Gibbi did as he was told, and the women took the milk and mixed it with sugar and boiled it over the coals and served it up in small crystal cups. When it was gone, the women cried for more, and so Gibbi gave them more and more of his milk, till eventually it was all gone. Then he was sad, and the women saw this and asked him what was wrong.
“You see, the cattle herder gave me that milk in return for the rope, which the Baobab gave me in return for the stick my Dad gave me, and I’m to use it to lure a horse, so I can catch it and bring it back to my father,” said Gibbi. “But now there is no more milk, and I will never get a horse!” and he began to cry. “No, no, do not cry,” said the women. “Since you were so kind as to share your milk, take this meat. You can sell it in town and use the money to buy dogs, which will help you corral a horse for your father.” So Gibbi took the meat and started for town. He had not gone far, however, when he came across a pair of hungry lions harassing two young women—a bride-to-be and her maidservant—who were standing on a cart. “O no!” thought Gibbi. “I need to do something.” Then he looked down at the meat in his hands and got an idea.Burying his fear, Gibbi ran up to the lions and said, “O mighty hunters, do not eat these lovely women. Take this ram meat and be satisfied.” |
Then he threw the meat out into the bush, and the two lions, always happy to take a free meal, bounded after it. Once they were gone, the bride jumped from the cart and embraced the boy.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said. “You saved our lives. But tell me, how did you come to be here, a little boy like yourself, with a big pile of meat?” So Gibbi told them the story of the stick and the rope and the milk and the meat, ending with their own part in the tale. Then the bride smiled warmly at the little boy and said: “O, but I have two horses here with me. Don’t you see? Take one for saving my life, and return home to your father before you trade it away for something else!” So the boy thanked the bride, took the smaller of the two horses, and rode straight home, to the everlasting amazement of his father, who never underestimated him again. |