Achsah. (Part 1)

Achsah (Part 1)

“Mama tell us the story again”, Rachel screamed. At least thirty children were gathered round the fire, waiting for mama to begin. There are not many story tellers in town and it is not unusual for children from neighbouring tents to gather in our family compound every time the weather permits. Their favourite story is ‘the story’. The children never get tired of hearing it over and over again, and I love the story also. Mama is a great story teller and ‘the story’ is her favourite. I watched as she dusted her skirts, picked Naam our youngest baby off the floor, and sat on the stool, ready to begin her story.

Long long time ago, before the Lion became the king of the jungle and monkeys ate their first bananas, our fathers were in a country called Egypt, where their kings were called ‘Pharoahs’ and rode on iron horses. Egypt was a very rich country where people walked on streets of gold and picked silver coins from trees...

Mama is the queen of exaggeration. I did a quick headcount and hurried into the kitchen to prepare some refreshments for the children. Luckily, there is always something for everybody in the house. Papa runs a large household with numerous servants. Papa is very important in the tribe and many people come to him for counsel. There are not many old people in Israel. Actually, papa and Uncle Joshua are the oldest. We rarely see Uncle Joshua these days; he is so busy leading the twelve tribes. I wonder if he has time for his own children. I remember the first time I heard ‘the story’. I was angry that Uncle Joshua was picked instead of Papa to lead the twelve tribes. I wonder what I was thinking. At least I get to see Papa often. I just wish He would stop going for wars. I know he is still as strong as he was when he was 30 because he says it all the time. Still...

“Mama who are giants? Is papa a giant?”

              

I chuckled to myself. I imagine papa’s reaction to little Zeb’s question. Little Zeb is scared of papa. Papa has tried everything including bribing little Zeb but the boy would still not come near him.  Papa is in the sitting room entertaining. He is always entertaining these days. Cousin Diana thinks this has something to do with me. She thinks he is receiving potential suitors asking for my hand in marriage. I doubt it. Papa has not said anything to me. Still, why does mama always insist I wear nice clothes every time we have visitors?

“...so papa and Uncle Joshua said “NO! We can fight these people. We are not afraid of their giants or their gates or their iron horses. God is with us and He is greater than all their army”.  But the other ten spies were shouting also. And before long, the whole twelve tribes were shouting “Moses you should have left us in Egypt instead of bringing us here to die”, they screamed”

“But why would they want to go back to Egypt when they were treated as slaves there?” Naomi asked

“Because they were afraid” Mama explained. “Even though God had been with them and delivered them from many problems on the road from Egypt, they did not know how He would help them conquer the army”

Papa is never afraid. Well, I overheard him tell mama the other day that he was scared I would get married to the wrong person. It doesn't help that I am the first daughter of the second most influential man in the whole twelve tribes. Papa has his own land separate from the tribes and whoever marries me will get a rich dowry. I am scared too. I am not ready to leave papa and mama and the other children but the prospect of marriage is very exciting too. I hope I marry someone like papa. One who would stand up for what he believes in and protect me and our family.

Mama we are hungry!!!

Oh no! I did it again. I got lost in my thoughts and stayed too long in the kitchen. I quickly gathered some dates, bread and figs on a tray and rushed out of the kitchen. I must have been in too much of a hurry or maybe I wasn't looking at where I was going because I ran straight into a group of people who were just coming out of Papa’s living room. I lost my footing and fell and my tray and contents were sent flying all over the place. Embarrassed, I quickly adjusted my dress, muttered my apologies and started picking the food off the floor. I noticed that someone was helping me pick the food off the ground. I looked up to mutter my thanks and met a pair of piercing eyes the colour of the ocean. I lost my balance again.


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