were gone.
“Solomon tore at his hair and cried ‘But how can this be?’ for the
ark was securely locked and there had been no sign it had been forced
open.
“Soon it became clear. By impersonating his father the king,
Menelik had managed to switch the ark with its copy. The night
before his departure, he visited the craftsman as he was finishing his
replica, the real one standing by its side. For this mistake, the artist
was punished with death.”
The smiley doctor interjected, “This is why artists have been
distrusted in Ethiopia. People consider them black magicians, those
who copy the creative power of God.”
But the doctor’s silly smile prevented Elegant from reprimanding
the interruption. He continued, “Yes. Sheba taught her son well.
With a duplicity that would have made the patriarchs proud, Menelik
returned home to Ethiopia with God’s highest gift in his hands, an
artifact freely offered to him by the king of Israel.”
They were all silent for a moment, taking the opportunity to stuff
some more chat in their distended cheeks. Roy joined them, the wad
in his cheek so large now it threatened to spill out of his mouth.
The elegant man bowed his head slightly. “Solomon was the last
great king of Israel,” he said, “After him the Hebrews fell into division
and decline and were ultimately conquered and taken into slavery in
Assyria and then Babylon. Some say it was because Solomon spread
himself too wide, had too many queens and so let bad elements in.
But Ethiopia knows the real reason that Israel collapsed. It was
because the power of God was no longer with them. You see, it had
been carried down through the desert into Abyssinia.”
Four-teeth chuckled, “Bravo! Wonderful story! But what in God’s
name does it have to do with our friend’s quest?”
Elegant’s eyes danced like David before the ark. “Well, that is for
our guest here to figure out.”
“Ah. Not another one of your riddles,” Webele complained. “The
last one kept me awake all night!”
“This is not a riddle,” he replied, “This is a recommendation.”
Roy did not understand. “Are you saying that the ark of the
covenant contained coffee?”
“All I am only saying is that Menelik brought back a great wonder
to his people. And it enriched their lives.”
Roy was not sure of the value of advice one could not understand,
ABYSSINIA
220
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