LOELOERAAI’S FIRE #1 , CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE (FROM LOELOERAAI, 1923, CJ LANGENHOVEN)

Ek voel baie, baie hartseer. Maar laat my gaan, amptenaar; jy het my woord dat ek nie vier-en-twintig uur langer die aarde met my teenwoordigheid sal opskeep nie.” “Dit lyk my jy is kranksinnig ook,” sê die magistraat. “Konstabel, ek het reeds gelas om die prisonier te verwyder.” Die konstabel tree nader en lig sy hand op. Net soos hy aan Loeloeraai se arm raak, word hy slap en hy sak inmekaar. “Laat hom ’n paar uur slaap,” sê Loeloeraai. “Hy sal niks oorkom nie. Kom, Kerneels en Stoffel, kom ons gaan huis toe. Ons het baie om te gesels in die tydjie wat vir ons oorbly. Maar voor ek gaan – amptenaar, asseblief moenie gewapende magte stuur om my in hegtenis te neem nie. Ek wil niemand die minste leed aandoen nie.” Hy kyk by die oop venster van die hofsaal uit. “Sien jy daardie groot bos op die rand van die oorkantse kop ?” Hy haal ’n dingetjie nes ’n vérkyker uit sy bors en hy peil da ardeur. Toe ons weer sien staan die bos aan die vlam. “Dis maar ’n klein aanduidinkie,” sê Loeloeraai, “van die wetenskap van die bewoners van julle aandster en môrester.”

From Loeloeraai, 1923, CJ Langenhoven

"I feel very, very sad. But let me go, official; you have my word that I will no longer than twenty-four-hours bother the earth with my presence.” "It seems to me that you are insane too," said the magistrate. "Constable, I have already ordered the removal of the prisoner." The constable steps closer and raises his hand. Just as he touches Loeloeraai's arm, he becomes limp and collapses. "Let him sleep for a few hours," says Loeloeraai. "He'll be fine. Come on, Kerneels and Stoffel, let's go home. We have a lot to talk about in the time that remains for us. But before I go - official, please do not send armed forces to arrest me. I do not want to hurt anyone in the least." He looks out the open window of the courtroom. "Do you see that big bush on the edge of the opposite head?" He takes a thing like a pair of binoculars out of his chest and he peers through it. Before we knew it the bush was on fire. "It's just a small indication," says Loeloeraai, "of the science of the inhabitants of your evening star and morning star."

From Loeloeraai, 1923, CJ Langenhoven (Translated from the original Afrikaans)

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