No sooner
did the creature find itself at liberty than it made off as fast as
its lame legs would take it. Of one accord, the family forsook dish,
spoon, and drinking-cup, and grabbing from a sacred meal-bowl whole
handfuls of the contents, hurriedly followed the turtle about the
room, into dark corners, around water-jars, behind the
grinding-troughs, and out into the middle of the floor again,
praying and scattering meal on its back as they went. At last,
strange to say, it approached the foot-sore man who had brought it.
"'Ha!' he exclaimed with emotion; 'see it comes to me again; ah,
what great favours the fathers of all grant me this day,' and,
passing his hand gently over the sprawling animal, he inhaled from
his palm deeply and long, at the same time invoking the favour of
the gods. Then he leaned his chin upon his hand, and with large,
wistful eyes regarded his ugly captive as it sprawled about,
blinking its meal-bedimmed eyes, and clawing the smooth floor in
memory of its native element. At this juncture I ventured a
question:
"'Why do you not let him go, or give him some water?'
"Slowly the man turned his eyes toward me, an odd mixture of pain,
indignation, and pity on his face, while the worshipful family
stared at me with holy horror.
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