Ethiopian Folktales

Narrated by Shimelash Bequele

In our country there is one monk called by a woman’s name – Abba Azenech.

There was one famous rebel and that warrior used to say, “Nay to the sky, nay to the earth.” (That is, I am not going to be subject to either heavenly powers – the Lord – or earthly powers.)

And there was also one small market in Sekalla Damot, the source area of the Blue Nile, which is called Arb Gebiya (market on Friday).

And they saw in that market the dead body of somebody hanged from a tree, and the governor of that small area asked Abba Azenech beside him, “Who is that man, hanging from the tree?” and he answered, “It is Berio Delela.”

The governor was called Lul (prince) Hailu Tekla Haimanot. It is he who sentenced him to death and the governor said, “Berio Delala! While saying ‘Nay to the sky, nay to the earth,’ you are left on the tree between heaven and earth.”