THE GOLDEN EARTH

and other folk tales

Simplified by Michael West

Illustrated by Rosemary Brown

PART I - Tales From Ethiopia

1. THE GOLDEN EARTH:

Once two men came from Europa to Ethiopia. They went all over the country , over the hills and along the rivers. The looked everything, and they made big maps. After that they gave the maps to the Emperor (the King). There the two men noted the beautiful soil, where the Emperor's servants worked hard to make the soil rich and good, so that flowers, trees and food-plants grow in it.

2. AYTAL! AYTAL!

Once upon a time there was a pond near a village, where there were a lots frogs. A day the village near began to burn, so the frogs from the fear began to say "Aytal! Aytal!". But they were safe because there were in water and from that day all frogs have cried "Aytal! Aytal!".

3. THE MOUSE WHO WANTED A WIFE

Once two mice ( Mr. Mouse and Mrs. Mouse) had a boy child, a son. When it grow and he became big and beautiful, his parents wanted to find a wife for him. They said to the King of All the Beats, to the Wind and to the Mountain if the three kings may to give their daughters stronger as wife to the mouse. But all kings answered the wife for a mouse is a mouse because it is the strongest.

4. ABUNAWAS

Abunawas was a very strong man. One day he went to the King and asked if he may to work for him. The King answered he will make his watchman: watch the gate day and night of his house. But when one night Abunawas see his friends dancing, he went to dance with them. That night the bad men went in the King's house and took a box of gold. When the King discovered someone lifted the box of gold, he said Abunawas to go away from Ethiopia and never to set foot on the soil of Ethiopia again. Some days after the King saw Abunawas and when he want to kill, Abunawas answered he put Egyptian soil in his shoes, and he walked on Egiptian soil.

5. THE GEBETA BOAT

Once there was a man that made a very nice Gebeta Board for his son. In the morning the son went out with the cows to the hill and took the Gebeta Board with him. During the journey he changed with people the Gebeta Board in place of a knife, the knife for a spear, the spear in place of axe, the axe for a bit of wood, and finally the bit of wood in place of Gebeta Board. So the boy were happy to get back the board.

6. THE SNAKE

Once there was a snake that he was a very bad and ate cows, children and men. Woharia, a brave gardener, went from the snake and he asked why he ate men. The snake answered the men are bad and to confirm the matter the gardener and the snake went to ask the Tree, the River, the Wind, the Grass and they all said the men are bad and thought only to be happy. So the Tree, the River, the Wind, the Grass danced to be happy.

7. THE BRAVE MAN OF ADI NIFAS

One day twelve men of Adi Nifas went to the town to buy flour, but along the road they met the lions. So a man, counted eleven men, not twelve because he didn't look at himself. All the men thought the man saved them. When the twelve men arrive to Adi Nifas, one girl counted twelve bags of flour, so the people thought the man killed the lion and came back to Adi Nifas. After that the people danced and were happy.

8. THE OPPOSITE

Once there was a man named Sium. Sium's wife made him very unhappy because she always wanted the opposite of what he wanted. A day, when they came back from a party, they must to cross the river. It was rain. Sium said to cross the river later, but the wife said the opposite. So the water went over her head and she died.

9. THE GOAT-CALF

Once a Leopard and a Jackal came to a village: the Leopard caught a goat and Jackal caught a cow. The cow had a calf and the goat had a little gout. This made Leopard very angry: he took the calf away and put it in the field with his goat. Next day Jackal noticed this and he asked Donkey, Dog and Cat if a cow may to have a little goat. They all said now all is possible. But when he went to ask Monkey, Monkey answered it isn't possible. So Jackal went in the Leopard's field and took back the calf and returned the little goat.

10. THE DONKEY WHO SINNED

Once a Lion, a Leopard, a Dog and a Donkey were sitting in a field. The sun was hot and it wasn't rain. There wasn't water in the river and there wasn't food for the beats. The animals thought God was angry so all said a sin. The Donkey's sin was the bigger and so on the beats decided to kill.

11. HOW EGHAL WENT TO FIGHT

There were two peoples: the Essa People and the Haweia People. Once day the Haweia People took their spears and shields, got on their horses and went to fight against the Essa People. The Essa People made the same, but their King Eghal arrived late at the war because he got dress slowly since he was afraid. At last the Essa People won the same.

PART II - ARHA STORIES

12. HOW ARHA LOST HIS DONKE

Once there was a young man in Addis Ababa named Arha. He wanted to sell his donkey for one dollar. The Arha's wife said him to sell her cat for one thousand dollar too. So Arha went to the town with the donkey and the cat. A man wanted to buy the donkey, but he must buy the cat too. And when he kneew the cat costed one thousand dollar, he was angry. And the people began to hit Arha and call him bad names. So Arha ran back home.

13. ARHA AND TESFA'S GOAT

Tesfa was a friend of Arha. He and Arha had a goat. One day Tesfa came to Arha and asked him what he gave to his goat when it is ill. Arha answered he gave its kerosene to drink. Next day Tesfa's goat died and the one of Arha died too.

14. HOW ARHA'S DONKEY BECAME ILL

The Arha's donkey was ill. So Arha went to the doctor Haila and asked him what he must do. Haila gave him a pill and a pipe and said to put the pill in the pipe and the pipe in the donkey's mouth and finally to blew. Next day Arha was very ill because the donkey blew first.

15. HOW ARHA BECAME BALD

Arha began to lose his hair and he was bald. So went to the doctor that said him that all kings and rich men were bald. At last Arha remained bald.

16. HOW ARHA TOOK CARE OF THE CHILD

A day the Arha's neighbour wanted to buy food and she asked Arha if he could take care of her child. The child cried and cried. So Arha decided to put him in the pond and the child stopped crying. When the neighbour came back, she thanked him.

17. EAT, COAT, EAT !

Once day Haptom Hasei, a very rich man, invited Arha in his house to eat something. When Arha went to Haptom's house in his old coat the servants gave him no food, while when he went in his beautiful coat the servants brought food. From that moment on Arha went in his beautiful coat.

18. SOUP OF THE SOUP

Arha had a friend named Tecle. One day Tecle went out sooting and he shot some rabbits. He came to Arha's house and gave Arha a rabbit. Arha's wife was a very good cook. Every time a Arha's friend came to eat from him, the friend ate the soup of the rabbit. For example the third friend ate the soup of the soup of the soup of the rabbit.

NEW WORDS:

Afraid = timoroso di

axe = ascia

beast = animale

bit = pezzo

brave = corraggioso

calf = vitello

carrying = portare/trasportare

cart = carretto

(to) catch = pescare

(to) change = cambiare

(to) cry = gridare/reclamare

duck = anatra

(to) dust off = rispolverare

each = ogni

fall = cadere

field = campo

fight = lotta

(to) fill = riempire

flour = farina

gate = cancello

hall = ingresso

hen = gallina

(to) hide = nascondere

hole = buca

jackal = volpe

kerosene = cherosene

(to) kill = uccidere

pipe = tubo

pond = stagno

(to) rub = strofinare/fregare

sad = triste

shield = scudo

sin = peccato

spear = lancia

stone = pietra

strong = valido/forte/robusto

(to) throw = lanciare

(to) throw down = gettare/lanciare

watchman = guardiano

waterspout = temporale