Entering Khufu
When all the children had sat on Tal-Mishem’s back, Peter could hear him talking to them. His words entering their minds one by one as he told them about his own adventures while in the desert. The children heard in wonder the fantastic tales and old stories while traveling, but the last was about the life of Tal-Mishem in its own nation, a far, far away constellation. He caught the attention of the children as the White Camel relayed the story, word by word, to all the children, right inside their heads.
"I was just a little a very young camel going from here to there when all this happened to me; yes, it may sound sometimes incredible, but believe me it was so,” pronounced Tal-Mishem in his deep, soothing voice entered their heads.
They all heard the first part of that story from the White Speaking Camel. “I walked then on my way home when I from somewhere, from a nearby forest perhaps, a tall animal, much taller than me, showed on my way. Looking at him carefully I told myself he was not a camel or giraffe or elephant either, or any other animal that I knew.
“But he seemed friendly and spoke very subtle, calling me by my name and telling me, look beyond Tal-Mishem, see those worlds below? I said yes and somehow, I could see everything in those worlds. Everything I did see then seemed wonders and immediately wanted to see them with my own eyes.
“I didn’t think anything about its false charm. I wanted to travel to those worlds, I said and the animal in front of me said, "my friend, do not worry all you have to do is just go through the unseen door. If you so desire, you'll be down there anytime and come back here when you want," he said and I believed every word, but the animal never told me about the peril that I might never return to my home. When I thought about it, he dared me.”
“Are you perhaps too afraid of your own decisions,” the unknown animal challenged me. I was bothered, I was not a coward, I told him and myself, and then chose to go through the door; perhaps ignoring wise words from my parents reminding me to be prudent. I was too late by then and I felt down on and on. The next thing, I found myself in the middle of the desert here. That's my story and now I needed to discover the door back to my constellation, but I think I'm going in a good direction, my heart tells me so," said Tal-Mishem speaking to the children as he had promised to Peter and Sarah.
That evening, when the moon went home and the sun rose again, Peter and the other children traveled across the border into Egypt. They went from Tunisia to Libya through villages and lakes as well as green mountains.
Also, they had seen the unimaginable cities and villages; some small and some large. Plenty of everything and more they had never imagined existed anywhere. Sometime later, Tal-Mishem asked Peter to tell children that they stopped and rested when the caravan came to a small Oasis in the middle of nowhere; they quench their thirst and rest their bodies.
Tal-Mishem made appear food and water out nowhere for all the children. Again Tal-Mishem said to all children to take a nap. They would travel again at night and would be kept away from the heat of the sun and other crooks in the desert seeking children to enslave.
All lie down and went to sleep under the shade of the trees of the Oasis while Tal-Mishem watched over them.
They slept until midnight and traveled under the moon again. When the sun rose the next morning the pyramids of Giza were sighted at the distance. From that far they looked like giant triangles. Later they went through the city of Giza where children would be made free to return home again. They all jumped off their camels and had for breakfast plenty of camel’s milk and pita bread.
They were asked to sleep after breakfast and prepare for that afternoon. So, they played the game until tire the fell asleep for a few hours under the guarding of Tal-Mishem. And later in the evening, it was time to go again. Late that night, they left Giza and went around on the skirt of the city and into the desert again.
The pyramids stood like the wonders Peter and Sarah had seen in the books. One looked the tallest of all; that’s where a king and Pharaoh of Egypt rested, and people called Khufu and sometimes Keops too. Then another in the middle not too tall called Kafhre and also one not too tall people called Menkaure not too far from villages.
Khufu? What kind of name is that? Sarah asked when Peter told her the name of the tallest pyramid.
"Khufu was the name of a king. They called their kings Pharaohs and Pharaohs thought the river Nile sacred. All life depended on its water. In old times, the river Nile turned into a 'red river'. It became a red river that nobody could drink from it. People and animals died.
One day its waters became clear again," Tal-Mishem said.
"How did the waters turn red? Sarah asked curiously.
"Yes, Tal-Mishem, please tell me how this large river turned red," Peter asked too.
"Nobody knows exactly but the story-tellers only say it was the Pharaoh’s fault. He was punished for he was not a kind man.
“He held many slaves and his people were poor and hungry. The river turned into red waters until he let them free, Tal-Mishem said. “Why they built the Pyramids,“ Sarah asked Peter.
“Well, father says they were houses for the Pharaohs after they died,” Peter said.
“The Pharaohs believe they would be kings after dying. Before dying they asked their slaves to build those pyramids, “Peter answered.
“But they are very big to build. How many bricks did they use for building them?
“I can answer that Peter if you want me? Tal-Mishem asked Peter.
“Yes, I don’t know this answer,“ Peter said.
“Well, historians think Egyptians used millions of large bricks. They took many years to build them, Sarah. Maybe more than thirty years. They cut large stones to make bricks. They moved bricks up to the sides to build the pyramids. They might have been thousands of men working day and night. Many were carpenters. Other carried water. Others were engineers and architects. Others were mathematicians who knew numbers,” Peter said.
"Did our dad tell you about these historians too? Sarah asked. “He let me read it in his books,” Peter said proudly. Then Tal-Mishem spoke to Peter again.
“Peter do exactly as I tell you. You and Sarah will mount on my back. We're going to travel together through the night. Then we’re going to travel for one day. We're going to hide for a day or two, but before t that we’re sending the children home. After two days or so, we're going to travel to Cairo,” TM added.
Peter said yes and Tal-Shem heard him clearly. Peter and Sarah were holding the giggling marbles now. The village on the side of Giza showed far, far away that afternoon.
The three pyramids stood in the distance as small triangles. But soon they turned larger and taller as they got closer by late that evening and moonlight felt over them.
“The tallest is the Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Cheops is in the middle. Then, Khufu is the smallest, “Tal-Mishem said to the children.
The village in Khufu was made of yellowish houses. They look brighter under the sun. Each house seemed pushed against each other. Peter thought of a giant beehive in the middle of the desert. Then in the middle of the village an open market that welcomed people. The camels followed the narrow streets. The animals moved patiently. A few lanky street dogs stood barking at the camels. Slaughtered animals hung in the open ready to be cooked. They saw along the road, chicken, ducks, and geese.
Shop keepers offered their goods with loud voices to visitors. Seated between the humps on Tal-Mishem back Peter and Sarah enjoyed the view of the market. Their eyes explored it all. They saw street peddlers and carpet makers and children offering the wares. Everything looked so fantastic as if coming from the pages of Aladdin’s tales, Peter told himself as fantasy paraded now in front of his very own eyes. A talking came, he said. A band of desert bandits, he though.
A journey through the melting dessert and everything seemed so unreal. All could be just a dream, he thought many times. A figment of my imagination, Peter thought. But until then, nothing could be more real for him and his sister now rode on the back of a talking camel. Nothing could be more real than heading to an unknown place. A land that a few days before only existed in the pages of a book and they were there now. The narrow, dirt street ended at the mouth of a huge bazaar. It looked like a large store covered by a high round roof and highest than any building in London, Peter thought.
The roof windows above let the glow of light into the market. Smoke danced along with thick vapor floating around. There were kitchens and places to eat inside. There were boiling cauldrons and cooks. Inside it felt cool and offered shade from the sun. Sometime later, a man came to the children offered the pita bread. Peter ate his and like it a lot. They are yummy he said to Sarah. Sarah refused to eat. That evening Peter shared his pita bread with Tal-Mishem.
"Ahah, it is delicious! I love this stuff, "Tal-Mishem said biting and chewing on the last crumbles left in his mouth.
“Thank you, Peter! You don't know how much I have craved one of these. Pita reminds me of a good pizza pie just a bit smaller. What I would give love for a pie of pizza too. I had a few of them in my last days in Italy, “ Tal-Mishem said making Peter feel even hungrier. Have you traveled to Italy too? Peter asked surprised.
“Yeah, of course, a long time ago. But that’s another story. I’m going to tell you all about it when we travel through the desert. Oh, Italy is beautiful and I keep it close to my heart. Oh, I love their music! Their tenors, oh Peter If could sing like one of them. And above all, I love the Gondolas in Venice going through streets of water! TM said remembering.
“Have you gone to China yet? Peter asked curiously now.
“Oh, China yes Peter. It reminds a lot about my own Gran Oasis! The old China Wall never ends. Its beautiful mountains are different than any others anywhere; the famous Great Wall is over five thousand miles long.
“Built many centuries ago too! It goes through mountains as tall as
Tibet itself. I’m ready to go back there anytime and walk on the walk from one end to the other, “ Tal-Mishem said happily.
“Was the wall also made by Pharaohs? Sara asked.
“No, of course not Sarah. The Chinese wall was built by Chinese emperors!
Most of it was built by the Emperor of the Qin-Shi-Huang dynasty. It was built in his own time about seven hundred years ago. Before England became a country. Even before Europe and America existed for China is a very, very old nation, “ Tal-Mishem said.
“Wow! You sound like you’ve traveled around. I would love to do that too, “ Peter said amused to hear from Tal-Mishem had traveled far visiting all countries around the world.
“I’m getting hungry again, Tal-Mishem said thinking about pitabread and Peter read the message in his head.
"I’m still holding to one, Peter said to Tal-Mishem and they stopped.
"The word pita is a Greek name for flattened, "Tal-Mishem said biting at his pita.
"I like them...too. They sort of tasty, "Peter said.
"Giving them some away to travelers is an old custom. You see, each traveler resting under the bazaar is expected to buy something from the local shoppers.
“It is done in return for the shoppers’ being kind offering their shade under the dome," explained Tal-Mishem again. When the sun rays have gone, it was time to sleep again. Peter and Sarah lay down on camels’ pellets to rest sleep again.
“Peter? Said Sarah softly. She was thinking about Mr. Bernard's words back in London.
“What Sarah? Peter answered half-sleeping already.
“Maybe, but will know when we wake up tomorrow," Peter said and hugged Sarah and they closed their eyes.
That night beautiful dreams waited for Peter and Sarah. When he finally fell asleep, they traveled to China and walked on the Great Wall of China. From there they went to see the old Roman Coliseum in Italy and from there to the Taj-Mahal palace in India too.
Then, as they flew and visited many other countries. All his traveling on the back of the White Talking Camel, in their dreams, of course.