A Story From Kishun Village

• Toby Francis, Grade 5, Canberra Christian School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

My name is Juma. I was visiting Yemen and heard of a village in the heart of the country called Kishun. Intrigued I went to investigate. When I was walking around, I heard this popular tale and decided to record it.
Hanik woke up. He heard donkeys and smelled food being prepared. It was market day. Hanik dressed and looked out the window. He wondered what he would trade for that day. Hanik was the village healer in Kishun, the peaceful village he lived in.
Suddenly there was a shout and everyone rushed over to see what was happening. The Zankan people, a warring tribe from afar, were coming to take over the village! It they did, Hanik and the villagers would have nowhere to live. Hanik and the people of Kishun ran to the village meeting place and called a meeting of the village elders. They were not strong and they could not fight. They would have to trick the Zankan. Unfortunately, it would only be a few hours till the Zankan got there.
"We'll have to keep the Zankan away from the village," Zachari told them.
"What about trapping them in cages?" Henayah asked.
"Zankan can break wood," Mani told her.
"I know," Hanik said quickly, "There's a special berry that hardens and becomes like rock when you pour water on them. They fuse together and we can make cages out of them". So, the villages set to making cages with Kishun, working anxiously. They put food in the cages and disguised them to look like mud huts.
Sure enough, the Zankan came running over the rise like oryx. The villagers, still hiding, trembled at the sight of the enormous, battle scarred figures. Thankfully, the enemies saw the food and dived into the disguised cages, starving from their trek. All but one of the Zankan were already trapped when Hanik yelled, "No Bana, no stop!" But it was too late, Hanik's brother was trapped.
"What!" all the other villagers cried angrily, "Your brother and you are Zankan?"
"Yes," Hanik admitted fearfully, "I’m sorry I deceived you. They abandoned me when I was young. Now they’ve come for my healing powers.”
After a long debate, the villagers finally agreed that Hanik and his brother could stay in Kishun if they swore loyalty. The villagers all built a wall made out of stone to protect them in the future. They called a truce with the Zankan and released them. The Zankan didn't keep the truce but the wall kept them out so that didn't matter.
If you go to Kishun now most likely you will see the colourful stalls the villagers set up, smell the wonderful food they make there and hear the people laugh and talk as they work. I know this as I'm walking around the village right now, finding out what happened that day the Zankan came. I can smell my favourite Kishun food Girombolee cooking, a thick stew normally served with salty beans.