Then they crawled on their hands and knees to where the Nunda lay asleep . Noiselessly they crept along till they were quite close to it ; then , at a sign from the boy , they threw their spears . The Nunda did not stir : the spears had done their work , but a great fear seized them all , and they ran away and climbed the mountain . The sun was setting when they reached the top , and glad they were to take out the fruit and the cakes and the water which they had hidden away , and sit down and rest themselves . And after they had eaten and were filled , they lay down and slept till morning . When the dawn broke they rose up and cooked more rice , and drank more water . After that they walked all round the back of the mountain to the place where they had left the Nunda , and they saw it stretched out where they had found it , stiff and dead . And they took it up and carried it back to the town , singing as they went , ` He has killed the Nunda , the eater of people . ' And when his father heard the news , and that his son was come , and was bringing the Nunda with him , he felt that the man did not dwell on the earth whose joy was greater than his . And the people bowed down to the boy and gave him presents , and loved him , because he had delivered them from the bondage of fear , and had slain the Nunda . -LRB- Adapted from Swahili Tales . -RRB- THE STORY OF HASSEBU Once upon a time there lived a poor woman who had only one child , and he was a little boy called Hassebu . When he ceased to be a baby , and his mother thought it was time for him to learn to read , she sent him to school . And , after he had done with school , he was put into a shop to learn how to make clothes , and did not learn ; and he was put to do silversmith 's work , and did not learn ; and whatsoever he was taught , he did not learn it . His mother never wished him to do anything he did not like , so she said : ` Well , stay at home , my son . ' And he stayed at home , eating and sleeping . One day the boy said to his mother : ` What was my father 's business ? ' ` He was a very learned doctor , ' answered she . ` Where , then , are his books ? ' asked Hassebu .
` Many days have passed , and I have thought nothing XXXXX them .
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