Before You begin:
In Ethiopian storytelling tradition, it's customary for children to sit wide-eyed, in front of the storyteller. The storyteller starts by saying, "Teret! Teret!" (Which means: "A story! A Story") The children reply, "Ye lam beret!" (This literally means: "a cow's pen," but when used in this way means that they want told to them as many stories as could fill a cow's pen.) Or sometimes children reply, "Yemeseret" (This literally means: "of the foundation;" meaning stories that are deep in the culture or tradition.) Only then does the storyteller start telling, and telling and telling, late into the starry night until the children are sleepy.
A note about the story:
By Yohannes Gebregeorg isThe story of Mammo Kilu (Silly Mammo) is popular in Ethiopia. Of all the stories I heard as a child, Mammo Kilu was most unforgettable.I never knew that the story of Mammo Kilu was also told in other cultures until I found the book Obedient Jack, which is similar to Mammo Kilu. I was pleasantly surprised. Folktales have a way of migrating from place to place crossing mountains, seas and oceans. The beauty of folktales is that they are universal. Still, Mammo Kilu is as Ethiopian as Obedient Jack is English.Folktales also have z way of changing and evolving as storytellers embellish and give them various flavors to attract their audience. I have added my own embellishments to this retelling of Mammo Kilu. For example, there were no names attached to the story as we know it, but I named all the major characters with names that are befitting to their character. Weizero Tirunesh, Mammo’s mother, is “too good”, as her name suggests. The rich small town merchant, Negadras Tessema, is true to his name and wants to be heard or listened to. Tewabech is, indeed, a beautiful maiden as her name implies. I hope children and adults alike will enjoy this favorite Ethiopian tale. |
