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as he lay sleeping； and all the roof of the hut was burned away； but
that the rain had put out the fire。
Then I went on till I came to the front of the great hut； and I saw by
the light of the moon； which now shone out in the heavens； that there
before it stood Chaka； shaking with fear； and the water of the rain
was running down him； while he stared at the great hut； of which all
the thatch was burned。
I saluted the king； asking him what evil thing had happened。 Seeing
me； he seized me by the arm； and clung to me as； when the slayers are
at hand； a child clings to his father； drawing me after him into a
small hut that was near。
〃What evil thing has befallen； O King？〃 I said again； when light had
been made。
〃Little have I known of fear； Mopo；〃 said Chaka； 〃yet I am afraid now；
ay； as much afraid as when once on a bygone night the dead hand of
Baleka summoned something that walked upon the faces of the dead。〃
〃And what fearest thou； O King； who art the lord of all the earth？〃
Now Chaka leaned forward and whispered to me： 〃Hearken； Mopo； I have
dreamed a dream。 When the judgment of those witches was done with； I
went and laid me down to sleep while it was yet light； for I can
scarcely sleep at all when darkness has swallowed up the world。 My
sleep has gone from methat sister of thine； Baleka； took my sleep
with her to the place of death。 I laid me down and I slept； but a
dream arose and sat by me with a hooded face； and showed me a picture。
It seemed to me that the wall of my hut fell down； and I saw an open
place； and in the centre of the place I lay dead； covered with many
wounds； while round my corpse my brothers Dingaan and Umhlangana
stalked in pride like lions。 On the shoulders of Umhlangana was my
royal kaross； and there was blood on the kaross； and in the hand of
Dingaan was my royal spear； and there was blood upon the spear。 Then；
in the vision of my dream； Mopo； thou didst draw near； and； lifting
thy hand； didst give the royal salute of Bayete to these brothers of
mine； and with thy foot didst spurn the carcase of me； thy king。 Then
the hooded Dream pointed upwards and was gone； and I awoke； and lo！
fire burned in the roof of my hut。 Thus I dreamed； Mopo； and now； my
servant； say thou； wherefore should I not slay thee； thou who wouldst
serve other kings than I； thou who wouldst give my royal salute to the
princes； my brothers？〃 and he glared upon me fiercely。
〃As thou wilt； O King！〃 I answered gently。 〃Doubtless thy dream was
evil； and yet more evil was the omen of the fire that fell upon thy
hut。 And yet〃 and I ceased。
〃And yetMopo； thou faithless servant？〃
〃And yet； O King； it seems to me in my folly that it were well to
strike the head of the snake and not its tail； for without the tail
the head may live； but not the tail without the head。〃
〃Thou wouldst say； Mopo； that if these princes die never canst thou or
any other man give them the royal names。 Do I hear aright； Mopo？〃
〃Who am I that I should lift up my voice asking for the blood of
princes？〃 I answered。 〃Judge thou； O King！〃
Now； Chaka brooded awhile； then he spoke： 〃Say； Mopo； can it be done
this night？〃
〃There are but few men in the kraal； O King。 All are gone out to war；
and of those few many are the servants of the princes； and perhaps
they might give blow for blow。〃
〃How then； Mopo？〃
〃Nay； I know not； O King； yet at the great kraal beyond the river sits
that regiment which is named the Slayers。 By midday to…morrow they
might be here； and then〃
〃Thou speakest wisely； my child Mopo； it shall be for to…morrow。 Go
summon the regiment of the Slayers； and； Mopo； see that thou fail me
not。〃
〃If I fail thee； O King； then I fail myself； for it seems that my life
hangs on this matter。〃
〃If all the words that ever passed thy lips are lies； yet is that word
true； Mopo；〃 said Chaka： 〃moreover； know this； my servant： if aught
miscarries thou shalt die no common death。 Begone！〃
〃I hear the king；〃 I answered； and went out。
Now； my father； I knew well that Chaka had doomed me to die； though
first he would use me to destroy the princes。 But I feared nothing；
for I knew this also； that the hour of Chaka was come at last。
For a while I sat in my hut pondering； then when all men slept I arose
and crept like a snake by many paths to the hut of Dingaan the prince；
who awaited me on that night。 Following the shadow of the hut； I came
to the door and scratched upon it after a certain fashion。 Presently
it was opened； and I crawled in； and the door was shut again。 Now
there was a little light in the hut； and by its flame I saw the two
princes sitting side by side； wrapped about with blankets which hung
before their brows。
〃Who is this that comes？〃 said the Prince Dingaan。
Then I lifted the blanket from my head so that they might see my face；
and they also drew the blankets from their brows。 I spoke； saying：
〃Hail to you； Princes； who to…morrow shall be dust！ Hail to you； sons
of Senzangacona； who to…morrow shall be spirits！〃 and I pointed
towards them with my withered hand。
Now the princes were troubled； and shook with fear。
〃What meanest thou； thou dog； that thou dost speak to us words of such
ill…omen？〃 said the Prince Dingaan in a low voice。
〃Where dost thou point at us with that white and withered hand of
thine； Wizard？〃 hissed the Prince Umhlangana。
〃Have I not told you； O ye Princes！〃 I whispered； 〃that ye must strike
or die； and has not your heart failed you？ Now hearken！ Chaka has
dreamed another dream； now it is Chaka who strikes； and ye are already
dead； ye children of Senzangacona。〃
〃If the slayers of the king be without the gates； at least thou shalt
die first； thou who hast betrayed us！〃 quoth the Prince Dingaan； and
drew an assegai from under his kaross。
〃First hear the king's dream； O Prince；〃 I said； 〃then； if thou wilt；
kill me； and die。 Chaka the king slept and dreamed that he lay dead；
and that one of you； the princes； wore his royal kaross。〃
〃Who wore the royal kaross？〃 asked Dingaan； eagerly； and both looked
up； waiting on my words。
〃The Prince Umhlangana wore itin the dream of ChakaO Dingaan；
shoot of a royal stock！〃 I answered slowly； taking snuff as I spoke；
and watching the two of them over the edge of my snuff…spoon。
Now Dingaan scowled heavily at Umhlangana； but the face of Umhlangana
was as the morning sky。
〃Chaka dreamed this also；〃 I went on： 〃that one of you； the princes；
held his royal spear。〃
〃Who held the royal spear？〃 asked Umhlangana。
〃The Prince Dingaan held itin the dream of ChakaO Umhlangana；
sprung from the root of kings！and it dripped blood。〃
Now the face of Umhlangana grew dark as night； but that of Dingaan
brightened like the dawn。
〃Chaka dreamed this also： that I； Mopo； your dog； who am not worthy
to be mentioned with such names； came up and gave the royal salute；
even the Bayete。〃
〃To whom didst thou give the Bayete； O Mopo； son of Makedama？〃 asked
both of the princes as with one breath； waiting on my words。
〃I gave it to both of you； O twin stars of the morning； princes of the
Zuluin the dream of Chaka I gave it to both of you。〃
Now the princes looked this way and that； and were silent； not knowing
what to say； for these princes hated each other； though adversity and
fear had brought them to one bed。
〃But what avails it to talk thus； ye lords of the land；〃 I went on；
〃seeing that； both of you； ye are already as dead men； and that
vultures which are hungry to…night to…morrow shall be filled with meat
of the best？ Chaka the king is now a Doctor of Dreams； and to clear
away such a dream as this he has a purging medicine。〃
Now the brows of these brothers grew black indeed； for they saw that
their fate was on them。
〃These are the words of Chaka the king； O ye bulls who lead the herd！
All are doomed； ye twain and I； and many another man who loves us。 In
the great kraal beyond the river there sits a regiment： it is summoned
and thengood…night！ Have ye any words to say to those yet left
upon the earth？ Perhaps it will be given to me to live a little while
after ye are gone； and I may bring them to their ears。〃
〃Can we not rise up now and fall upon Chaka？〃 asked Dingaan。
〃It is not possible；〃 I said； 〃the king is guarded。〃
〃Hast thou no plan； Mopo？〃 groaned Umhlangana。 〃Methinks thou hast a
plan to save us。〃
〃And if I have a plan； ye Princes； what shall be my reward？ It must be
great； for I am weary of life； and I will not use my wisdom for a
little thing。〃
Now both the princes offered me good things； each of them promising
more than the other； as two young men who are rivals promise to the
father of a girl whom both would wed。 I listened； saying always that
it was not enough； till in the end both of them swore by their heads；
and b