, when a woman covered up to the eyes
approached; she fell down before me as she exposed her face.

"`I am the girl who was promised to your relation, and I am now the wife
of your enemy. I shall be a mother. I could not love your relation,
for he was no warrior. It is not true that my husband asked for a
fetish--it was I who bought it, for I would not wed him. Kill me and be
satisfied.'

"She was very beautiful, and I wondered not that my enemy loved her--and
she was with child--it was his child, and she had fetished my friend to
death. I raised my sword to strike, and she did not shrink: it saved
her life. `Thou art fit to be the mother of warriors,' said I, as I
dropped my sword, `and thou shalt be my wife, but first his child shall
be born, and I will have thy husband's skull.'

"`No, no,' replied she, `I will be the mother of no warriors but my
present husband, whom I love; if you keep me as your slave I will die.'

"I told her she said foolish things, and sent her to the women's
apartment, with orders to be watched--but she hardly had been locked up
before she drew her knife, plunged it into her heart, and died.

"When the king my father heard this he sent me a message--`Be satisfied
with the blood that has been shed, it is enough'--but I turned away, for
I wished for mine enemy's skull. That night I attacked him again, and
met him hand to hand; I killed him, and carried home his skull, and I
was appeased.

"But all the great warriors were wrot