Saba: Under the Hyena’s Foot

The Hyena’s Foot

Saba intends to start searching the other buildings for her brother. Each day she’ll tackle one building. But before her plan can commence, she is interrupted by the arrival of Maskal, the celebration of the finding of the true cross. It has now been seventeen days since New Year’s. As Saba stands at the window watching the people running through the streets of Gondar, Saba’s heart aches. Ababba must have lived in this very city and seen these same torches. He left this to protect her brother and her.

The next morning, the old woman servant rushes into the room calling out orders. The royal family is to go together to the bath of Fasiladas. She says it is not far away, but Saba must be dressed and made beautiful to look upon. Saba’s stomach leaps with excitement. The whole royal family. That means Mesfin would not be too far from her. How pleased he would be with all she was learning.

Saba stands still while they oil and dress her. It’s always the gleaming white of the soft cotton and the beautiful embroidery at the borders. Today, Saba is giving gold anklets and a second string of beads is placed around her neck. Red amber, this time. What would Mesfin think of Saba when he saw her?

The old servant places a red velvet cloak around her shoulders. “You must wear these slippers,” she pleads. If she doesn’t look her best today they will take away her life. For the sake of Saba’s Emama and her respect for all those who had lived a long time, Saba agrees to take off the berebaso. Instead she puts on the awkward slippers with their pearls. The woman instructs servants to dab kohl around her eyes, and her hands are painted with red dye. The woman tells Saba she must think of a village girl whose father has decided it is time for her to be married. She sits at the doorway of her house spinning or cleaning corn so everyone can come look at her. Before Saba can ask what she means, the woman rushes off again.

Saba’s stomach whirls with the thoughts of what the woman said. What did Emama say when she had been grinding grain back at the house? Those times seem so far away. If Saba is indeed twelve years old, is she supposed to be approaching the age of marriage? Mesfin would be able to explain it all to her. As they walk, drums pound in salute to the emperor, and her heart leaps in anticipation with every beat.

Saba searches the crowd for Mesfin’s face. What will happen when they reach Fasilada’s bath? A servant responds that now the rain has stopped, it is time for the soldiers to begin their fighting season. All the soldiers will parade before the emperor.

A sudden, thunderous crash drowns out the drums and batters Saba’s ears. Only the calmness of the servants keep her from throwing herself to the ground and covering her head. A servant says it’s just the soldiers firing their guns. It means the Maskal festivities have begun. Perhaps everyone else in Gondar has a happy Maskal. But hers today is spent in misery. She watches thousands of soldiers parade before the emperor, his empress, and General Ali. The soldiers look beautiful in their capes made of leopard and lion skins, but after the first hundred, even such glories seem commonplace. Saba only wants to see the wondrous sight of her brother’s face.

Next, the great chiefs came through the parade, bringing tributes to be placed at the feet of General Ali or Empress Menen. This shows Saba that her great-uncle is as caged as the lions; the true power lies with others. As the chiefs pass by her, Saba keeps her eyes downcast. They look at her carefully, studying her as any village father looks for a bride for his son.

When the priests come out with their gorgeous umbrellas, she looks for the face of her teacher, but all she sees is swirling colors so bright she gets dizzy. And as the last priests pass her, she admits to herself that Mesfin must be in trouble. She remembers Empress Menen’s voice and shivers.

While the torches turn to the bonfire that evening, and girls and women fill the air with happy cries and singing, Saba stands as if a stool made of wood. Her joy and hope has fallen to a choking fear. And the next morning, that fear would be replaced by terror.