"The Spirit Quest" - читать интересную книгу автора (Burkitt John H., Morris David A.)

 CHAPTER 1: RAFIKI IS BORN

The mandrill Neema was crying out in anguish as she brought her child into the world. Her husband, Chief Kinara, had sat unruffled through many struggles with a calm smile. Now he was clearly in distress listening the muffled moaning of his wife. His sons Makedde and Makoko were trying to comfort him as best they could.

“Bear down,” the midwife said. “It will hurt more, but it is much quicker. Bear down.”

A piercing scream left no doubt it hurt. “Oh gods! Oh gods! See me through!”

The midwife said, “The more it hurts, the more you will love your child.”

“If I love him much more, it’ll kill me!!”

Even in her pain, she kept a little sense of humor. But the chief was not amused. He kept wringing his hands and pacing around. “Why doesn’t she hurry!”

“She’s doing the best she can,” Makedde said. “Some things can’t be hurried.”

“That’s it,” said the midwife. “Come on, Neema! It’s almost over!”

Finally there was a cry that sounded more like a call of relief. And a few moments later came a shrill yip showed that a new voice was speaking.

At long last the midwife came for the Chief. The young sons were warned away for now. “You’ll get your chance. Don’t crowd the mother.”

Chief Kinara looked at Neema and the small moist bundle of fur and long limbs she held. “Our son,” she whispered.

“Our son,” he said, bending down to kiss Neema’s perspiring brow. “You said you wanted a daughter this time. Did you change your mind?”

“I stick with what works. You know that.”

He turned the small face to look at him. With a slight shrug, he contemplated the somewhat plain but pleasant visage. “Metutu,” he said, for the child was no beauty but also was not ugly. The midwife, not understanding, went outside and said, “Listen all! Chief Kinara has a son. By the will of the gods, Metutu!”

Neema frowned at her husband. “Now look what you’ve done.”

“It means one whose face does not lie.”

“It also means plain one.”

“He’s the son of the chief. They better not call him ‘plain one’ if they know what’s good for them!” He bent down and looked into the child’s eyes.

“Oh look, he’s smiling at me!”

“It’s probably gas,” Neema said.

“I tell you he’s smiling,” Kinara stressed. “And well he might smile. His life will be easy and free from pain, at least if I have any say over it.” He kissed the child. “Welcome home, Metutu.”