110 SUDAN NOTES AND RECORDS.

must go before God and have the case seen. "What nonsense," said Rill, "how can I reach Heaven without wings." "That's all arranged," replied Ijong, "You take one of my wings and my cousin Ket the shork will lend you one of his so that you'll reach there alright."

Accompanied by Ket they then flew off to Heaven, where God heard their case and let Rill off with a caution. This, however, did not please Ijong who took back the wings from Rill and flew back to earth again.

Finding himself in a bit of a fix Rill went to God and asked him for assis- tance but God replied that it was nothing to do with him how he got back to earth but gave him a little grain to help him on his journey. Rill took the grain but remained standing at a loss to know what to do and this so annoyed God that he gave Rill a push and sent him spinning down to earth again. Rill was afraid of his life that he would fall on some thing hard and be killed so prayed to God to be permitted to fall into a pool of water. Just as he'd finished his prayer however he landed with a terrible thump on some hard ground so that all the grain that God had given him was spilt. The fall rendered Rill unconscious and the ants came and stole all his grain. On the next day Rill, feeling very sore, regained consciousness and asked the ants to return what they had taken, which they did. He then slowly made his way to his mother's house where the old woman met him and was horrified to see him in such a battered state. "God has just thrown me out of Heaven and I am nearly dead. Go into the bean patch and dig my grave. Kill a bull and put the meat with plenty of water, cooking pots and fire wood as well and when you have done so give me warning and I will come. I will lie down in my grave and you will cover it over with a light layer of sticks and wet clay only be careful not to allow any earth fall on top of me. If you hear any noises in the hole fear not for you will know that it is the flesh falling off my bones." When the grave was ready Rill got into it and at the end of three days having finished all the meat he came out again and appeared before his mother saying that he was cured.

4.

Smarting under the treatment he had received on account of Ijong Rill was only too glad to take the opportunity of once more joining up with his rival in the hopes of getting his own back. Thus they again set out for Heaven where Ijong was anxious to marry one of the girls. This trip too gave Rill the opportunity of getting square with God so the first thing he did on arrival there was to steal one of God's goats, killed it and, as he had done before, smeared the fat over Ijong's mouth. When God discovered the loss he was very angry and proceeded to investigate matters. Rill again accused Ijong who, however, was not to be caught at the same trick a second time and de- manded that some form of oath should be taken to distinguish the evil doer.

Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Original from UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN