Die Sederberge is nie vir sissies nie

The Cederberg is not for sissies

Willem Fransman

Dis bitter koud in die berghut. Gerrie trek die slaapsak tot onder sy ken. Hy het gesê
dit kan koud word in die Sederberge. Hy het gedink hy sal die koue kan verduur. Hy is
mos al in graad tien. Só het sy pa gesê toe hulle hom saamgenooi het.
It's bitterly cold in the mountain hut. Gerrie pulls the sleeping bag up to his chin. He
said it could be cold in the Cederberg. He thought he could endure the cold. He is
already in grade ten. So his father said when they invited him.

Hy kyk na sy pa en oom Tiekie. Hulle slaapsakke tot by hulle heupe. Elkeen met ‘n beker
koffie in die hand. Hulle het vir hom ook aangebied, maar hy hou nie van koffie nie. Dit
maak hom naar. Hy kan nie bekostig om in die bos siek te word nie. Warm sjokolade, ja,
dis wat hy netnou gedrink het om die ergste koue uit sy lyf te kry. Hy sal later weer vir
hom maak.
He looks at his father and uncle Tiekie. Their sleeping bags up to their hips. Each with a
cup of coffee in hand. They also offered him, but he doesn’t like coffee. It makes him
nauseous. He can't afford to get sick in the bush. Hot chocolate, yes, that's what he
just drank to get the worst cold out of his body. He will make himself more later.

Dis hulle laaste aand in die berge. As alles goed verloop, slaap hulle môreaand op
Wuppertal.
It's their last night in the mountains. If all goes well, they will sleep on Wuppertal
tomorrow night

“George, gie gou vi’ my my rugsak agter djou rug an. Daa’s ‘n hoenertjie in!” sê oom
Tiekie.
"George, give me my backpack behind your back quickly. There’s a chicken in there!”
Says Oom Tiekie.

Gerrie se pa draai om. “Nou moet jy jou oë toeknyp, Ger-man,” sê hy skertsend vir
Gerrie. “Ek en oom Tienie gaan nou eers die hoendertjie se nekkie omdraai om ons teen
die koue te beskerm!” Hy trek die swaar rugsak met sy regterarm tussen hulle in.
Gerrie's dad turns around. "Now you have to pinch your eyes, Ger-man," he says jokingly
to Gerrie. "Uncle Tienie and I are now going to turn the little chicken's neck around to
protect us from the cold!" He pulls the heavy backpack with his right arm in between
them.

“Nee wat, Pa, maak julle maar warm. Ek’s heel oukei.”
“No, Dad, make yourself warm. I'm okay.”

Gerrie weet ‘n “hoendertjie” is hulle woord vir ‘n bottle brandewyn as vroue of kinders
in hulle geselskap is.

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Gerrie knows a "chicken" is their word for a bottle of brandy if women or children are
in their company.

Oom Tiekie trek die “hoendertjie” tussen sy klere uit en gooi ‘n berekende hoeveelheid
in elke beker, voeg water by en stoot dan een beker na Gerrie se pa uit.
Uncle Tiekie pulls out the "chicken" between his clothes and throws a calculated amount
in each cup, adds water and then gives one cup to Gerrie's father.

“Hierso, ou Georgie, lat hy val tot by djou tone!”

"Here, old Georgie, let it fall to the edge!"

Gerrie glimlag, maar net toe hulle die bekers teen mekaar stamp en ‘n eerste teug neem.
Gerrie smiles, but only when they hit the cups against each other and takes a first sip.

Dis oom Tiekie se staptog in die Sederberge. Hy praat heeltyd daarvan wanneer hy en
Gerrie teen die hoogtes uitsukkel. Dan lag sy pa net en sê: “Ja, ou Tiekie. Ja-a-a-a, ou
Tiekie!”
It is Oom Tiekie's hike in the Cederberg. He talks about it all the time when he and
Gerrie struggles at the heights. Then his father just laughs and says, "Yes, old Tiekie.
Yes-s-s old Tiekie.”

Oom Tiekie werk al jare lank vir sy pa. Eintlik het sy pa en oom Tiekie die besigheid van
die grond af opgebou. Met die verkiesing van Nelson Mandela as president het sy pa
hom ‘n volle vennoot gemaak.
Oom Tiekie has been working for his father for years. Actually, his father and uncle
Tiekie built the business off the ground. With the election of Nelson Mandela as
president, his father made him a full partner.

“Ou Gerrie,” het hy eenkeer gesê, “ek is ‘n South African of colour. Ek mien, djy kan
mos sien.” Hy het met sy plathand oor sy gesig gevryf. “’Die groot Menee’ daa’ boe het
maa’ net vir ou Tiekie soe ‘n bietjie innie oond gevegiet. That’s why!”
"Old Gerrie," he once said, "I'm a South African of color. I mean, you can see.” He
rubbed his hand over his face. "’The big Master’ up there had just forgotten old Tiekie
in the oven. That's why!”

Gerrie wou weet waarom hy juis nou die Sederberge wil uitstap. “Oom kon mos toe Oom
jonger was. Ek dink Oom gaan sukkel. My pa vertel altyd van die ouer stappers wat so
swaarkry.”
Gerrie wanted to know why he wanted to walk the Cederberg right now. “Uncle could
have done it when you were younger. I think Uncle is going to struggle. My dad always
tells that the older hikers are suffering a lot."

“Annderdag, Gerrie. Annerdag vertel ek djou. Maa’ dis iets wat ek agterie rug moet
kry!”
“Another day, Gerrie. Another day I will tell you. But it's something I have to do!"

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Gerrie hoor hoe die twee mans soos skoolseuns vir ‘n grap lag. Toe vra sy pa: “Ou Tiekie,
hoekom dryf jy jouself so om die berge plat te loop? Jy geniet elke ent pad wat agter
die rug is, maar ek sien jy kry plek-plek swaar.”
Gerrie hears the two men laughing at a joke like school boys. Then his father asks, "Old
Tiekie, why do you drive yourself to flatten the mountains? You enjoy every end of the
road that is behind, but I see you struggling in some places."

“Los dit, Georgie-boy, lossit!” Oom Tiekie se stem is abnormaal hard, byna ‘n opdrag.
"Leave it, Georgie-boy, leave it!" Uncle Tiekie's voice is abnormally loud, almost a
command.

“Ek wil ook graag weet, Oom. Dit lyk of Oom dit nie geniet nie, maar net moet klaarkry
sodat Oom kan sê Oom het die Sederberge gestap.”
“I also want to know, Uncle. It doesn't seem as though Uncle enjoya it, but just needs
to get it done so Uncle can say Uncle has walked the Cederberg."

“Gerrie, tog nie jy ook nie.”

“Oh Gerrie, not you too.”

“Asseblief, oom Tiekie, ek weet mos dat daar ‘n storie moet wees. Oom het eenkeer
gesê Oom sal anderdag vertel. Asseblief?”
“Please, uncle Tiekie, I know there must be a story. You once said that you will tell us
another day. Please?”

Oom Tiekie lig sy kop en dis asof hy na iets teen die verste muur kyk. “Ek moes gewéét
het dat ek nie ‘n kans teen die Berg en die Heuweltjie staan nie!” Hy praat altyd van sy
pa as die Berg, omdat hulle van Van der Berg is. Gerrie is die Heuweltjie. “Boetie,” sal hy
sê, “djy moet nog ‘n Berg word.” Dan gee hy Gerrie ‘n speelse knypie op die wang.
Uncle Tiekie lifts his head and it looks as if he is looking at something at the furthest
wall. "I should have known that I will not stand a chance against the Mountain and the
Hill!" He always speaks of his father as the Mountain, because their surname is Van der
Berg. Gerrie is the Hill. "Boetie,” he'll say," you still have to be become a mountain."
Then he gives Gerrie a playful pinch on the cheek.

“Djulle sien, djarre geliede het ek en vier buitelandse medical students gebeslyt om
innie Sederberge te gan stap. Alles was geprepare; rugsakke, boots, permits ennie
whole happy lot. Maa’ toe ons by Algeria-bosboustasie kom, toe sê hulle lat ekkie mettie
students in dieselle hut kan slaapie.”
“You see, years ago, four foreign medical students and I have come to walk the
Cederberg. Everything was prepared; backpacks, boots, permits and the whole happy
lot. So, when we came to Algeria forestry station, they said I could not sleep with the
students in the same cabin.”

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“Toe gee hulle vir Oom ‘n hut om alleen in te slaap? Oom was tog deel van die
stapgeselskap!”
“Then they gave Uncle a hut to sleep alone in? Uncle was part of the company after all!"

“Assit maa’ soe maklik was, ou Gerrie. Nee, daai was ‘n anne’ tyd in onse land se history
gewies. Innie mountains was daa’ nie alternative slaapplek nie. Daai tyd kon wit en bryn
nie saam geriewe gebryk nie. Ek moes onne’ die ope hiemel slaap. Julle sien, ons het mos
innie winter gegan, want dit het die challenge lekkerder gemaak.
"If only it was that easy, old Gerrie. No, that was another time in our country's history.
In the mountains there were not an alternative place to sleep. That time, white and
brown could not use the same facilities. I had to sleep under the open air. You see, we
went in winter, because it made the challenge nicer.

“Die man agte’ die counter, met soe ‘n dik army-snor, het gesê lat ons eintlik virre
international permit moes geapply het, dan kon ek oek as ‘n whitey deurgegat het. Toe
hy dit sê, toe pak die students onse goed terug innie karre in en toe ry ons maa’ trug
hys toe.”
"The man behind the counter, with a thick army mustache, said that we had to apply for
an international permit, so I could go through as a white. When he said this, the
students packed up our stuff back in the cars and then we drove back home.”

Oom tiekie bly ‘n paar oomblikke stil. “Twie wieke later het die students by ons hys innie
township gekyer. Toe hulle trugry, was daa’ ‘n helse accident met ‘n Casspir same. Al vier
op slag dood. By hul funeral het ek gebeslyt lat ek eendag die Sederberge vi’ hulle sal
gat stap … al moet dit ook die laaste ding wies wat ek op aarde sal doen.”
Uncle Tiekie remained silent for a few moments. “Two weeks later, the students visited
our home in the township. When they were on their way back, there was a terrible
accident involving a Casspir. All four died instantly. At their funeral, I decided that one
day I will walk the Cederberg mountains, for them even if it should be the last thing I
will do on earth."

“Ek is so jammer, oom Tiekie.”

“I am so sorry, uncle Tiekie.”

“My ou mater, dis tyd vir slaap,” sê sy pa. “Môre klim ons Sneeukop, dan was ons ons
gesigte in Crystal se poel, so teen middagete.”
“My old friend, it’s time to sleep,” says his father. “Tomorrow we will climb Sneeukop,
then by lunch we will wash our faces in Crystal’s Pool.”

Op Sneeukop lê die sneeu ongeveer ‘n meter diep. Soos ontdekkingsreisigers neem hulle
foto’s met George se afstandbeheer-kamera. Trots staan al drie by die pen met die vlag
op die hoogste piek van die Sederberge. Gerrie kyk na oom Tiekie. Sy glimlag is groter
as hulle s’n.

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At Sneeukop, the snow lies about a meter deep. Like explorers, they take photos with
George's remote-control camera. All three are proud to stand at the pen with the flag
on the highest peak of the Cederberg. Gerrie looks at Uncle Tiekie. His smile is bigger
than theirs.

By Crystal se poel eet hulle, drink iets warms en val in die pad. Voor die son sak, moet
hulle in Wuppertal wees.
At Crystal’s pool they eat, drink something warm and continue their journey. Before
sunset they must arrive at Wuppertal.

In die los sand, tussen ‘n plaat fynbos, kry Gerrie se pa die spore van ‘n wildsbokkie. Hy
wys hulle daarop. ‘n Rukkie loop hulle in stilte. Gerrie dink terug aan wat oom Tiekie die
vorige aand vir hulle vertel het.
In the loose sand, between a plate of fynbos, Gerrie's father gets the traces of an
antelope. He shows them on it. For a while they walk in silence. Gerrie thinks back to
what Uncle Tiekie told them the previous night.

Skielik gaan staan sy pa en Gerrie loop byna in hom vas.

Suddenly his father stands still and Gerrie almost bumps into him.

“En nou, Pa?”

“And now, Dad?”

“Luiperdspore, óp die van die wildsbokkie. Dit voorspel moeilikheid!”

“Leopard tracks, on those of the antelope. It predicts trouble! "

“Hoe so?”
“Why?”

“Kyk, die spore is vars. Die luiperd kan ons sien as kompetisie en aanval. Ons moet baie,
baie versigtig wees.”
“Look, the tracks are still frech. The leopard can see us as competition and attack us.
We will have to be very careful.”

Gerrie hoop sy pa kom nie agter hoe bang hy is nie.

Gerrie hopes his father does not realise how scared he is.

Hulle stap in stilte verder.

They walk further in silence.

Ver in die vallei sien hulle Kleinvlei, ‘n buitepos van Wuppertal. Oom Tiekie gooi sy
rugsak af. Toe dit op die grond neerplof, kyk Gerrie en sy pa om.
Far in the valley they see Kleinvlei, an outpost of Wuppertal. Uncle Tiekie throws his
backpack down. When it hits into the ground, Gerrie and his father looks around.

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“Oppas!” skreeu hulle gelyk.
"Beware!" they shouted at the same time.

Te laat.
Too late.

‘n Luiperd trek deur die lug en land ‘n halwe meter van oom Tiekie af. Ta hap na hom en
ruk sy kuitspier, deur die broekspyp, dat spier en materiaal soos ‘n vlaggie in die lug
wapper. Vir Gerrie gebeur alles in vertraagde aksie. Sy pa stamp hom onder die fynbos
in. Sy bene is lam en sy mond droog.
A leopard pulls through the air and lands half a meter from Uncle Tiekie. He grabs him
and pulls his calf muscle out, through his pants, so that the muscle and material flutter
in the air like a flag. For Gerrie, everything happens in delayed action. His dad bumps
him under the fynbos. His legs are lame and his mouth dry.

Toe verdwyn die luiperd net so geruisloos soos hy verskyn het.

Then the leopard disappears just as silently as it appeared.

George is vining by oom Tiekie en neem sy linkerbeen in sy hand. Die kuitspier is los van
die haksening. Bewerig haal Gerrie die noodhulpsakkie uit sy rugsak.
George hurries to Uncle Tiekie and takes his left leg in his hand. The calf muscle is
detached from the heel. Gerrie takes out the first-aid kit from his backpack.

“Byt vas, my mater, ons gaan die bloeding stop en jou veilig van die berg afkry!” Gerrie
se pa werk behendig met die verbande. “Seun, die donker mag ons nie hier op die berg
vang nie.”
"Hang in there, my friend, we're going to stop the bleeding and get you safely off the
mountain!" Gerrie's father is working diligently with the bandages. "Son, we can't be
caught in the dark here on the mountain."

“Wat kan ek doen, Pa? Afstap na die huise daar onder? Ek sal van die ooms kry om ons
te help.”
“What can I do, Dad? Walk down to the houses down there? I will get someone to come
and help us.”

“Dis dapper van jou, seun. Ons het nie ‘n ander keuse nie.” ‘n Oomblik kyk hulle na
mekaar. Oom Tiekie kreun.
“It is brave of you, son. We do not have another choice.” For a moment they look at
each other. Uncle Tiekie groans.

“Moet die trip klaa’ maak, Georgie-boy … Moet net,” praat oom Tiekie deurmekaar.
“Must finish this trip, Georgie-boy … Must,” uncle Tiekie says confused.

6
“Ja, ou Tiekie. Ja-a-a-a, toemaar, ou Tiekie! Ons sal jou help om jou belofte na te kom,”
glimlag Gerrie se pa.
“Yes, old Tiekie. Yes-s-s-s, don’t worry old Tiekie! We'll help you fulfill your promise,”
smiles Gerrie's father.

“Ek sal versigtig wees, Pa.” Gerrie vat sy knipmes en kierie en begin stap.
“I will be careful, Dad.” Gerrie takes his pocketknife and his walking stick and starts
walking.

“Wees heeltyd bewus van jou omgewing, seun!”

“Be aware of your surrounding the whole time, son!”

Net voor sonondergang daag Gerrie en ‘n paar mans op. Hulle dra oom Tiekie na ‘n
wagtende bakkie. In Wuppertal versorg die plaaslike verpleegsuster sy wond. Dan ry
hulle deur ‘n laning bome, verby die afgewitte Morawiese kerk en stop voor die
Kloofhuis.
Just before sunset, Gerrie and some men arrive. They carry Oom Tiekie to a waiting
bakkie. In Wuppertal, the local nursing sister cares for his wound. Then they drive
through lined trees, past the whitewashed Moravian church and stop in front of the
Kloof house.

Toe oom Tiekie later sy oë oopmaak, sê hy: “Ou Ger-man, djy mien ek herrit rêrag
gemaak? Rêrag?”
When uncle tiekie later opens his eyes, he says: “Old Ger-man, you mean that I really
made it? Really?”

Gerrie knik sy kop.

Gerrie nods his head.

“Dankie, ou Ger-man. Djy, djý’s die Berg wat my gehelp het met hierie Sederberg.”
“Thanks, old Ger-man. You, you are the Mountain that helped me with this Cederberg.”

Inligting oor die skrywer

Information about the author

Willem Fransman het op ‘n plaas buite Worcester grootgeword. Hy werk as ‘n grafiese

kunstenaar en rubriekskrywer vir Die Burger en Kaap Rapport.
Willem Fransman grew up on a farm outside Worcester. He works as a graphic artist
and columnist for Die Burger and Kaap Rapport.

Hy is kortverhaalskrywer, digter en storieverteller. Hy was lank voorsitter van die

Afrikaanse Skrywersvereniging. Hy het ‘n paar opdrag-radiodrams agter die blad: Die
belofte in ‘n skilpaddop (die verhaal van Sarah Baartman in die vreemde) en Martelaar
van Calvinia (verhaal van die bruin versetleier Abraham Esau gedurende die Anglo
Boereoorlog). Van sy dramas is al by kunstefeeste opgevoer: Om te bedel is ‘n kuns

7
(1999), Die mense van Langesaan (2000), Leipoldt soos nog nooit vantevore (2004-
opdragwerk), Ma se melk (2005) en Paljas van Dirk Ligter (2006-opdragwerk).
He is a short story writer, poet and storyteller. He has long been chairman of the
Afrikaans Writers' Association. He has a number of command radio drama behind him:
Die belofte in ‘n skilpaddop (the story of Sarah Baartman in the strange) and Martelaar
van Calvinia (story of the colored resistance leader Abraham Esau during the Anglo
Boer War). Some of his plays have been performed at art festivals: Om te bedel is ‘n
kuns (1999), Die mense van Langesaan (2000), Leipoldt soos nog nooit vantevore (2004
assignment), Ma se melk (2005) and Paljas van Dirk Ligter (2006 commissioned work).

“Die Sederberge is nie vir sissies nie” verskyn in Sweef en ander verhale.
“Die Sederberge is nie vir sissies nie” is published in Sweef en ander verhale.

Inleiding tot die kortverhaal

Introduction to the short story

“Die Sederberge is nie vir sissies nie” is ‘n grootword- ( coming of age), sowel as
avontuurverhaal. Die hoofkarakter, Gerrie word deur oom Tiekie “Heuweltjie” genoem
(hulle van is Van der Berg), maar ná die avontuur wat hulle saam beleef, doop oom Tiekie
hom “Berg” (nes sy pa.)
"Die Sederberge is nie vir sissies nie" is a coming of age, as well as adventure story.
The main character, Gerrie, is called "Hill" by Oom Tiekie (they are Van der Berg), but
after the adventure they had together, Uncle Tiekie baptized him "Mountain" (like his
father.)

Die verhaal is ‘n raamvertelling: ‘n Storie binne-in ‘n storie. Die binneraam is oom Tiekie
en sy buitelandse vriende se Sederberg-ervaring toe hulle studente was. Die buiteraam
is heelwat jare later wanneer Gerrie saam met sy pa en oom Tiekie die Sederberge
aandurf.
The story is a frame story: a story inside a story. The inner frame is Oom Tiekie and
his foreign friends' Cederberg experience when they were students. The outside frame
is quite a few years later when Gerrie, with his father and uncle Tiekie, enters the
Cederberg.

Dis Gerrie, ‘n graadtienseun, se eerste bergklimtog in die Sederberge. Op Gerrie en sy

pa se aandrang vertel oom Tiekie waarom hy nog al die jare die obsessie het om
Sneeukop te breik. En dan volg die binnevertelling: oor die weiering by die Algeria-
bosboustasie dat hy, “a man of colour” ‘n hut met die blanke studente deel (weens die
apartheidswette van destyds). Uit lojaliteit teenoor hom staak die studente hulle
staptog. Twee weke later verongeluk hulle nadat hulle by Tiekie-hulle in die township
gekuier het.
It's Gerrie, a grade 10 student's first hike in the Cederberg. At Gerrie's and his
father's insistence, Oom Tiekie tells them why he had been obsessed with climbing up
to Sneeukop for many years. And then the inner story follows: about the refusal at the
Algerian forestry station that he, "a man or color" shares a hut with the white students

8
(due to the apartheid laws of then). From loyalty to him, the students stop their hike.
Two weeks later they died in a car crash after visiting Tiekie in the township.

Met die voortsit van die buitevertelling word oom Tiekie (en sy selfopglegde taak) byna
in sy spore gestuit deur ‘n luiperd wat hulle aanval.
Continuing on the outside story, Oom Tiekie (and his self-imposed task) is almost
stopped in his tracks by a leopard who attacks them.

Maar dan wys Gerrie sy staal en word hy ‘n man in oom Tiekie se oë.
But then Gerrie shows his steel and becomes a man in Oom Tiekie's eyes.

Literêre aspekte
Literary aspects

Tydens die buiteraamvertelling tree ‘n beperkte derdepersoonsverteller op (vanuit

Gerrie se perspektief) en tydens die binneraamvertelling ‘n ek- of
eerstepersoonsverteller. Oom Tiekie het ‘n ironiese blik op die gebeure van die verlede.
Vergelyk byvoorbeeld sy opmerking dat die winter “die challenge net soevil lekkerder
gemaak het.”
During the external frame story, a limited third-person narrator acts (from Gerrie's
perspective) and during the inner frame narration an I or first person narrator. Oom
Tiekie has an ironic look at the events of the past. For example, compare his remark
that winter "just made the challenge even better."

Die ruimte is die onherbergsame Sederberge wat vele uitdagings aan die stappers bied.
Daar skuil ook gevaar, byvoorbeeld die luiperds wat van tyd tot tyd gewaar word. Die
tyd is belangrik: die binnevertelling in die postapartheidsera. Die vertelde tyd in die
buitevertelling is vanaf die aand tot die volgende middag – ongeveer 21 uur. Die vertelde
tyd in die binnevertelling is ‘n bietjie langer as twee weke.
The space is the inhospitable Cederberg that offers many challenges to hikers. There
is also danger, for example the leopards that are seen from time to time. The time is
important: the inside story in the post-apartheid era. The narrated time in the outdoor
story is from the evening to the next afternoon - about 21 hours. The told time in the
onset is a little longer than two weeks.

Die buitevertelling se protagonis, Gerrie, word nie soseer met ‘n ander karakter nie,
maar eerder met omstandighede gekonfronteer. Die koue en die berg self tree dus hier
as antagonis op. Die binnevertelling se protagonis is oom Tiekie. Die beampte by die
Algeria bosboustasie kan as die antagonis beskou word, hoewel hy slegs die
verteenwoordiger van die apartheidstelsel is. Dis dieselfde stelsel wat twee weke later
indirek vir sy vriende se dood verantwoordelik is.
The outside story's protagonist, Gerrie, is not so much confronted with another
character, but rather with circumstances. The cold and the mountain itself thus act as
antagonist. The protagonist of the inner story is Oom Tiekie. The Algerian forestry
station official may be considered the antagonist, although he is only the

9
representative of the apartheid system. It's the same system that is responsible for
his friends' death two weeks later.

Gerrie kan as ‘n ronde karakter beskou word. Aan die begin van die verhaal word hy
beskryf as: “Amper ‘n man.” Hy probeer dapper, maar dit lyk nie of hy die koue kan
verduur nie. oom Tiekie se storie en die konfrontasie met doodsgevaar (die luiperd) het
‘n vormende invloed op Gerrie. Hy besef dat oom Tiekie baie erger omstandighede
(byvoorbeeld oom Tiekie wat buite moes slaap in die winter) en gevare (die Casspirs in
die townships) moes oorkom. Dit alles laat hom die dapper en verantwoordelike dinge
doen om alleen te stap om hulp te gaan soek.
Gerrie can be regarded as a round character. At the beginning of the story, he is
described as: "Almost a man." He tried bravely, but it didn't seem like he could endure
the cold. Oom Tiekie's story and the confrontation with death danger (the leopard)
have a shaping influence on Gerrie. He realized that Uncle Tiekie had to deal with worse
conditions (for example, Oom Tiekie who had to sleep outside in winter) and had to face
dangers (the Casspirs in the townships). All of this makes him do the brave and
responsible thing to walk alone to seek help.

Die klimaks van die buitevertelling is die aanval van die luiperd; die klimaks van die
binnevertelling die vier studente se dood. Die afloop van die buitevertelling is oom
Tiekie wat na die sendingstasie vervoer word; die afloop van die binnevertelling oom
Tiekie wat hom voorneem om die student deur ‘n staptog in die Sederberge te eer en
dit jare later doen.
The climax of the outer story is the attack of the leopard; the climax of the inner
story the death of the four students. The end of the outside story is Uncle Tiekie who
is transported to the mission station; the end of the inside story is Uncle Tiekie who
intends to honour the students through a hike in the Cederberg and do it years later.

10