Amata was hiding inside a water bucket beside the well that her family used. There was no need to let her younger sister Ettu find where she was hiding. That would mean that she would have to be it. They were playing “hide and find”, a game they had just made up to pass the time. They were waiting on their older brother, Arshacka, to come home. Arshacka’s birthday was today. She heard Ettu yell the now familiar words, “Kittle-cattle I give up!” Amata smiled to herself.
Next, so as not to worry her sister, she yelled back, “By the well in a pail!” She heard her little 9 year old sister’s soft feet gingerly pick out the next spot where her foot was going to step.
She hated to get her feet very muddy, and that was exactly why Amata was hiding where she was. That was one of the reasons she kept winning, she would hide in a place where Ettu would not want to walk bare-footed. She felt someone tag her shoulder and she scowled. She had just lost a point because she was day dreaming. She turned around and there she found her little sister smiling brightly, for this was the first point she had gotten. “You already hid here! I thought you wouldn’t be here again!”
Ettu could be a little un-observing from time to time. “I know, that is why I hid here. I knew you would think that I wouldn’t be hiding here, and therefore securing my spot of where I was most safe.” It was her time to smile brightly. Ettu made a frowny face. Amata got the feeling that Ettu had no idea what she was talking about. Ettu decided she needed to say something, “Could you puh-lease not show me your “superior side” to mine?”
Ettu made air quotation marks with her hand. Amata rolled her eyes, “Who said I was? I was merely pointing out the facts.” There was a pause between them as Ettu tried to figure out what she meant. Instead, they heard their mom calling their names,
“Amata!!! Ettu!!! Supper is ready!!!” Amata and Ettu looked at each other. Amata felt the need to challenge her sister, “Race you to the house!” And off they sprinted. Inevitably, Amata won. “It’s not fair!” Ettu complained, “You always win! And you never, ever, let me win at anything!” Amata looked at her sister and said, “I bet, next time we race, I’ll lose miserably.” Ettu broke out into a smile,
“You really think so?” Amata smiled just a little, “I know so. I wonder what’s for supper.”
The last statement was directed to their mother, Yadidatum. Her mother smiled in a way only mothers can pull off and said, “It is Arshacka’s favorite. I will let you guess what I have made.” Amata smiled, she knew exactly what mother had made. Shrimp covered in melted cheese sided with turtles and shellfish, followed by fruits such as strawberries dipped in honey, then sugar. Amata’s stomach grumbled. Ettu smiled. Obviously, she had either heard her stomach, or she had figured out what their mother had made. They nodded to each other and then started to help their mother with the food.
Fifteen minutes later, they heard their rickety old wicker door open and Arshacka’s voice ringing out through the small 5 room house, “I’m home! Come and greet the birthday boy!!!” Amata rolled her eyes. She turned around from making the peanut butter. She glared pointedly in his direction, “You know, you probably won’t get greeted if you yell that.” Arshacka leisurely made his way to the big bowl Amata was using. She slapped his head heavily with her ladle. “And I don’t want you eating all the peanut butter before it is made! Out! Out!” She signaled to her sister and Ettu grabbed the broom and swept him out of the kitchen. Amata nodded her approval of how Ettu got him out. They then continued to make the various foods they were creating.
“Happy birthday Arshacka!! Your 16 now!!!” All the Laliya family yelled as Amata brought out the food. Arshacka grinned mischievously. Amata was immediately wary of whatever he was planning. As Yadidatum sat down, Amata was aware of a sound like air being let out of the rear end. Mothers face turned red, and Arshacka laughed as he pulled out a ball, deprived of any air inside it, out from under Yadidatum’s rear.
After supper, Father turned serious as her said, “The people have decided to build a great big tower. I want Arshacka and I to help them build it. It is said that it will go all the way up to heaven, and that we will see the heavens once it is built. Isn’t that something? If these rumors are true, I want the Laliya family involved in the making.” Arshacka’s eye widened in anticipation. He loved to build things, and this was a chance of a life time. He was curious though, and asked,
“What will we be paid? Cattle? Clothes? If so, how much a day? Or week? Or hour?” Father made a face, “I think they said for every man that works, he will get 2 chickens, male and female, a month. Does that answer your question?” Arshacka nodded his head vigorously, and then shook his head, “When do we start working?” Father smiled, “A week from today. Meanwhile, I want you to work hard in the Nraum-Suen’s field. Alright, time to clean up!”
A week after the joyous supper with his family, Sargon and Arshacka headed out to sign up and work.
One day, after Amata and Ettu had finished helping with supper they went to set the table. Just then, they heard their door burst open and in came father. He had a devastated look on his face. Amata was immediately worried, for she knew that her father, Sargon, was usually a very calm person. Yadidatum gave a questioning look to Sargon, and Amata knew that they had somehow just had an eye conversation.
“Where is Arshacka, Father? Why isn’t he here?” Amata asked. Sargon looked into his daughter’s eyes and said, “Arshacka died in a fall as he tried to grab a fallen tool.” A tear fell down Father’s cheek. Streams of tears poured down Amata’s cheeks. It would be hard on the Laliya family to have lost the only boy besides Sargon.
A week later, Amata was fetching water from the well with Ettu trailing behind her. “Why do you always have to follow me, Ettu?” Amata wanted to know. Ettu answered immediately, “Because I want to play hide and find! It’s been ages since we had any fun. Please, just one round???” Amata thought carefully about the question and then answered “We don’t have time. We need to get this water to mother, or the chicken will burn. C’mon.” Ettu had thought that was what the answer was going to be, but it was worth a try anyways. Ettu suddenly remembered something,
“Today is your birthday isn’t it? Is that why you don’t want the chicken burned?”
Amata smiled proudly, for her sister had remembered. “Yes it is my birthday, and I believe I will be turning 12. So, yes, that is why I don’t want the chicken to burn. Now come on! All this work will be for nothing if we don’t get this water to Mother in time!” Amata laughed. Ettu smiled. It had been a long time since either of them had smiled or laughed. When they had gotten to the house, Father was already home. He smiled at the girls, “Hello Amata. Hello Ettu. How are my two fine girls doing?” Amata grinned and Ettu smiled. Amata piped up,
“I’m doing just fabulous! Partly because it’s a beautiful day and partly because it’s my birthday.” Father opened his mouth into a perfect O in mock surprise. “It is? I had no idea! Ah, how old will you be? 9? 3?”
Amata wrinkled her nose at his guesses, “I’m turning twelve dad! I’m older than that and you know it!!!” it was Sargon’s turn to wrinkle his nose, “No, no, I’m pretty sure that just yesterday you were two. Hmm… I guess I must have blinked.” Mother shook her head, “Always a dangerous thing to do, blinking is. But while you two are chatting the day away, I think I will go and check the chicken.” Amata smiled. It was like Yadidatum to do something like that.
Supper was delectable. Chicken chopped up into cubes, covered in melted cheese, accompanied by goat milk soup. Amata’s mouth twitched as she realized, her family really enjoyed melted cheese.
Eshe listened closely as her father Fadil told the story of Babel, in warning. “Amata is your great-great-great-great grandmother, and this story has been handed down. In the end-” “You missed a great!” Eshe’s mother chimed in from the kitchen. “As I was saying, without any interruptions, in the end they all were separated in language and they were never able to finish the Tower.”
The End
