CHAPTER XXVI

THE NTOTO, OR ICHNEUMON

A ntoto, with his elongated weasel-like form, stretched his short legs, and, looking at his dirty reddish-brown spotted skin, as he lay in the hollow of his tree, said: “Many kinds of ntotos inhabit this great forest where I was born. How we ichneumons hate these horrid creeping crawling creatures, the omembas! We kill them every time we have a chance. We show them no mercy, for often when we starve it is owing to them. They eat the prey upon which we feed. We are not even afraid of the biggest of them,—those that feed on kambis, ncheris, or ngoas.”

Leaving his place, he walked along slowly through the jungle, and listened, hoping to hear the noise made by omembas crawling among the fallen leaves. After a short ramble, he saw among the leaves one of the worst kind of omembas inhabiting the forest. He was short and very thick, with a skin much the color of the soil and leaves. He had a large triangular-shaped head, with a short horn rising from the end of his nose. His mouth possessed terrible fangs surrounded by bags filled with most deadly poison, which cause death in a very short time.

At the sight of this omemba, the ichneumon was filled with rage. His hair stood erect on his body. His eyes were full of hatred, and he prepared himself for conflict with his enemy,—the creature he hated more than any other.

All the omembas dread the ntotos, for they know that they are their inveterate enemies, that they are very cunning, and that many of their own kind are killed by them. The horrid-looking omemba, as he crawled along, was not at first aware that a ntoto had just seen him, but all at once he scented danger, and made off with the utmost speed, hoping that he had not been seen, and would escape with his life.

The ichneumon knew the danger he had to encounter. He knew that his enemy had terribly long poisonous fangs, and if the omemba succeeded in biting him he would surely die. But this thought did not make him afraid. On the contrary, it made him more fierce, though also very cautious and prudent. He followed the omemba, taking care not to be seen, and suddenly with lightning-like swiftness he attacked him, imbedding his teeth firmly in the back of his neck, his claws firmly holding the ground, and in two or three bites had almost severed the omembas head from his body and had broken his spinal column, thus preventing him from crawling any more. Only the quivering of his body showed that life lingered for a few seconds.

[Illustration: “_He attacked him, imbedding his teeth firmly in the back of his neck_”]

After killing the omemba and gloating over his victory, the ichneumon continued his way, and soon saw another omemba, which was a much longer and slender one, of a black and yellow color. He was coiled and ready to spring on any unsuspecting prey that should come within his reach. At the sight his coarse reddish-brown spotted fur once more stood erect, and he sprang at once to the attack.

The ntotos are wonderfully agile in their movements when they attack. They dodge every time the omembas prepare to spring upon them. Their quick eyes seize every motion and every intention of their adversary.

At the ichneumon’s approach the snake rose partly from his coils in great fear, for he knew that the enemy he dreaded most was to attack him, and that his life was in great danger. But he watched closely his opportunity to spring upon his enemy and coil round his body, and squeeze him to death.

The ichneumon knew this, and moved so quickly from one place to another that the eyes of the snake could not follow him. It was a game of hide-and-seek. The ichneumon was simply waiting for his opportunity, which came at last. The snake gave a dart at the ichneumon, who, quick as lightning, leaped aside. The snake had no time to coil himself again, and fled. In an instant the ichneumon sprang on his back next his head, so that he could not turn his poisonous fangs upon him, and in two or three bites severed the neck from the body. The battle was over.

After this second battle the ichneumon continued on his way, and ere long met a comrade. They saluted each other, and the one who had fought with the omembas recounted his victories, and then asked the other in his turn, “Where have you been to-night?” “I have had a grand old time to-night,” replied the second ichneumon. “I entered a village of human beings which I discovered, and got into a chicken-coop and killed all the chickens, including the big rooster. I made for the rooster first. I killed them all in true ichneumon fashion by biting them on the neck. How the blood poured out! And it tasted so good and sweet! Now I am going back home to the hollow of my tree where I sleep.”

Then the two bade each other good-by.

Years passed by. As the fighting ichneumon became older, his warfare upon the snakes became less and less fierce, for he was less nimble and was growing stiff in his movements. He had to content himself with killing rats, mice, and other small animals.

Often when he saw a snake the remembrance of his former attacks upon them came back to him, and several times he felt tempted to renew the conflict with them, but he did not give way to his inclination, for he had become prudent.

But one day he felt particularly well, and more nimble than usual. As he was seeking for a meal, he saw a long slender snake of the worst kind.

The snake, as he was crawling along, had also seen the ichneumon. All at once he stopped and coiled himself up for self-protection and fight if attacked.

The ichneumon, at the sight of the snake, forgot his old age and his stiffness; the memory of his past conflicts with snakes came back to him, and he ran to attack the creature he hated so much.

The snake reared his head and neck, leaving a large part of his body coiled, so that he could spring upon his antagonist at the proper time, if he had a chance; his tongue protruded, and he hissed as his enemy came near.

The ichneumon used his old tactics, went quickly round and round the snake, to bewilder him. The snake was filled with fear, and hissed continuously. But though the tactics of the ichneumon were those of the days of old, his movements were much slower, and he was not equal to the conflict, though he thought he was. Suddenly, like a flash, the snake darted upon him and coiled himself round his body. His coils were so close that he crushed the life out of the ichneumon, and then, at his leisure, swallowed him.