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Hiding place Quote by Sol T. Plaatje

“The travelers after leaving Tlou’s village, where De Villers and his friends were hiding, took a rest under a shady tree at the foot of a hill, where they fell asleep. On awakening they beheld half a dozen Matebele emerging from a thicket in the depression below their hiding place. Naturally, the…” quote by Sol T. Plaatje
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““The travelers after leaving Tlou’s village, where De Villers and his friends were hiding, took a rest under a shady tree at the foot of a hill, where they fell asleep. On awakening they beheld half a dozen Matebele emerging from a thicket in the depression below their hiding place. Naturally, the sight struck terror in them. For a moment they knew not what to do. But the younger man, more resourceful than Lepane, suggested to the elder that they were less likely to be seen if they hid in separate places. So advising Lepane to press close up to the tree-trunk he crawled through the grass and the bushes to find another hiding place. This plan might have worked very well had not Lepane’s nerves unfortunately given way at the near approach of the foe. Terror-stricken, Lepane before being bescried shrieked aloud. ‘Oh, spare me!’ he cried. ‘I will tell you of some undesireable persons in King Mzilikazi’s country. Just let me live, I tell you, I am not alone.’ ‘He’s a liar!’ shouted his astonished companion from the bush hard by: ‘Kill him, he’s alone.’ [128 – 129]””

Sol T. Plaatje

About This Quote

Source Book: Mhudi by Sol T. Plaatje, 1910

A desperate group faces a sudden threat; a clever plan is foiled by panic, showing fear can undermine strategy.

In simple terms: Fear can ruin even good plans.

Key Takeaway

Control fear to act wisely.

Themes

fear leadership survival trust panic

Mood

tense dramatic

Type

narrative historical

When to use this quote

  • military ambush
  • exploration
  • team retreats
  • conflict zones

Key Concepts

psychology group dynamics decision making

Questions to Reflect On

  • How would you stay calm under sudden danger?
  • What strategies help prevent panic in groups?
A Different Perspective

Panic can cause betrayal and loss of life.

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