Episode 12 - The Poor Man and the Rich Man: A Tale From Ethiopia About Greed, Cleverness, and Reconciliation

[Intro music fades out while Hades speaks.] 

Hades: Greetings, seekers of the mystical and voyagers through timeless tales! You've plunged the enigmatic depths of history and arrived at the gateway of our twelfth episode of "Fireside Folklore with Hades". This is the podcast where we fan the flames of ancient legends and mystifying folklore, echoes from ancestors who still live on in our hearts.

Guiding you through these enthralling sagas, I remain your unwavering host, Hades, the Sovereign of the Underworld, your guardian of secrets, and the connoisseur of the cryptic.

Accompanying me on this mystical odyssey are my revered co-hosts. My radiant partner, Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, whose brilliance outshines the sun-drenched highlands of Ethiopia. And, of course, our sagacious nephew, Hermes, the Herald of the Gods and, most vital to me, the Psychopomp. If that term gives you hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, take heart, for it means only that he serves as our ethereal navigator, guiding souls across realms and leading us through these enthralling narratives.

Tonight, we set forth on a journey, excavating the soul of Ethiopia to explore the profound tale of "The Poor Man and the Rich Man". Gather close, let the captivating glow of the fire cast enchanting shadows, and prepare yourselves for an exhilarating venture into the world of hidden secrets and mesmerizing folklore. Friends, let the storytelling begin!

Persephone: Hello everyone! I’m glad to be here with you today as we travel once more to Africa, to a country where some of my favorite music comes from! This time, we’ll be learning that a gavel does not a judge make!

Hermes: It’s definitely going to be a wild ride!

Hades: To Ethiopia, then, my divine adventurers. Hermes, please tell us what you learned about Ethiopia this week. 

Hermes: Of course, Uncle Hades! I’d be happy to. Here are my three fun facts about Ethiopia. 

1.    Let’s start with what Persephone hinted about at the beginning of our show. Ethiopian music is unique for its use of a pentatonic scale, which consists of five notes per octave. This scale creates a distinct sound that differs significantly from the Western heptatonic scale, which has seven notes per octave. One of the most iconic instruments in Ethiopian music is the 'Masenqo' – a single-stringed bowed lute. This instrument is known for its soulful and somewhat haunting sound, and it's often used in both traditional and modern Ethiopian music. The Masenqo is not just an instrument; it's a storytelling tool, often accompanying the 'Azmaris,' who are akin to bards in Ethiopian culture. They use music to convey stories, news, and even satire, playing a significant role in the cultural and social life of Ethiopia.

2.    As the god of communication, this next fact really blew me away! The Ethiopian alphabet, also known as Ge'ez script, is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world. It consists of 33 basic characters, each of which has seven different forms depending on the vowel that follows the consonant, leading to a total of 231 characters. This makes the Ethiopian script quite unique and visually complex. Originally developed for the Ge'ez language, which is now mostly used in religious contexts, the script is currently used for Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia, as well as for other languages in the region like Tigrinya and Tigre. The Ethiopian alphabet's origins can be traced back to the 8th century B.C., making it a significant part of Ethiopia's rich historical and cultural heritage.

3.    Discovery of Lucy: Can you imagine digging up an ancient skeleton that changes our understanding of human history? That's exactly what Donald Johanson and Tom Gray did in 1974 in Ethiopia! They discovered an incredibly well-preserved 3.2 million-year-old fossil skeleton of a female hominid, a human ancestor. Nicknamed 'Lucy,' this fossil was a game changer. They could tell that she walked upright like we do, even though she was much shorter, like 3 and a half feet tall! Lucy had some ape-like features but also human ones. She showed that early humans were starting to walk more upright instead of like apes, suggesting bipedalism or walking on two legs might be a super old trait. To Ethiopians, Lucy's skeleton became a huge point of national pride. They gave her an Amharic nickname - Dinknesh - which means "you are marvelous." Lucy isn’t the only fossil found in Ethiopia, but she sure is one of the most well-known!

Hades: Marvelous! Hermes, I appreciate the diverse range of facts you dig up every week. And Persephone, my dear, I didn’t realize you enjoyed Ethiopian music. You’ll have to share some with me when we’re done recording this. 

Persephone: Definitely! I have a Mulatu Astatke record I can’t wait to show you! 

Hades: I look forward to it. Speaking of music, it’s time we heard the Ethiopian national anthem, “March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia”. 

[National anthem plays.] 

Hades: Very good! Now, tonight’s tale is “The Poor Man and the Rich Man”. We are joined by Dionysus playing the poor man, Amanuel; Hephaestus playing the rich man, Abay; and Poseidon playing our judge. Once upon a time, two friends decided to build farms next to one another out in the countryside. 

Dionysus: As we work together, we shall prosper and enjoy good fortune as friends. 

Hephaestus: Yes. What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine. 

Hades: For about a year or two, the men worked in harmony, nurturing their friendship and cultivating their farms. However, one day, Ammanuel experienced a blight, leading to the loss of a large percentage of his yams. 

Dionysus: Please help me, friend, for I have barely enough to eat, much less sell at the market in order to make a living. 

Hephaestus: I’ll share half my money with you when I sell my crop. 

Hades: Instead of keeping his word, however, Abay used his money to get rich by buying himself a team of oxen, horses, a cart, and more tracts of land. However, despite his friend’s betrayal, Ammanuel said nothing. Instead, he continued to work hard and tried to make the best of his situation. One day, not long afterwards, the rich man approached the poor man and spoke thus. 

Hephaestus: Brother, our donkey, the one we were sharing equally … I’d like to butcher it so I can feed my half of the meat to my dogs. 

Dionysus: But if you slaughter the donkey, I won’t be able to use him to help me with the plowing. 

Hephaestus: That’s not my concern. If we slaughter the donkey, we can each have our half and be done with it. 

Dionysus: Half could also mean that you use it for half the time, and I use it during the time you are not. 

Hephaestus: Let’s take this to a judge to settle. 

Hades: The next day, they stood before a judge who had agreed to hear their case. 

Hephaestus: Ammanuel and I agreed to share a donkey equally. I’d like to kill it so I can give my half to my dogs. But Ammanuel here says that I must let him use it to help him farm.

Poseidon: Well, if you kill the donkey and divide it equally, that’s a fair division of the item. Dividing the use of the donkey between you is far more complicated and prone to unfairness and cheating. I declare that the donkey should be slaughtered. 

Hades: Dismayed, Ammanuel shook his head but said nothing. Not having any dogs of his own, he ended up giving the meat to Abay. 

Dionysus: I could never eat the flesh of my friend. That dear donkey helped me so much through many tough times. 

Hades: Some time later, another dispute needed to be resolved. 

Hephaestus: I wish to burn down my house. The land must be cleared so I can build something much better. 

Dionysus: But if you burn down your house, you’ll burn mine down too. 

Hades: Once more, they appeared before the judge with their quarrel. 

Poseidon: Since the house is his, he may burn it down as he wishes. 

Hades: As Ammanuel feared, his home went up in flames along with Abay’s. 

Dionysus: I must find a way to teach this man a lesson. Though I can no longer consider him a friend, his greed must not be allowed to hurt another. 

Hades: Ammanuel soon planted peas in his garden, which he knew that Abay’s daughter, Almaz, wouldn’t be able to resist. Just as he planned, Almaz came and ate all of his peas. 

Dionysus: Your daughter has eaten all of my peas. Those were mine! You must give them back to me. 

Hephaestus: I cannot do that. The peas have already been eaten. 

Dionysus: In that case, your darling Almaz is forfeit. She shall live with me and see you no more. 

Hephaestus: All because she ate your peas? 

Dionysus: Those peas were mine, and since you and your daughter cannot give them back to me, she is mine by right. 

Hades: Naturally, Abay was indignant about this, and marched over to the judge. Unfortunately, the judge, who had taken Abay’s side up to this point, said, 

Poseidon: Since you cannot give back those peas, you must give your daughter to Ammanuel. Her life is forfeit and he may do with her as he wishes. 

Hades: Finally realizing how his greed and betrayal had led to this, Abay turned to Ammanuel. 

Hephaestus: Please don’t take my daughter. I’ll pay you half of the money I have, which I should have done when a blight destroyed your yams. 

Hades: Ammanuel, who had never intended to keep Almaz, readily agreed to this arrangement, and over time, the two men rebuilt their friendship into something that was filled with trust, respect, and generosity. 

Hermes: Yikes! That story was intense, but I’m glad everything worked out in the end. 

Hades: Agreed. Now Persephone, my elysian bloom, what recipe have you decided on for tonight? What dish will be serving as the conduit to taking our listeners on a culinary excursion to Ethiopia? 

Persephone: Tonight, my love, we'll be making misir wot. This is an Ethiopian lentil stew that's entirely gluten-free. Most importantly though, it's super yummy and filled with spices! Here is what you will need: 

2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained

4 cups vegetable broth

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter essential to Ethiopian cooking, though you can use regular clarified butter or ghee if you can't find it)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1-2 tablespoons berbere spice blend (available at specialty or Ethiopian markets)

Salt to taste

Here's what you must do. Be sure to have an adult help you with these steps!

1. Melt 3 tablespoons of the niter kibbeh in a medium stock pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the berbere and cook for 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning.

Add the lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the sauce has thickened.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of niter kibbeh and berbere and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

4. Season with salt to taste.

5. Misir wot is typically served with injera, a fermented flatbread that’s also used as an eating instrument to scoop up the lentils. Enjoy your meal!

If you'd like to share pictures of your dish or have any questions, please E-mail me at Persephone@firesidefolklorewithhades.com. Enjoy! 

Hades: It's awfully quiet around here! Zeus must be ... 

Zeus: Did somebody pray for my presence? 

Hades: Ah, Zeus, always arriving like a thunderbolt in a summer sky. But tell me, did you come by winged chariot or did you simply float down on the weight of your own ego?

Zeus: [Laughs] Hades, my dear brother, you're as sharp as ever, but what, pray tell, would you do without me? After all, I’m the one who keeps this podcast afloat by getting all of these divine sponsorship deals. 

Hades: Might I remind you that I am the god of riches? I could keep this podcast running until the world’s end if I wanted to. 

Zeus: Touché.

Hades: But, since you mentioned the sponsorship, who did you fleece into filling your coffers with drachmi? Please don’t tell me it was your line of cloud cosmetics. 

Zeus: You weren’t supposed to tell anyone about that! No no, tonight, we’ve been sponsored by Prometheus’s Prudent Gavel. 

In the hallowed halls of justice, where gods convene and fates are decided, one object stands as the symbol of divine fairness and wisdom - Prometheus' Prudent Gavel. Forged in the heart of Mount Olympus, tempered by the wisdom of Athena and infused with the foresight of Prometheus himself, this is no ordinary gavel. With each strike, it resonates with the ancient power of truth and discernment. Misunderstandings unravel, deceit fades, and clarity emerges. But that's not all! Prometheus' Prudent Gavel comes with a unique ability. When a verdict is just, it glows with a celestial light, ensuring all decisions are made with the highest integrity. Perfect for settling disputes among gods, heroes, and even the occasional mortal quandary. No assembly required – it's powered by the eternal flames of Olympus itself! Whether you're presiding over the cosmic courts or just need a bit of divine intervention in your daily decisions, Prometheus' Prudent Gavel is the tool for you. Order now and receive a special bonus – the Scroll of Solon, providing ancient wisdom for modern problems. Prometheus' Prudent Gavel – Order yours today and let justice reign supreme!

Hades: Excellent! I’ll concede one thing to you, brother. 

Zeus: What’s that?

Hades: In the depths of the Underworld, we often forget the sound of true joy. Your laughter, Zeus, is like a rare coin, minted in the heavens, bringing a wealth of light to our shadowed halls. Thank you for gracing this podcast with the richness of your mirth. 

Zeus: All right, all right. I think it’s time for the Lightning Round before it starts to rain around here. 

Hades: Very well. As you wish. 

Zeus: Listen up, listeners, here’s how this works. I’ll be asking three questions about tonight’s episode. The first one who E-mails me at zeus@firesidefolklorewithhades.com with the correct answers will receive a $20 gift card to Dusty Grooves, the perfect place to find all of those musical gems on vinyl or CD. And yes, you may think that MP3 music is where it’s at, listeners, but sometimes, there’s nothing more satisfying than the crackle, crackle, pop of vinyl! If you decide to participate, be sure to put “Lightning Round With Zeus, Episode 12” in the subject line and include your first name (or pseudonym) so that your win can be acknowledged on a future episode. Failure to follow instructions may result in your E-mail being electrified by my lightning-fast anti-spam system. With that out of the way, are you ready? Let’s go!

1.    What was the Amharic nickname given by the Ethiopian people to the skeleton we all know as Lucy?

2.    How did Ammanuel plan to teach Abay a lesson in the story "The Poor Man and the Rich Man"?

3.    How did my brother, Hades, describe my laughter a few moments ago, nearly causing a rainstorm in the Underworld? 

[Outro music fades in.] 

Hades: Well, that’s all we have for you, folks. We hope you join us next time, for we’ll be traveling to New Zealand to learn “Why The Kiwi Bird Has No Wings.” 

Persephone: Goodnight everyone!

Hermes: Goodnight everyone! Stay curious!

[Outro music fades out.]