Part 4 (2/2)
”It's precisely for these reasons: I'm a hero, and I want to put up a good fight for your rights. No one can properly perform heroic deeds for a Muslim girl. Unattractive as a frog, she wraps herself in fabrics and limps around with wooden slippers on her feet. By contrast, I can clearly see the Christian girl. That fact is essential whenever heroes like us are inspired to risk our lives for others. Do you know how I will look when I fight for you?”
”Like you are dressed today, right?”
”No. What I have on now is not bold enough. Do you know that certain colors can scare an enemy? For this reason, I put on war paint as soon as a conflict arises. One side of my face becomes blue, and the other side is painted green-”
”Phooey, phooey, phooey!”
”You don't like that?” he asked, halfway astonished and partially disappointed.
”Not at all. I like you just the way you are-not all painted up!”
Thar was pleased with her answer: ”Good, I'll remain who I am.
Now that I think more about what you've said, you're right, very right. From now on, whenever I struggle with enemies, they may paint themselves blue, yellow, and green-but not I. I'll bear that in mind.
Our four clubs must have newer and better rules. Foremost, whoever presents himself in war paint will be judged as beatable. To please you, I'm ready to bound away from all rules that are good for nothing!” He then stretched his legs and flexed his muscles so convincingly that her eyes widened in wonder as she pointed to him and asked this question: ” Yes, I already believe that you're a hero; but what exactly could be a reason to knock someone down, just for my sake?”
”A cause can always be found if you look for it. Maybe it's coming from over there. Look!”
He pointed in the direction of the church ruins, to people whom we hadn't previously seen-to those who were now coming towards us.
There were ten or twelve men who were riding on donkeys. Behind them was a column of forty or fifty armed boys who were carrying all kinds of banners. This was one of those parades for children who excitedly circled the city on this festival day. ”Isn't this a dangerous situation?” my wife asked. ”We should leave quickly.”
My answer was one of caution: ”Under no circ.u.mstances and in no way should we hurry. This would merely show them that we have some reason to be fearful, something to hide from. We'll freely give them the water, but not right away. I hope they will give us some kind of greeting.”
The procession had now arrived at our spot. The men stopped to talk with our Donkey Driver, asking some questions about us. They learned that we were Christians- be that as it may, that we were not bad people. Schamah's mother left her seat and came nearer to us. She feared the fanatical people of Hebron, so she begged us to pack up and leave. She was a Christian, a widow from the region called Al Karak, a city in Jordan that contains a famous Crusader castle. It's located on the other side of the Dead Sea. She and her young daughter were on a pilgrimage to the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
Truly, she was a simple and poor woman. Still, I'd like to extend my impression of her; in every way, her clothes were expressly Arabic and chic-like those customarily worn by a Middle Eastern woman, or even by a Bedouin. Her clothing was beautiful yet tasteful, with no suggestion of melancholy nor fascinating glamour. She was a daughter of sorrow, not a woman of good fortune. My wife extended her hand to Schamah's mother, drawing her close to her side. I advised her to put aside any concerns; nothing was going to happen to them.
The riders now came up to us. They stopped a few feet from us and climbed down from their donkeys. It was clear that they didn't intend to greet us. I couldn't tolerate that sort of contempt, because such insolence involved behavior that I wanted to bypa.s.s and avoid completely. Whenever you want others to know that you hold a certain air of strength, it's always effective to put on a special sort of image. I crafted such a first firm impression, and it seemed to work with the leader of the group. He s.h.i.+fted his weight, held his hand to his chest, slightly bowed and said: ”Salam. Peace be upon you.”
Those words sounded brusque. Just as curtly, I stood my ground and answered: ”Salam.” Before I could say more, Thar spoke up: ”Here is my Effendi, the Supreme Secretary of Germany's Chancellor. From his briefcase flows the complete control of all tax revenue. He levies a tax on whomever he wants. He has just returned from Hebron where he sought to buy The Oak of Abraham from the Russians, then transport it home. Hail to Effendi!”
After he said that, he took his new girlfriend by the hand and went towards the boys from Hebron. Since I was still so overwhelmed with surprise that he would meddle and make such fantastic claims about me, I completely forgot to caution him. Thank G.o.d, something unforeseen did not happen. The men believed he was serious. They held a brief discussion, then they all bowed deeply as Abdullah said this to me: ”Effendi, you are a great and powerful official.
Unfortunately, you are also a Christian. For this reason, we are not permitted to invite you to be our guest. The children's games can only begin when you have left this site.”
Indirectly, this was an invitation to leave only our dust behind. Taking their donkeys with them, the men moved to a more remote spot. A little more peaceable scene was taking place where Thar and Schamah met together with the boys from Hebron. The boys were very excited. Since so many of them were hollering, they shouted something that we didn't understand. Fearlessly, Thar stood there in front of the boys. As if protecting the girl, he put his left arm around the girl and gestured menacingly with his right-we could not hear what he was saying to the crowd. Schamah's mother was anxious about the safety of her daughter. I tried to rea.s.sure her. We drew closer to the aroused and animated group.
When Thar saw us coming, he called out to us: ”Nothing will come of their threat. They want to drown Schamah-in the water close to where you have been sitting. They justify themselves by saying that she is a Christian who has defiled today's festival. I told them that I won't allow that, so I'll fight for her. They are now choosing the ringleader that I'm supposed to deal with. Ah, there he is!”
He pointed to a tall, robust boy who now stepped forward.
Following the customary way that the adults had taught him, he gave his pre-battle speech. He struck a pose and called out to Thar, as well as to us: ”You are a Christian-dog, and she is a Christian girl, which is even worse than a cur. We will drown her in the deepest part of the well, in a spot where she can not touch bottom.
We are true, absolute, and obedient believers of the Prophet. In this celebration of Ishmael's birthday, we can not endure the sacrilege of a Christian's feet to touch this ground. So, she must die. But you want to fight for her, because you claim to be a hero. We are game for this, because we too are heroes. I demand that you state your conditions for combat!”
When Schamah's mother heard all of this, her fear reached its peak. I explained to her that it was probably not a case of violent rage that would actually be carried out-rather, it would be handled as a game. After all, today was supposed to be the ”Day of Children's Games.” She could rest a.s.sured that nothing would happen to her daughter. So, it was not necessary to take her away from our boy Thar.
Thar then spoke to Schamah: ”You are Queen of the Games; and before your eyes, they are about to begin. Come and be seated!” She sat upon a stone bench, and he took his place beside her. Next, he took his notebook from his vest pocket, opened it, and began to deliver his counter-reply to the ringleader: ”You call me a Christian-dog. On the contrary, I'm a Muslim from Jerusalem, and that is far greater that your Hebron sect. Who then are you?” He began to read the following lines: ”You are all Canaanites: Hitt.i.tes, Jebusites , Girgas.h.i.+tes, Hivites, people of Arka, Amorites, Sidonians, Phenicians, those from Zemar, Arvadians, Hamathians, and all others dwelling in Zidon. In the refining process of Islam, you were found lacking and were pa.s.sed over-now, you are simply sediment.
If your faith were pure and n.o.ble, then your people would not find it so necessary to keep others away from your places of wors.h.i.+p!”
He returned his notebook to its vest pocket and continued speaking: ”You say that my young girl friend is worse than a dog. A true hero would not say such a thing. By contrast, I'm a hero, I'm civil, and I oppose you. I'll fight with you, but not on your terms- all of you against only me. Instead, we'll follow the custom we practice in Jerusalem-one on one. You will find yourselves transformed into Lions, Elephants, Hippos, and Whales. From among you, select the boldest Lion, the most powerful Elephant, the strongest Hippo, and the largest Whale. I will fight all four beasts.
When I defeat all four of your fighters, I'll receive-”
”My Canterbury-bells,” Schamah called out. Her small hand raised the flowers upward.
”Yes, your bluebell flowers,” Thar chimed in. ”Palestinian Hebronites, sit down in front of her and me, and I'll explain to you what all of this has to do with Lions, Elephants, Hippos, and Whales.
With pleasure, they immediately obeyed him. For a few moments, they scurried helter-skelter, crawling over and under each other like crazed insects. A deep silence then took over, broken only by the boy's clarifying voice. When they all grasped the picture that he was describing, they began to cheer loudly. A thing like this had never happened before. Everyone pressed forward, wanting to be chosen as one of the beasts. In the midst of these would-be-juggernauts who strove for revenge, there sat Schamah, ”Forgiveness.” Without any fear of harm, she kept a peaceful smile on her loveable face.
Curiously enough, the adult men were just as excited as the boys.
They all flocked around. The Hebron men joined their boys in the process of selecting and appointing. They marked out the fight-arena.
Abdullah, who was the Secretary of State for the Palestinian Sheik of Balad, even took it upon himself to appoint security police as part of the rules for this fight. What more can be said about hate and disputes among religious people.
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