The Beautiful Maiden and How the Hartebeest Received the Teardrops Under His Eyes

There was once a great chief who had begotten a daughter of unparalleled beauty. In all the town, no maiden could compare to her loveliness. The chief made a proclamation to all the people, saying: "He who hoes on the day when we gather together, and whose hoed area surpasses that of every other man, shall marry my daughter. On the day I call my neighbours to hoe together, let all suitors come and demonstrate their skill. Whosoever hoes the most and works the hardest shall have my daughter as his wife."

Now the chameleon had heard of this decree long before, and he came forward as a suitor. He had obtained a powerful hoeing medicine that filled him with strength. When the great hoeing day arrived, the chameleon remained at home. He did not emerge until all the other hoers were already far away at their labour. Then he appeared.

With a single mighty blow of his hoe upon the ground, he climbed upon the hoe itself and sat upon it. The hoe then began to move of its own accord, flying swiftly across the earth, completing as much work as all the other hoers combined. It surpassed them all and reached the boundary of the furthest furrow. Then the chameleon climbed down, sat to rest, and waited. When the other hoers finally arrived at that distant place, they found the chameleon's work already completed.

The chief, however, refused to accept this victory. He declared instead, "Now let he who can run fastest and surpass every other man marry my daughter." Then the hartebeest came forward, boasting, "I shall surpass all in running!"

And so a great race was called. But the clever chameleon transformed himself into a needle, leaped through the air, and fastened himself firmly to the tail of the hartebeest. The hartebeest ran with all his speed, passing every other contestant, racing until he came to the very entrance of the chief's house. He rushed past it.

Then the chameleon released his grip from the hartebeest's tail, for he had caught sight of the beautiful maiden. He threw his arms around her in an embrace, claiming her as his bride.

When the hartebeest came running up, weary and triumphant from his race, he saw the chameleon already holding the maiden in his arms. In that moment, the hartebeest's heart broke with bitter sorrow and disappointment. He began to weep, and his tears fell without cease. And thus it has remained from that day unto this very day. The marks like teardrops beneath the hartebeest's eyes are a lasting reminder of his anguished weeping. From that moment forward, he has wept perpetually, and his tears have never dried.

That is the end of the tale. Off with the rat's head!

THE END...