Page:Swahili tales.djvu/387

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And the king asked him, and he said, "My companions have beaten me, and turned me out of the town, because I told them truly, 'Obey the kite, he is our king;' and they beat me." And the king of the kites said, "Stay here."

And he stayed many days. Till one day they went to church, and they took him, and they prayed together; and when they went out, they asked him, "We and you, which worships God best?" And he said, "You do."

And he stayed, and they loved him much. Till when their feast day drew near, he went out in the night, and went and told his companions, "To-morrow they will all go to church, come outside the door of the church and put fire to it." And they went out, and went to look for firewood, and others went and fetched fire.

So in the morning they went to church, without there remaining a single person in the town, except that old crow. And they said to him, "Why are you not going to church to-day?" And he said, "My stomach aches badly." And they said to him, "Very well." And he went and called his companions. And he said to them, "They have all gone into the church."

And they went and put firewood at the door of the church, and others set it on fire. And the fire blazed up. And they saw the smoke come into the church, and they fled to the windows, and others died, very many, and the king and all died. And the crows took the town.

And the kites who remained have fled from the crows to this day.