Fire on the Mountain

This is a story that you may be familiar with, but it is told in a strictly Ethiopian context. One day, Alemayehu, a young boy, far away from home, was watching his uncle’s sheep when he received the terrible news of a sickness sweeping through his home village. Over the next few days, he drove his sheep home to find that his parents had died of this illness. The only surviving member of his immediate family was his sister who, one year earlier, had been sent to another province to become a houseworker for a very rich man. In order to deliver this news, Alemayehu set out on foot to visit his sister. Upon arrival, the two cried together at the news. With the sister’s invitation and the rich man’s permission, Alemayehu began to work for the rich man as a keeper of his flocks.

 

One day, the rich man entered the compound screaming and yelling in anger and all the servants tried to look busy. Later, Alemayehu and his sister overheard the man yelling about how someone in the village had insulted him. “Who is as strong as me? I am a lion!” he boasted, “in fact, one night I spent the whole night in the mountains with only my mule to keep me warm. Is there anyone as strong as me?” Nobody said anything, except Alemayehu, who was too young to recognize a rhetorical question. “Why yes,” he replied, “I often spent the night in the mountains with nothing but my thin cloak (a very common garment of Ethiopians.)” The rich, proud man was infuriated and challenged him “ok, smarty pants (that’s not in the Ethiopian story), here’s the deal. You will spend the night in the mountains again, with just your thin cloak, if you come back in the morning, I will give you some money and 3 cows. But if you come back in the middle of the night, both you and your sister will no longer work for me!”

 

So, at sundown, Alemayehu was sent to the mountains. During the middle of the night, the cold was very bitter and wind was very strong. Alemayehu tried to stay warm by playing his little flute, but his fingers soon stopped moving. Finally, morning came and a very cold Alemayehu returned to the rich man’s house. Everybody silently rejoiced at seeing him, except the rich man. “How did you survive the night?” he demanded. “I did as I told you, with only my thin cloak. During the middle of the night, I saw a fire in the distance and seeing that flame, I dreamed of being warmed by it.” “Aha! I knew it, you couldn’t survive the night with just your thin cloak. Looking at a fire is just the same as building one yourself! You lose! You and your sister can pack your things! As for me, this very night, I want a big feast prepared in my honor.” All the other servants became silently angry, and started whispering among themselves.

 

As the feast time approached, the smells of nice doro wot (spicy Ethiopian, chicken stew) filled the house and trays full of injera (Ethiopian bread) where brought into the kitchen. The rich man and his friends had gathered around the mesob (eating table) and the hand washing servant performed his role. The magnificent smells continued to roll out of the kitchen as the minutes passed to hours. Growing impatient, the rich man called for entertainment so the kirayi player entered the dining room. His bow moved and his fingers danced on the string and his body swayed with expression, but no sound was heard. After a few minutes, the kirayi player bowed and left. Confused and becoming increasingly angry, the rich man demanded an explanation. It was then that Alemayehu’s sister quietly walked into the room. “I hope that you have enjoyed this magnificent meal and entertainment that we have presented to you,” she said in all seriousness. The rich man exploded “What, I ate no food and heard no music!” “Well, didn’t you smell the rich aromas of doro wot and see the lovely playing of the kirayi? Isn’t that enough?” she questioned. The rich man snapped back, “What kind of man can have his stomach filled by the mere smell of food?” to which Alemayehu’s sister confidently responded “The same kind of man who thinks a boy can be warmed simply by seeing a fire in the distance.” And with that she walked out of the room.

 

The rich’s anger was amplified by the laughter of all his guests that night so without saying a word, he stormed from the room and was not seen again until morning. Soon after the sun rose, the rich man sought out Alemayehu and silently handed him a bag full of money and three of his best cows. Alemayehu and his sister quit their jobs with the rich man, bought a house and started their own cattle herd. Soon Alemayehu became very rich and his sister became known all over Ethiopia for her vast wisdom.  THE END

 

Now what’s the moral of that story?