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îñ"ò îøëæ ñéôåøé òí åôåì÷ìåø |
C. F. F |
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The Folktale Corner How coffee came to
our world? An Arab folktale Retold by Yoel Perez It was told, and only Allah knows if it
is a truth or a lie, that once, when King Solomon was sitting on his throne
in the city of Jerusalem, The angel Gabriel appeared in front of him, opened
a big book and said: "Your Majesty, I was sent from heaven to inform you
that your time is over! In two weeks you are going to leave this world! "What?!" said the king,
"How comes? I, the great king, the most intelligent and most rich man on
earth, have to leave this world?"
"Well, this is the law of Allah: A king or a beggar, rich or
poor, wise or fool – the law is the same for everyone. You, as a king, have
many things to arrange before you are leaving, so I inform you two weeks
ahead. Accept it because this is the
way of Allah!" Then he
closed his book and added: "you know, Your Majesty, between me and you –
if you want to live for ever – there, in the Garden of Eden there is the spring
of life! Who ever drinks from it, will live for ever! You can try and get
some water from this spring." King
Solomon – he knew the languages of birds and animals. He made a great
assembling. He invited representatives of all the animals in the world –
bears, lions, cats and dogs, hens and parrots, cows and goats. He told them
"Who will help his king and bring him the water of life from the Garden
of Eden?" The great
vulture said: "I'll take this mission upon myself!" So he
gave him a big cup made of pure gold and sent him to his way. For three
days and three nights he flew over the mountains and over the hills, over the
valleys and over the seas, till he came to the garden of Eden, took a whole
cup of water and three days later, he put the cup on the king's table and
said: "Long life to the king! Drink and live for ever!" King
Solomon – he looks at the cup – to drink or not to drink? – this is the
question. It is not a simple issue. I must take an advice. So once
again he arranged an assembling of all animals – tigers and camels, geese and
ducks, mice and elephants – all came and sat before him, like you, my
listeners.
"Here is the water of life!" said the king. "What do
you think, shall I drink or shall I drink them not? Give me you advice".
"Long live the king! Go ahead, go ahead! Drink it!" "You
all agree?"
"Yes! Yes!" "No
one is missing?" The
animals look around – the fox is missing!
"Where is this bastard?! Hurry, go and bring him!" After a while the fox was brought before
the king – shivering from fear, his tale between his legs. "We,
the king," said King Solomon "Gave an order to bring all animals
before us! How dare you not to come!!" "Your
Majesty, I am so sorry – you know… have a wife, my children are sick…"
"O.K. O.K. we heard and we forgive. Now tell me my friend – I
have here the water of life. What do you think – shall I drink it or
not?" The fox
looks right, looks left, "wha-what the other
animals advise you?"
"Everyone tell me to drink."
"Well, go ahead and drink! Long live the king!"
"Waite a moment, you the fox – you are the most clever of all
animals. Don't tell me what everyone says. Be honest with me; tell me your
real thought! Tell me the truth and don't be afraid! I want to hear the
truth!"
"Well, Your Majesty, if you ask m like this – I'll tell you:
Don't drink! And why is so? You see –
you are a great king. You are the ruler of the world, you have richness and
honor, you are surrounded by friends and servants, but tomorrow – all your
friends will die! You'll be left alone with no family, no friends. And
besides – this world is like a wheel. Today you are up, tomorrow you are
down. You don't know the future. Who knows? A day might come when someone
take you from your throne – a stronger king than you. You'll find yourself
old and poor with no honor. Why? Leave this world now when you are at the
top! People will remember you for ever as the greatest king in all history!
Don't drink!" King
Solomon thought. He was a wise man. He decided not to drink .He called the
vulture and said to him: "Go and bring it back to the spring, to the
Garden of Eden!" An order
is an order. The vulture took the cup and flied to sky. Three days and three
nights. He came to the spring and poured the water back. But on
his way to the Garden of Eden, when he was flying over Yemen, there was a
great storm. His wings shivered a little and some drops fell down on Yemen
earth. Where ever a drop fell down, a bush of coffee grew up! This is the
reason why the Arabs call the coffee "The water of Life"! This
story was collected by a Karaite Jew by the name of
Rabi Shmuel Paygot, in the
beginning of the twenty century in Crimea and was published in his Hebrew
stories collection "Davar Davur"
in 1906. |
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