"Mike Resnick - The Lotus and the Spear" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

himself could. If it were just Keino, I would say that he ended his life because he
could not have her. But now two more have died, and I must find the reason for it."
"They all live in the village of young men by the edge of the forest," said Ndemi.
"Perhaps it is cursed."
I shook my head. "They have not all killed themselves."
"You know," said Ndemi, "when Nboka drowned in the river two rains ago, we
all thought it was an accident. But he, too, lived in the village of young men. Perhaps
he killed himself as well."
I had not thought of Nboka in a long time. I thought of him now, and realized
that he could very well have committed suicide. Certainly it made sense, for Nboka
was known to be a very strong swimmer.
"I think perhaps you are right," I replied reluctantly.
Ndemi's chest puffed up with pride, for I do not often compliment him.
 "What kind of magic will you make, Koriba?" he asked. "If it requires the
feathers of the crested crane or the maribou stork, I could get them for you. I have
been practicing with my spear."
"I do not know what magic I shall make yet, Ndemi," I told him. "But whatever it
is, it will require thought and not spears."
"That is too bad," he said, shielding his eyes from the dust that a sudden warm
breeze brought to us. "I thought I had finally found a use for it."
"For what?"
"For my spear," he said. "I no longer herd cattle on my father's shamba, now
that I am helping you, so I no longer need it." He shrugged. "I think I shall leave it at
home from now on."
"No, you must always take it with you," I said. "It is customary for all Kikuyu
men carry spears."
He looked inordinately proud of himself, for I had called him a man, when in
truth he was just a kehee, an uncircumcised boy. But then he frowned again.
"Why do we carry spears, Koriba?" he asked.
"To protect us from our enemies."
"But the Maasai and Wakamba and other tribes, and even the Europeans, remain
in Kenya," he said. "What enemies have we here?"
"The hyena and the jackal and the crocodile," I answered, and added silently:
And one other enemy, which must be identified before we lose any more of our
young men, for without them there is no future, and ultimately no Kirinyaga.
"It has been a long time since anyone needed a spear against a hyena," continued
Ndemi. "They have learned to fear us and avoid us." He pointed to the domestic
animals that were grazing in the nearby fields. "They do not even bother the goats
and the cattle any more."
"Did they not bother Ngala?" I asked.
"He wanted to be eaten by hyenas," said Ndemi. "That is different."
"Nonetheless, you must carry your spear at all times," I said. "It is part of what
makes you a Kikuyu."
"I have an idea!" he said, suddenly picking up his spear and studying it. "If I
must carry a spear, perhaps I should have one with a metal tip, so that it will never
warp or break."
I shook my head. "Then you would be a Zulu, who live far to the south of
Kenya, for it is the Zulus who carry metal-tipped spears, which they call assagais."
Ndemi looked crestfallen. "I thought it was my own idea," he said.
"Do not be disappointed," I said. "An idea can be new to you and old to