Atondido Stories
Wayambeh the Turtle
Oolah, the lizard, was out getting yams on a Mirrieh flat. She
had three of her children with her. Suddenly she thought she
heard some one moving behind the big Mirrieh bushes. She lis-
tened. All of a sudden out jumped Wayambeh from behind a
bush and seized Oolah, telling her not to make a noise and he
would not hurt her, but that he meant to take her off to his camp
to be his wife. He would take her three children too and look af-
ter them. Resistance was useless, for Oolah had only her yam
stick, while Wayambeh had his spears and boondees. Wayambeh
took the woman and her children to his camp. His tribe when
they saw him bring home a woman of the Oolah tribe, asked
him if her tribe had given her to him. He said, "No, I have stolen
her."
"Well," they said, "her tribe will soon be after her; you must
protect yourself; we shall not fight for you. You had no right to
steal her without telling us. We had a young woman of our own
tribe for you, yet you go and steal an Oolah and bring her to the
camp of the Wayambeh. On your own head be the consequenc-
es."
In a short time the Oolahs were seen coming across the plain
which faced the camp of the Wayambeh. And they came not in
friendship or to parley, for no women were with them, and they
carried no boughs of peace in their bands, but were painted as
for war, and were armed with fighting weapons.
When the Wayambeh saw the approach of the Oolah, their chief
said: "Now, Wayambeh, you had better go out on to the plain
and do your own fighting; we shall not help you."
Wayambeh chose the two biggest boreens that he had; one he
slung on him, covering the front of his body, and one the back;
then, seizing his weapons, he strode out to meet his enemies.
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