A hunter went out into the bush. He met an elephant and got her pregnant. When the elephant's child was born, it was half girl, half elephant. As soon as she could walk, she went off to the town, to see if she could find somewhere to live. she searched everywhere, but the people all said 'Ugh! You're too ugly. Go away.' They even said that at her father's house.

Finally the Queen adopted her. But her eldest son, Bolas, felt sick every time he saw her. 'Ugh,' he said to his mother. 'You must kill Fiella (that was her name). I vomit every time I see her.' But his mother said ; 'Look, I won't kill her. but when you come to visit me, sound the trumpets, and I will send her away.'

Every time Bolas visited his mother, the trumpets would sound, and the serving girls would sing ; "Fiella, go away and hide. The prince is coming and you make him vomit." And Fiella would go and hide.

There was to be a great party in the town. Fiella told the Queen that she was going to fetch wood. She went into the bush, to visit her mother. She told her what she wanted. Her mother was a great magician ; she ate Fiella and vomited her up again ; now she was as beautiful as the moon. 'Hmm', said the elephant, dissatisfied. She ate her daughter again, and again she vomited her up ; this time she was as beautiful as the sun, and her light shone.

She went back to the town and arrived just in time for the party. Bolas saw the beautiful girl, and sent his servants to her to ask her to take a gift of kola nuts. "Pooh," she said. "Take these instead." And she sent him back a hundred times as many kola nuts. They talked together. "Ask for what you want," said Bolas, "and I will give it to you." She asked for his gold ring.

Then she went back to her mother. Her mother swallowed her down and threw her up again. She was her old ugly self. "Now," said her mother, "go back home. But the next time you are told to leave the room because you are too ugly, don't go."

So she didn't. And Bolas saw her. And he saw his ring upon her finger. So he said to his mother ; "Mother, I must marry Fiella".

The King was disgusted when he heard the news. But Bolas was adamant ; he said he would neither eat nor drink until he was allowed his way. "O.K., then' said the king. "But they must live far away from here, on the other side of the jungle."

So they got married. And Fiella went back to see her mother, who swallowed her and vomited her back up again twice, until she was as beautiful as the sun and her light shone. The king saw the light shining. He sent one of courtiers to find out. When he came back and told the king that it was Fiella, he wouldn't believe him. The next day he went to see for himself.

Then he called all his courtiers and said that there would be a big hunt the next day. But no-one must bring any water. When Fiella heard that, she said to her husband "Hmmm - that hunt is for you". And she gave him a seed and said ; "Whatever happens, don't lose this. You will need it."

Bolad put the seed in his belt, and went to join the hunt. All day, they hunted until everyone was thirsty. Then the king called them to come and join him at a well. All new that it was a magic well and that it was haunted*. The king said that he was going down to get water. "No", said the prince. "I must go."

They tied their belts together, but Bolas kept his. Then he went down along the belts. He sent water up to them. Then he asked them to pull him up. The king told them to detach their belts, one by one. When he was almost at the top, the king told them to let him go. He fell - but the djinni of the well caught him and made sure he landed safely. then the king made his men pile stones on top of him - but the djinne arched over him so that he was not harmed.

The king and his men went away. He tried to persuade Fiella to come to his bed, but she would not. The prince brought the seed out of his belt, and placed it in the rocks. It grew for one year, for two years, for five years, until it pierced the rocks and reached the light. The prince followed it, and was free.

He went back to his home. But he was dirty, and had a long beard. He sat at the cow bier and waited. When the servants came to milk the cow, he asked them to give him milk ; they refused, but when they told their mistress what had happened, she said they were to give him milk. The next time, they gave him a calbash full of milk. He did not drink it, but put his ring in it. "Make sure that only your mistress empties this pot".

She saw the ring. She went and took her husband by the hand. That evening, refreshed and shaven, he rode to his father's house. His father was ashamed and asked the world to swallow him. The prince told the world that it must not deprive him of his father. Then he raced up to him and drove a spear through his heart.

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