Instead , he went outside and brought in two sheepskins , which he stained red and sent for a blacksmith to forge some iron rings . The rings were then passed over Thakane 's arms and legs and neck , and the skins fastened on her before and behind . When all was ready , the man sent for his servants and said : ' I am going to get rid of Thakane . ' ` Get rid of your only daughter ? ' they answered , in surprise . ` But why ? ' ` Because she has eaten what she ought not to have eaten . She has touched the sacred tree which belongs to her mother and me alone . ' And , turning his back , he called to Thakane to follow him , and they went down the road which led to the dwelling of an ogre . They were passing along some fields where the corn was ripening , when a rabbit suddenly sprang out at their feet , and standing on its hind legs , it sang : Why do you give to the ogre Your child , so fair , so fair ? ` You had better ask her , ' replied the man , ` she is old enough to give you an answer . ' Then , in her turn , Thakane sang : I gave Koumongoe to Koane , Koumongoe to the keeper of beasts ; For without Koumongoe they could not go to the meadows : Without Koumongoe they would starve in the hut ; That was why I gave him the Koumongoe of my father . And when the rabbit heard that , he cried : ` Wretched man ! it is you whom the ogre should eat , and not your beautiful daughter . ' But the father paid no heed to what the rabbit said , and only walked on the faster , bidding Thakane to keep close behind him . By-and-by they met with a troop of great deer , called elands , and they stopped when they saw Thakane and sang : Why do you give to the ogre Your child , so fair , so fair ? ` You had better ask her , replied the man , ` she is old enough to give you an answer . ' Then , in her turn , Thakane sang : I gave Koumongoe to Koane , Koumongoe to the keeper of beasts ; For without Koumongoe they could not go to the meadows : Without Koumongoe they would starve in the hut ; That was why I gave him the Koumongoe of my father . And the elands all cried : ` Wretched man ! it is you whom the ogre should eat , and not your beautiful daughter . '
By this time it was nearly dark , and the father said they could travel no further that night , and must go XXXXX sleep where they were .
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