Word: samuriwo
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...miles away in a somber, echoing burial cave, the King-elect, naked and unarmed, stood trial by ordeal. Surrounded by the dusty mummies of eight of his ancestors, Willie Samuriwo kept his solitary vigil two long nights to prove-by escaping animal attack-his right to be King. Outside, whispering, loinclothed sentries sent back word to waiting villagers that the fresh spoor of a lion could be seen at the mouth of the cave, and a lioness had been seen prowling in the vicinity during the night, but neither had molested Willie...
...second morning, Samuriwo emerged weary-eyed but unharmed, to be greeted by the joyous shouts of his people, and a long dagger of lightning, which superstitious natives immediately took as a sign from the gods hailing their new chief. Donning a suit and shot-silk tie, Willie, a prosperous, 45-year-old farmer, returned to Mahusekwa for the coronation...
Willie claims descent from the Emperor Monomotapa ("He who plunders and gathers beautiful women"), who ruled 500 years ago; the Va-Mhani branch of the Varozwi tribe has been without a King since 1936, when Willie Samuriwo's father died. After numerous petitions, the Southern Rhodesian government agreed to let the throne be filled again, and last week, after King Willie passed his frightening test, he received his "crown"-a prosaic white sun helmet...
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