OCR Text |
Show Conceit of the Somali I Porhnps tho most remarkablo characteristic char-acteristic of tho natives of Somali-laud Somali-laud is their unbounded, preposterous conceit. Englishmen who know their ylangungo havo beon nppallod by it. When watoilng his camel or his horso tho Somali encourages tho animal to drink by chnnting to it in a monotono. It Is nt such moments of extemporary effusion that tho man shines in all his glory. Tho subject matter may bo tho oxporloncos of tho day's march, tho virtues of tho animal beside him, tho charms of his latest wlfo or his own prowess in somo bloodless tribal raid. By groat good fortuno tho following fol-lowing lltoral translation of ono of thoso chants or songs camo Info my possession, aud I Insort It without any comment: "Will you sco a man? Then behold mo! I am a Somali, as porfect In sizo and form as Adam was after God had! I breathod Into him his Immortnl soul. I Look how beautiful my curly hair is, and how majostic I look whon wrapped from head to foot In my H snow-whlto or Junglo-colorcd tobo, al- though thoro bo sometimes only ono H plo (a Bmall ploco of monoy) tied to jfl It. My houso is tho desert, and I am 9 born a free man. Freo as tho wind! fl I know neither king nor mastor. I B am aB Adam wns, my own mastor and king. In tho Junglo I tond my camols j nnd Bhoop; my only labor Is to watch them food. In my korrlor, my wife, ! my dear slave, does all tho manual work, whllo tondlng my offspring, and woo to hor If sho forgets to proporo my ovonlng menl. Tho Jedal (whip) 1 shall then havo Its turn to mako her remember for noxt day. In such a ' stato Is any man happier than I?"-i Golden Ponny. |