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209 39 The Man Who Passed the Night in the Middle of the Sea 142 Tigre (Ethiopia)143 Abunawas was very clever. And when the chief of his country heard of his cleverness, he sent messengers to him, saying, “Tell him: ‘The chief says this to you: Come to me quickly and in a hurry. But do not come to me when the sun shines, nor come to me when there is shadow. And do not come to me walking on your feet, nor come to me riding on a beast. If you come to me in one of these ways, fear for your life!’” The messengers brought this word to Abunawas. Then Abunawas took a large net-bag, and he sat in it and tied it up. And he said, “The net-bag in which I am sitting, fasten it loosely with a rope to the neck of a camel.” When they had fastened it, he went to the chief swinging on the camel’s neck. And the chief was astonished at his cleverness. Two men wagered in this way: The one said to his companion, “If you pass one night in the middle of the sea, I’ll give you these cattle of mine. But if you do not, then you will give me your cattle.” His companion said to him, “All right.” And they agreed to this. But afterward, the one who had said he would pass the night in the middle of the water was afraid he would die. But not to pass the night in the water would mean he would have to pay what they had agreed upon. So he asked an old woman, “I have made a bet. What, to you, seems the best thing that I should do?” The old woman said to the man, “On the shore of the sea in which you are to pass the night, one of your relatives should kindle a fire, keeping it burning all night without letting it burn low. And you must always look into the flame of the fire. Then you will not die, but you’ll be warm all night.” The man said, “Very well.” Then, during the night for which they had made the wager, he went down to the sea. His mother made a fire on the shore opposite him, and she kept it burning all night long. And her son, having his head above the water, passed the night looking at the fire. To ensure that he did not come out of the water, there were watchmen standing near him on the land all night. And when morning came, the man came out of the water, living. And he said to the man with whom he had made the bet, “Now then, give me your cattle! I have been in the middle of the sea all night, until the morning.” But the other answered, “I shall not give you the cattle. You looked at the fire all night, and that is the reason you came out of it safely.” But the one who had passed the night in the water said, “When did I warm myself at the fire? Its heat was too far from me to reach me. I have fulfilled our wager.” The other replied, “I shall not give you anything, because you passed the night looking at the fire.” And all the people around them said, “That is true. Because you saw the fire, he need not give you anything.” They brought their case before the judge, and he said the same thing to them. So the man who had passed the night in the water went home sad. Afterwards, he went to Abunawas, saying, “This happened to me,” and he told him all. Abunawas said to him, “I have a remedy for you. You shall find it!” Now Abunawas sent a message into all the land of his people, saying, “On such and such a day, I shall have a feast. I invite you to it.” On the day that he had named, he had cattle and goats killed, and rice was also boiled. To the servants at the table, he said, “Without my giving orders to you, do not pass even a gland! And all that you have boiled, hang up before the eyes of the people.” Then all the people gathered and seated themselves around the house of Abunawas. But Abunawas sat in the house, keeping silent. And the servants hung up...

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