Читать книгу Indaba, My Children: African Tribal History, Legends, Customs And Religious Beliefs - Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa - Страница 26

BEHOLD THE DECEIVER

In the Great City of the Strange Ones there had been chaos and bloodshed. Piles of dead bodies choked the narrow streets. Blood had flowed like water as two opposing forces had clashed like wild cats through the shocked city. But now there was peace and jubilation in the land, because the cruel one, the Emperor Karesu had been overthrown and captured in one short bloody revolt by the followers of the Empress Makira-Kadesi.

As night fell the city blazed with lights. The singing and noise rose higher and higher into the jewelled heavens even as the night deepened. Wild celebrations were in progress in the Great Palace and people crowded the gardens and the steps of the palace like flies on a pot of honey. Whenever the victorious witch-queen Kadesi made an appearance in the doorway of the Great House with her harp in her hand and her voice raised, singing their ‘song of victory’, loud cheers split the moonless night from thousands of throats: ‘Long live the Lioness, Makira! Long may she reign!’

The last time Makira made her appearance outside, before going back into the Great Hall to preside over the fantastic feast held in her honour, she held her hand up for silence and her voice was high and clear in the night: ‘Thank you, my loyal people; thank you for your support in wresting the throne from that madman Karesu who ruled you with such cruelty and with no regard for your feelings. Today I am your Queen, your Empress, and my greatest aim will be to raise this empire to heights undreamt of by its founders. This I shall do as soon as possible, and I know that I shall succeed. I shall reorganise our armies and I shall strengthen the walls around our cities and villages to make them invincible to any attack. I shall take this empire to the very stars, if need be – and this empire shall bloom like a flower and live forever in the minds of men – as the greatest of all time. Now, before I retire for the night, let us all sing the song of our country: “Oh Flower in the Jungles Planted . . .”’