One day mother said to her two sons. Kebede and Belay. You may go to the countryside and visit our relatives. You may take some things on our donkey. Kebede and Belay were excited. Kebede was fifteen years old and Belay was twelve.
Never before had they been big enough to go without father to the countryside. They were very happy that mother thought they were big enough now. So away they went for the weekend. And what a happy time they had.
Early Sunday morning it was time to go home. They packed some things on their donkeys and started back. Someone helped them with this work. So it really was not hard at all. They walked a long way. Then they came to a steep mountain.
Up and up they went. Then suddenly something happened. The load on the donkey's back was not on her back at all. It had slid down under her belly. She could not walk. Now what shall we do. Said Kebede to Belay. They did not know how to put the load on the donkey's back so that it would stay.
For a long time the two boys talked and tried to make the load stay on. What shall we do. What shall we do. They wondered. At last the boys knelt down to pray. Kebede told God all about their trouble. After a while some traders came by with their donkeys. They saw the load of things on the ground and the donkey standing by.
Why don't you load that donkey and go. They asked. We can't. Said both boys at once. So the kind traders helped them load their donkey. Then the men left. The boys and the donkey went on slowly. The donkey was a young one. So she became tired easily. Now the day was becoming night. The sun was going down.
The boys were tired. The donkey was tired. Then suddenly the donkey lay down by a river. Kebede and Belay pulled the donkey's ears. They pulled her tail. They spanked her. But she would not get up. She was saying to herself. I will sleep here all night. I will get up tomorrow. The sun was gone now.
It was very dark. The boys sat down by the donkey. They could hear the river close by. They could hear the frogs croaking. Those sounds were all right. But then they heard hyenas. Those sounds were terrible. Kebede and Belay put their heads down on the donkey and cried. We'll be supper for the hyenas. We'll never get home.
Let's pray. Said Kebede. All right. Said Belay. And so the boys knelt down and prayed. They told God they wanted all their sins forgiven. They asked him to give them new hearts. And then they asked him to take care of them and bring them home safely.
On and on the hyenas called. Now the two boys sat down by the donkey. Still they were crying. The hyenas sounded so close. Then they heard footsteps. Who could that be. They were even more afraid now. Two men came to them. They said. What are you doing here.
Are you going to spend the night. If you cry. The thieves will find you. They will steal your donkey. We don't know what to do. Cried the boys. We have no place to spend the night. You may come and stay with us. The men said. But the boys were afraid the mem would rob them. Are you afraid of us.
The men asked. Then you may stay here. Kebede said. We will follow you. So the men pulled the donkey's ears. And that made her stand up. They put the load on her back. And away they all went. After a while. Kebede said. Where are you going.
We are going to a sick woman's house to pray for the spirits. They will make her well. answered one of the men. Oh. My. Thought the boys. More trouble. We do not worship the devil. We do not pray to the spirits. We cannot go with these men.
At last they came to the woman's house. The men prayed for evil spirits to come. Then the men went into the house. There they found a woman who was also praying to the spirits. The sick woman hoped that the two men and the woman would make the spirits happy so that she would get well.
Kebede and Belay stayed outside. They could hear people talking in the house. Yes. The voices were really asking the spirits to help the woman. The boys took the load off the donkey's back. They took the covering from the donkey's back and laid it on the ground. They lay down on it. The donkey lay down on the ground and went to sleep.
But the boys could not sleep. They lay awake and looked at the stars. They listened to the sounds in the house. Some people clapped their hands and sang. Some others beat drums. And some were shouting. Then they saw someone come out of the house. It was one of the men they had followed. Kebede wished he could not come so close.
But he was coming right to them. Why don't you come and be with us. He asked the boys. The spirits will not be pleased if you stay out here. They will do you harm. Oh. We must keep our donkey. Answered the boys. Nothing bad will happen. Please don't force us to go in. All right. Said the man. And he went back into the house.
Early. Early the next morning the sunlight came up over the mountains. Brighter and brighter it became. Kebede and Belay were so happy they could have shouted. The donkey was wide awake now. They picked up the cover from the ground and put it on her. Then they put the pack on her back. And away they went. Two boys and a donkey.
Two hours later they saw their house. Poor mother was so happy she almost cried. Children. Children. She said. I sent people out to look for you. But they couldn't find you anywhere. I thought you most surely were eaten. No. Mother. The boys said. We had three kinds of trouble.
We couldn't load the donkey. Then she stopped by the river at night and wouldn't go. And then some men asked us to stay with them. And when we got to the house the men were praying to the spirits to make a sick woman well. Anyway, we're home. We're home. We asked God to help us and he really did.
