Saba: Under the Hyena’s Foot

Spiders Unite

By the next day, Saba has turned from a spider into a lion—pacing, growling, and snapping. Saba waits and waits for her teacher, but he doesn’t come. Finally, a servant tells her that he had to leave Gondar quickly because his mother fell ill. Saba doesn’t believe this, but it doesn’t matter. Saba demands that they find someone to carry her umbrella. Saba wants to go outside. She makes her voice as much like the voice of Empress Menen as possible. The servant explains the women are all very busy. General Ali’s feast is today. Good. It is just as Saba wanted it. She does her best to show displeasure.

From the window, Saba can see the girl coming with her load of wood. She’s thinner than Saba remembers from the night before, but she can see the determination in her stance and hears the same voice from last night. Perhaps Saba is making a mistake to trust such a person with her life, but Saba doesn’t have a choice.

The castle will need the wood for all the cooking for the feast. Saba can smell the onions and butter and spices. Then, she turns to the door at the polite cough of the old woman. The old woman brings in the girl and says the girl can carry her umbrella. Saba asks the girl what her name is, and the girl responds Negatwa. Her name means the “coming of the dawn.” The girl doesn’t look directly at Saba, but she sees her gaze flick across Saba’s face. Perhaps the girl recognizes Saba’s voice, but she doesn’t give any signs. Saba demands they get Negatwa some clean clothes.

Saba did not dare talk inside the castle. Instead, she takes them to church. Saba forces herself to walk slowly, as she has learned important people must. Inside though, she’s trembling. They have almost reached the gate when Saba hears a voice that makes the blood inside of her turn thick. It’s the empress.

Saba turns to Empress Menen immediately and kneels to touch her head to her feet. Although Saba doesn’t know how to greet the empress, she knows that lower is better. But what is she doing outside of her castle? Empress Menen suspiciously asks where she’s going. Saba meekly says she’s going to kiss Saint Giorgis. Empress Menen demands that she comes right back. She calls a soldier over and tells him to go to the church with Saba.

When they reach the church, Saba tells the soldier to stay at the gate. Fortunately, he obeys. As soon as Negatwa and Saba are among the junipers, she begins to pour out her story in a low voice. It may not be wise to give Negatwa all the information, but what else can she do? She needs to find her brother, and there’s no one to turn to. Emama always says that spiders united can tie up a lion. So even if the help is more helpless than Saba, together, they are spiders.

Saba’s relieved to see that Negatwa quickly understands. Negatwa says servants always talk amongst themselves, so she’ll see if anyone knows anything about Mesfin. As they enter the church, she whispers that the forty-four churches of Gondar are famous for giving sanctuary. They can start by seeing if he has been able to flee to one of them.

A priest approaches and Saba kneels to kiss his cross. Overhead, the angels sour and sing of comfort. Saint Giorgis’ horse towers over Saba and she seeks shelter between its hooves. But then she sees something new. Saytan! The most evil of all evil beings. The artist had painted him on one of the walls. He’s glossy black with huge staring eyes and horns. A third ear stands up in the middle of his forehead. His massive feet have six claws. But what makes Saba gasp is that he had a girl’s head caught between his teeth.

The priest says that Saytan was roaming the Earth as he was allowed to do every thousand years. The girl fell in love with him. The girl was young and easily fooled. Before she had time to get older and gain wisdom, she died and went to heaven. Even in heaven, she longed to be with Saytan, so she went before God and asked whether it was possible for Saytan to come to heaven. It was obvious that instead, God sent her to be where Saytan was. And now she was condemned to stay between his ferocious teeth for all of eternity.

Saba’s heart is so full of the evil thing she saw that even the angels could not give her strength that day. As they leave the church, Negatwa says to the soldier that now Saba will go to kiss Saint Mikael. They are well on the path toward another of the churches when they hear someone calling. The soldier explains it’s not a robber, but another soldier. Saba wants to run, but she knew how quickly a girl could be overcome by a soldier. The news he carries is just as Saba fears. Empress Menen has ordered that Saba come back to the castle at once.

When they reach the castle, the old woman is there to meet her. She says that Empress Menen tells them that arrangements are being made for Saba’s marriage. Saba looks away. The woman is using a formal tone that Saba has never heard from her before. Mice and spiders. The empress gave her enemy her own granddaughter in marriage. Now she’s sending soldiers against the man. Saba is not sure what the hyenas plans are for her, but no doubt they have nothing to do with happiness. Empress Menen is most likely trying to tie some other powerful man to her through Saba.

Saba says she should be able to leave her home, unless the wedding is planned for that very day. The old woman sighs. Saba must stay inside the castle until the empress sends for her. Saba angrily asks when that will be. Will it be on her wedding day? From the way the old woman silently guides Saba up the stairs, Saba guesses that she is right. Now her home has become her prison.