A long, wet walk in over those high hills
Then, find a shallow spot
And slosh across the Umfolosi.

But now, back at base camp
Showered, dry, clean clothes on
Hot food within; warm whisky without
We settled, in a companionable circle
Round the leaping campfire flames,
Turned
To Richard, our tracker,
Zulu to the core. Five wives, fourteen kids and
Sixteen years in the wildlife game,
Said
"Baba. Share with us
Some of your tales
From all your years here in the bush."

Now Richard was a mighty man
With legs like trees, arms with a python's grip,
And a laugh that rumbled up from deep within,
Roll past the crag-cut lines upon his face,
Then push out through his scraggly beard.

Up he leapt and began to speak.
But Richard was a storyteller -
An old-fashioned storyteller. So
As he spoke, he stamped, he turned,
His movements mimicked
The animals in his tales.  From deep down
In his throat, the rhino snorted loud and
The elephant's brassy trumpet rang.

"Two tales I will tell you of tonight.
One of when
I was a foolish man - and one
When I was wise. Both
When I was guarding
Tourists such as you."

"We were walking through the wilderness
Down the tracks you trod today
Came around the thorns, there by the waterhole
To find - a rhino, standing in the trees.
The tourists quickly jumped - as we had warned them to,
Burrowed, deep, in the thick thorn bush.
I hid  - watching all the time for
The rhino - as he snorted, stamped, looking
For this strange smell that he tasted on the wind. Then
He charged! At me! And I saw!
I was not behind a tree
But crouched behind a flower.
My eyes, my head
Had been too full, thinking
Of the rhino - and the tourists in my care.
I was shocked. I was scared. My hands
Forgot they held a rifle, so
I shouted at that rhino - loud, to split the sky
And he turned,
To run the other way."

"That was the day when
I was a foolish man."

"Then there was the other time
We took the tourists out,
Walking there, where we have walked
So many times before. But
This time was different. The one in charge
Was young, stupid and foolish.
She did not know the bush, she did not
Know the tricks, the animals, or even
What to do
If trouble turned upon us."

"We saw, ahead, the elephant. A herd
Quietly feeding, so
She took the tourists closer
To take their little pictures. And then
She told them -
Walk on through the herd."

"I told her; this is dangerous.
This is stupid. We should turn and walk away.
She laughed. She would not listen. So, forward we went.
Then, suddenly, had to stop, for
Ndlovu
Was standing in our path.
Left, right, forward, back. We were
In the middle of the herd."

"And what did she do? She told them -
Climb the nearest tree. You will be safe."

"My heart wanted to shout. I wanted
To swear. But instead
I whispered -
You crazy woman. You will have us dead!
They will pluck us from those trees
Like ripe, red fruit."

"I turned to those frightened tourists
And then I softly said;
For your lives - listen to me. Now be still -
Be very still, while I look around us.
And I looked. And I saw
That we were surrounded, but - over there
Two elephants stood together, back to back.
I whispered to myself,
I am taking all these tourists out, right
Between those hairy arses - and if they turn, then
I will have to shoot; explain it to the Board
When I have these people back in camp. So
We walked. Silently. So close that
The falling dung
Dropped between our feet."

"That was the day
When I was a wise man
And this, also, is my story why
I do not fear
The elephant today."

"I have shared two tales with you
While the campfire burned away.
But my other tales will keep,
For now my throat is dry
And beer is what I need."