Mabalêl Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Eugène N. Marais)

To Rakwena the big old hippopotamus hole
with the jar that she is taking to fetch water
Mabalêl the daughter of chieftain Rasithlare do triple,
do tread over the shrubbery and the tussocks of grass

with the wind rushing through her hair
rustling the grass and jerking on the leaves of the trees
while her ankle-rings do jingle happily
and there is tranquillity at the pool and she do notice no danger,

notices the sun shining on the water's surface,
from the distance voices do sound up
but she do not notice the two crocodile-eyes peering through water
and with happiness she thinks back to her childhood days,

hear children laughing out loud in the distance
how pots and pans do jingle and clatter
in repose and vivacious do dip the jar under the water
do walk still deeper into the pool as a huge mistake,

do not notice the slight ripple of the water or the black spot,
only her image reflects and leaves that are rolling in the wind
when out of the water with rough power jaws jerk open and slam shut
while a slapping tail do twist the water around and around,

where she does froze from shock and horror
for the massive crocodile that bites off her arm
and does scream her lungs,
her life out but nobody does notice her distress,
when that armoured monster murderously pulverises
her ankles and legs
and on the water surface only blood remains
and a piece of cloth do float

and in that night there is weeping at her mother's hut
while the old induna and his impi
do walk to the water that turns and do foam at times
with long-arm spears with razor sharp blades
pierce it a thousand times to kill
where they cross that pool to and fro over and over

and chieftain Rasithlare cannot take revenge on his child's death
where with torches they keep stabbing until the early morning breaks
as there is no sign of the crocodile and its prey,
not even higher up in the brook

and the wind does whisper dark secrets but no one knows their meaning.

[Reference:"Mabalêl" by Eugène N. Marais.]