Lions Whisker

By: Skywalker Storyteller

The Lions Whisker An Ethiopian Folktale as retold by Skywalker

Storyteller
http://www.storyteller.net/stories/text/8

John was a happy little boy living with his mother and father in their
home in California. But, one day his mother died and John was so hurt,
and so confused, and so angry. A year passed and his father decided to
remarry. But, John remained so hurt, and so confused, and so angry. So
when Mary met him and hugged him he pulled away from her. When she
fixed him his favorite foods for dinner he didnt eat. When she made him
a play suit out of fine cloth he ran through the woods and played so
roughly he tore the clothes up. Whenever she spoke to him he ignored
her.

One day when her husband was gone hunting, Mary went to Johns
bedroom to talk to him.

"John, I love you so much and I really need you to love. . ."

Before she could finish John jumped up and said, "I hate you, you arent
my mother. Im running away."

John ran past Mary and out of the house. Mary sat down and cried and
cried. When her husband returned she told him what had happened. He
told her to go on and cook dinner and not to worry that he would find
John. John was at the river in his favorite spot. The two walked home and
ate dinner without a word.

That night, as the other two slept, Mary got out and walked deep into the
forest to the home of the witch doctor. The witch doctor was a very wise
woman who knew the ways of peoples minds and hearts.

"I need you to make me a love potion so my step-son will love me," said
Mary.

"Well," the old woman said slowly, "Before I can give you a love potion,
you must bring me the whisker from a ferocious lion."

Marys eyes grew large as she said, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Use your imagination," said the witch doctor.

John went home and slept just a few more hours. She got up before the
sun rose and put several large pieces of raw meat in a bag and headed
toward the hills. She walked until she found a cave which had large paw
prints around it. Mary took a piece of meat out and placed it in front of
the entrance to the cave. Then she hid in the bushes about 50 feet from
the entrance and waited.

After a few minutes a large, very ferocious looking lion stepped out of the
cave, looked around, smelled the meat, and ate it all up.

Mary waited for a couple of hours then she walked up to the entrance of
the cave and placed a second piece of meat in front of it. Then she moved
back only 25 feet and didnt hide in the bushes. After a few minutes the
lion came out. He looked around, stared at Mary, smelled the meat,
picked it up, and ate it all up.

Mary waited for a couple of hours then she walked up to the entrance of
the cave and placed a third piece of meat in front of it. She moved back
only 5 feet and didnt hide in the bushes. After a few minutes the lion
came out. He looked around, stared at Mary, smelled the meat, picked it
up, and ate it all up.

Mary waited for a couple of more hours then she walked up to the
entrance of the cave and placed a third piece of meat in front of it. She
moved back only two steps. After a few minutes the lion came out. He
looked around, stared at Mary. She stared back at the lion. Although she
was shaking inside, she didnt move her body. She just stared right back
at the lions large brown eyes. The lion smelled the meat, picked it up and
began eating.

Very slowly Mary extended her hand, grabbed a whisker and quickly
pulled it out. The lion kept eating as slowly, very slowly, as if walking on
a tight rope, Mary backed away toward the bushes. When she got into the
forest she ran back to the witch doctors home.

Breathing heavily, she rushed into the witch doctors house and held up
the whisker. "See, here, I brought you a lions whisker. Now, give me a
love potion."

The witch doctor looked at the whisker. "Ah, this does look like a
ferocious lions whisker. But, I dont have any love potions."

"What, what do you mean?" screamed Mary.

"Now, tell me, how did you get that lions whisker?" the old lady calmly
asked.

"Well, I had to be very, very careful and patient. I was very gentle and
very quiet, and persistent."

"Yes, and you were very courageous. See, you have all of the skills you
will need to get your stepson to love you without a magic potion."

Then Mary understood. She returned home and treated John nicely as
before. But, she did not make any special efforts to win his affection. She
was just her sweet, giving self. When John was rude to her or ignored her,
she continued on as if he had said nothing. In three weeks John began to
smile and speak to Mary. In six weeks he offered to help her with chores.
In nine weeks he invited her to walk with him to his favorite place at the
river. One night about 12 weeks later, just before he fell asleep John
looked up in Marys eyes and said, "Mary, I love you."