Ali's Camel

By: Fateh Kassab

Once upon a time lived a feudal Lord who ruled a vast area of  land and enslaved the people who lived there. He had countless possessions; but the dearest among them to his heart was a white camel. The camel was abnormal; it was very big with a huge hump. The camel was like a spoiled child. It attacked the farmers' fields and orchards and ate and destroyed every thing in its way. No one dared to stop it or complain, because complaining meant meeting Ali and that was the last thing the farmers thought of.

A young man once suggested that all the men of the village should go to meet Ali and tell him what his rampaging camel did to their crops. He also asked them to nominate one of them to speak on the behalf of them when they go to Lord Ali. The men agreed and gathered in the middle of the village and moved. On the way they all insisted to nominate the young man who suggested this. He told them to repeat what he says to Ali when they arrive there. They walked to the big house where Ali lived. It was a big house built of red stone. The first floor was for the servants, the second was for Ali and his wife. When they arrived they asked a servant to get them a permission to meet the Lord. After a while they had the permission and entered the hall where Ali was waiting for them. Ali was a huge man with thick eyebrows and big white teeth, as one of the men said later. They stood silent for a while, because of the fear that controlled them. Then Ali suddenly shouted to them" What's the matter? Speak, don't you have tongues?" the men started leaving one by one; but the young man didn't feel that. "Your camel master" said the young man. But no one repeated. He repeated his words again, but he heard nothing. "What's the matter with my camel lad" shouted Ali with a voice like a thunder bullet. The young man looked behind him, he found no one there. He's in a big trouble now. So he quickly said "it is a lone and that's bad for him, and I think if we got him a female he would be happier".