“I Am Not Afraid”
Based on a Masai tale
By Kenny Mann
（来源：Bank Street Ready to Read, Level 2）
Once there were tow brothers.
Tipilit, the older, knew no fear.
Leyo was but a boy.
He was small to learn from his brother.
One fine day the brothers
were looking for
water and green grass
for their cows.
Then came to a deep river
with green grass all around.
“Let us camp here,” said Tipilit.
“I will get some water,” said Leyo.
Leyo dipped his gound into the river
and filled it with water.
“You are stealing my water!”
roared the river.
Leyo was so afraid,
he fell and spilled the water.
He ran back to his brother.
“The river is angry with me!” he cried.
“I cannot take any water!”
“You are a coward,” said Tipilit.
He picked up the gourd
and filled it with water.
“You are stealing my water!” roared the river.
“No, oh river,” said Tipilit.
“I am taking only what I need,
so I am not afraid.”
That night they needed wood
for their campfire.
Leyo took his sword
and cut a dead branch from a tree.
“You are stealing my branches!” cried the tree.
Leyo was so afraid, he dropped the branch
and ran back to his brother.
“You are a coward,” said Tipilit.
“I will get the wood myself.”
Then he took the swod
and cut off a dead branch.
“You are stealing my branches!” cried the tree.
“No, oh tree,” said Tipilit.
“I am taking only dead branches,
so I am not afraid.”
The brothers made a fire
with the branches.
They ate their food.
Then, under the full moon,
they fell asleep.
While they were sleeping,
a demon came to their camp.
This demon had nine heads
and one very big toe.
He had one red eye
that glowed in the dark.
And he was very hungry.
The demon was about to steal the boys’ food
when Tipilit woke up.
Quickly, the demon hid near the dying fire.
Only his red eye flowed in the dark.
“The fire is almost out,”
Tipilit told Leyo.
“Make a new one.”
Leyo put branches on the fire.
He reached for a chunk of coal.
But it was the demon’s eye!
Quickly, the demon seized Leyo.
The boy was so frightened,
he could not move.
“Oh brother, help me!” he cried.
But it was too late.
The demon ate Leyo in one gulp.
Tipilit chased the demon.
“I am not afraid of you!” he shouted.
He drew his sword and chopped off
two of the demon’s heads.
The demon’s red eye grew dim and cold.
Tipilit raised his sword again. Chop!
Off came the demon’s big toe.
The demon fell to the ground,
and out crawled Leyo.
He was still alive and all in one piece.
“My brother,” said Leyo,
“you are a brave man.
I, too, wish to be brave.”
Tipilit smiled in the pale light of dawn.
“Then go and take water from the river,” he said.
“But this time show no fear.”
Leyo dipped his gourd into the river.
“You are stealing my water!” roared the river.
“No, oh river!” shouted Leyo.
“I am taking only what I need.
And I am no longer afraid.”
Next, Leyo cut branches from a tree.
“You are stealing my branches!” cried the tree.
“No, oh tree!” shouted Leyo.
“I am taking only dead branches.
And I am no longer afraid.”
That night the two brothers
rested near their fire.
They sang about the beautiful place
they had found for their cows.
Their voices rose up into the starry sky.
The spirits of the trees
and the river rested, too.
Leyo knew they would
trouble him no more.
(梅珠，录入)
