按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
saw me； and spoke to me； saying； 'Young man； you are tall and strong
and swift of foot。 Would you earn a famous weapon； a club； that
destroys all who stand before it？'
〃I said that I wished to have such a club； and asked what I should do
to win it。
〃'You shall do this；' said the old woman： 'to…morrow morning； at the
first light； you shall go up to yonder mountain；' and she pointed to
the mountain where you are now； stranger； on which the stone Witch
sits forever waiting for the world to die。 'Two…thirds of the way up
the mountain you will come to a path that is difficult to climb。 You
shall climb the path and enter a gloomy forest。 It is very dark in the
forest； but you must push through it till you come to an open place
with a wall of rock behind it。 In the wall of rock is a cave； and in
the cave you will find the bones of a man。 Bring down the bones in a
bag； and I will give you the club！'
〃While she spoke thus people came out of the kraal and listened。
〃'Do not heed her； young man；' they said； 'unless you are weary of
life。 Do not heed her： she is crazy。 The mountain is haunted； it is a
place of ghosts。 Look at the stone Witch who sits upon it！ Evil
spirits live in that forest； and no man has walked there for many
years。 This woman's son was foolish： he went to wander in the forest；
saying that he cared nothing for ghosts； and the Amatongo； the ghost…
folk； killed him。 That was many years ago； and none have dared to seek
his bones。 Ever she sits here and asks of the passers by that they
should bring him to her； offering the great club for a reward； but
they dare not！'
〃'They lie！' said the old woman。 'There are no ghosts there。 The
ghosts live only in their cowardly hearts； there are but wolves。 I
know that the bones of my son lie in the cave； for I have seen them in
a dream； but； alas！ my old limbs are too weak to carry me up the
mountain path； and all these are cowards； there is no man among them
since the Zulus killed my husband； covering him with wounds！'
〃Now； I listened； answering nothing； but when all had done； I asked to
see the club which should be given to him who dared to face the
Amatongo； the spirits who lived in the forest upon the Ghost Mountain。
Then the old woman rose； and creeping on her hands went into the hut。
Presently she returned again； dragging the great club after her。
〃Look at it； stranger！ look at it！ Was there ever such a club？〃 And
Galazi held it up before the eyes of Umslopogaas。
In truth； my father； that was a club； for I； Mopo； saw it in after
days。 It was great and knotty； black as iron that had been smoked in
the fire； and shod with metal that was worn smooth with smiting。
〃I looked at it；〃 went on Galazi； 〃and I tell you； stranger； a great
desire came into my heart to possess it。
〃'How is this club named？' I asked of the old woman。
〃'It is named Watcher of the Fords；' she answered； 'and it has not
watched in vain。 Five men have held that club in war and a hundred…
and…seventy…three have given up their lives beneath its strokes。 He
who held it last slew twenty before he was slain himself； for this
fortune goes with the clubthat he who owns it shall die holding it；
but in a noble fashion。 There is but one other weapon to match with it
in Zululand； and that is the great axe of Jikiza； the chief of the
People of the Axe； who dwells in the kraal yonder； the ancient horn…
hafted Imbubuzi； the Groan…Maker； that brings victory。 Were axe；
Groan…Maker； and club； Watcher of the Fords； side by side； there are
no thirty men in Zululand who could stand before them。 I have said。
Choose！' And the aged woman watched me cunningly through her horny
eyes。
〃'She speaks truly now；' said one of those who stood near。 'Let the
club be； young man： he who owns it smites great blows indeed； but in
the end he dies by the assegai。 None dare own the Watcher of the
Fords。'
〃'A good death and a swift！' I answered。 And pondered a time； while
still the old woman watched me through her horny eyes。 At length she
rose； 'La！； la！' she said； 'the Watcher is not for this one。 This is
but a child； I must seek me a man； I must seek me a man！'
〃'Not so fast； old wife；' I said。 'Will you lend me this club to hold
in my hand while I go to find the bones of your son and to snatch them
from the people of the ghosts？'
〃'Lend you the Watcher； boy？ Nay； nay！ I should see little of you
again or of the good club either。'
〃'I am no thief；' I answered。 'If the ghosts kill me； you will see me
no more； or the club either； but if I live I will bring you back the
bones； or； if I do not find them； I will render the Watcher into your
hands again。 At the least I say that if you will not lend me the club；
then I will not go into the haunted place。'
〃'Boy； your eyes are honest；' she said； still peering at me。 'Take the
Watcher； go seek the bones。 If you die； let the club be lost with you；
if you fail； bring it back to me； but if you win the bones； then it is
yours； and it shall bring you glory and you shall die a man's death at
last holding him aloft among the dead。'
〃So on the morrow at dawn I took the club Watcher in my hand and a
little dancing shield； and made ready to start。 The old woman blessed
me and bade me farewell； but the other people of the kraal mocked；
saying： 'A little man for so big a club！ Beware； little man； lest the
ghosts use the club on you！' So they spoke； but one girl in the kraal
she is a granddaughter of the old womanled me aside； praying me
not to go； for the forest on the Ghost Mountain had an evil name： none
dared walk there； since it was certainly full of spirits； who howled
like wolves。 I thanked the girl； but to the others I said nothing；
only I asked of the path to the Ghost Mountain。
〃Now stranger； if you have strength； come to the mouth of the cave and
look out； for the moon is bright。〃
So Umslopogaas rose and crept through the narrow mouth of the cave。
There； above him； a great grey peak towered high into the air； shaped
like a seated woman； her chin resting upon her breast； the place where
the cave was being； as it were； on the lap of the woman。 Below this
place the rock sloped sharply； and was clothed with little bushes。
Lower down yet was a forest； great and dense； that stretched to the
top of a cliff； and at the foot of the cliff； beyond the waters of the
river； lay the wide plains of Zululand。
〃Yonder； stranger；〃 said Galazi； pointing with the club Watcher of the
Fords far away to the plain beneath； 〃yonder is the kraal where the
aged woman dwelt。 There is a cliff rising from the plain； up which I
must climb； there is the forest where dwell the Amatongo； the people
of the ghosts； there； on the hither side of the forest； runs the path
to the cave； and here is the cave itself。 See this stone lying at the
mouth of the cave； it turns thus； shutting up the entrance holeit
turns gently； though it is so large； a child may move it； for it rests
upon a sharp point of rock。 Only mark this； the stone must be pushed
too far； for； look！ if it came to here；〃 and he pointed to a mark in
the mouth of the cave； 〃then that man need be strong who can draw it
back again； though I have