The old sage responded: “You, Gassire, should not yearn for your father’s death.  Die he will, but you will inherit neither his shield nor his spear.  You will, by that time, play the lute, and it will be because of your lute that Wagadu will be lost!”

The prince was furious, “Kiekorro, you liar, you inventor of tales!  You are not a sage!  How can Wagadu be lost whilst its warriors fight battles every day?”  The old diviner, however, was certain of the future: “Do not believe me if you do not like my words, Prince, but one day you will live among the wild fowl in the fields, and you will know their cry like a common peasant.  You and all Wagadu will have to go that way.  Oh Jerra! Oh Agada! Oh Ganna! Oh Silla! Oh Fasa!”

The next day Prince Gassire rode out with his troops to face the Burdama, who were arrayed in battle order to face them.  But Gassire spoke somberly to his warriors: “You will all stay here and watch.  Today I want to fight the Burdama alone.”  Holding his spear and his sword, Gassire rode into the ranks of his enemies.  He hewed into them on his right.  He stabbed into them on his left.  Many Burdamas fell.  Terrified, they cried out: “This is not a Fasa nor a Ganna, but a demon!”  They dropped their weapons, turned their horses, and fled.

The battle over, Gassire went home, where his wives bathed him.  The men of the city met in the square and praised Gassire loudly for his incredible bravery.  “Never before has Wagadu won so many spears in one hour of battle!”  But Gassire did not join them.  He went out into the fields to see the wild fowl.  There was one big woodcock singing very beautifully.  Gassire found to his surprise that he could understand the bird’s words, for the old sage had put a spell on his ears.  Gassire heard the woodcock singing:

Hear my singing! Hear the Dausi!
Hear my singing! Hear the Dausi!
Hear the men who went before us!
Men must die like all God’s creatures.
Heroes die and will be buried.
Kings and princes will be buried
and will molder in their graveyards.
Only Dausi is immortal!
Epic song will live and prosper!
Never dies the Song of Dausi,
of the deeds of kings and heroes.
Dausi will be sung forever
by the unborn generations.