As soon as he had stanched the bleeding from his scratches and washed himself, Alphonse went off still cursing, to recover his temper, a process which I knew from experience would take a very long time.

When he had gone I gave Umslopogaas a jobation and told him that I was ashamed of his behaviour.
'Ah, well, Macumazahn,' he said, 'you must be gentle with me, for here is not my place.

I am weary of it, weary to death of eating and drinking, of sleeping and giving in marriage.

I love not this soft life in stone houses that takes the heart out of a man, and turns his strength to water and his flesh to fat.
I love not the white robes and the delicate women, the blowing of trumpets and the flying of hawks.

When we fought the Masai at the kraal yonder, ah, then life was worth the living, but here is never a blow struck in anger, and I begin to think I shall go the way of my fathers and lift Inkosi-kaas no more,' and he held up the axe and gazed at it in sorrow.
'Ah,' I said, 'that is thy complaint, is it?
Thou hast the blood-sickness, hast thou?
And the Woodpecker wants a tree.
And at thy age, too.