embarrassedto take this tiny bundle into the village for people to see you?”
Abrau was silent. He had closed his eyes under the soft rays of the sun; his lips were firmly shut. Abbas continued with what he was saying. “Well, for me I’d be embarrassed. Even girls gather more than this to bring home. What would people say if they saw us with these pathetic bundles?”
Abrau said, “If we had a decent sickle, I’d go to another field and just fill up my bundle.”
Abbas said, “You narrow-minded little bastard! Look at how he’s willing to waste himself on work, you son of a bitch! So what are we supposed to do? I for one can’t bear the thought of walking through the village with this little bundle of wood.”
Abrau said, “Well, you have a decent sickle. Go find another field and fill your bundle.”
“Salar Abdullah’s still out in the fields. I’m afraid. I’m afraid I’ll have to beat him and finish him off! Also, my belly’s eating itself from hunger. My insides are all tied up!”
“Well, this morning you ate up all we had.”
“What was there to eat anyway? Take a look!”
Abbas thrust a hand into his pocket, brought out bread crumbs mixed with dirt and dust, and held it out before his brother.
“Here! Eat this. To your heart’s content.”
Abrau hesitated and then unwillingly reached out and took the bread bits, poured them onto his tongue, shut his large mouth, and set to chewing. It was half a mouthful. He swallowed.
Abbas said, “If we were to put our bundles together, we could sell the lot by this afternoon. I’ll sell it, get us some bread, and bring it home.”
Abrau considered his brother’s intentions. Abbas wantedto finish the day’s work by taking all the credit for himself. Not to mention bringing home the bread. So Abrau responded, “I’ll sell it myself.”
Abbas leapt at him like a dog. “What fool do you think would take this bundle of wood off your hands? Each bundle is supposed to be enough to heat a bread oven, no? Your little pile would hardly be enough for a stove! Would it?”
Abrau said, “And you? Your little bundle? Is your pile any more than mine?”
“No!”
“So why are you shouting at me?”
“I’m not shouting at you. Listen to me for a second and you’ll see that what I’m saying makes sense. I’m saying, let’s put these two bundles together and make them one full pile. Then we’ll take it over to the old fort’s gate and find someone who’ll buy it.”
Abrau said, “Agreed. We’ll put them together, but I’ll put the full bundle on my back and I’ll take it.”
“You? You’ll take it? Am I nothing here? I’m your older brother! You want me to let you take the bundle on your back? What will people say? You don’t think they’ll just spit in my way? They’ll say, look at this worthless fool who’s making his little brother do all the work. Don’t you see how stupid what you’re saying is?”
Abrau said, “I … I’ll take it on my back. What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s wrong for a thousand and one reasons! What will others think? They’ll think I’m getting you to do all the work. Your bones aren’t even firm yet, and you want me to put a big bundleof corkwood onto your back to carry? Am I nothing here? And if you’re injured? What then? Who will be responsible? Like Karbalai Doshanbeh, Salar’s own father, who’s been injured and now has to spend all day sitting in a corner somewhere. Your back’s not at full strength yet. I won’t let my own brother be hurt!”
Despite all this, Abrau said, “I’ll take the load.”
The veins on Abbas’ neck stood out as he screamed, “Stop being a fool, you idiot! I’m taking the load!”
Abrau, calmly and evenly answered, saying, “I’ll take the bundle up by the mosque, and you go home by the back alleys. I’ll sell it, and I’ll take the money to get bread to bring home.”
“You’ll sell it? You think you can buy and sell goods? I’ve traveled
Abrau was silent. He had closed his eyes under the soft rays of the sun; his lips were firmly shut. Abbas continued with what he was saying. “Well, for me I’d be embarrassed. Even girls gather more than this to bring home. What would people say if they saw us with these pathetic bundles?”
Abrau said, “If we had a decent sickle, I’d go to another field and just fill up my bundle.”
Abbas said, “You narrow-minded little bastard! Look at how he’s willing to waste himself on work, you son of a bitch! So what are we supposed to do? I for one can’t bear the thought of walking through the village with this little bundle of wood.”
Abrau said, “Well, you have a decent sickle. Go find another field and fill your bundle.”
“Salar Abdullah’s still out in the fields. I’m afraid. I’m afraid I’ll have to beat him and finish him off! Also, my belly’s eating itself from hunger. My insides are all tied up!”
“Well, this morning you ate up all we had.”
“What was there to eat anyway? Take a look!”
Abbas thrust a hand into his pocket, brought out bread crumbs mixed with dirt and dust, and held it out before his brother.
“Here! Eat this. To your heart’s content.”
Abrau hesitated and then unwillingly reached out and took the bread bits, poured them onto his tongue, shut his large mouth, and set to chewing. It was half a mouthful. He swallowed.
Abbas said, “If we were to put our bundles together, we could sell the lot by this afternoon. I’ll sell it, get us some bread, and bring it home.”
Abrau considered his brother’s intentions. Abbas wantedto finish the day’s work by taking all the credit for himself. Not to mention bringing home the bread. So Abrau responded, “I’ll sell it myself.”
Abbas leapt at him like a dog. “What fool do you think would take this bundle of wood off your hands? Each bundle is supposed to be enough to heat a bread oven, no? Your little pile would hardly be enough for a stove! Would it?”
Abrau said, “And you? Your little bundle? Is your pile any more than mine?”
“No!”
“So why are you shouting at me?”
“I’m not shouting at you. Listen to me for a second and you’ll see that what I’m saying makes sense. I’m saying, let’s put these two bundles together and make them one full pile. Then we’ll take it over to the old fort’s gate and find someone who’ll buy it.”
Abrau said, “Agreed. We’ll put them together, but I’ll put the full bundle on my back and I’ll take it.”
“You? You’ll take it? Am I nothing here? I’m your older brother! You want me to let you take the bundle on your back? What will people say? You don’t think they’ll just spit in my way? They’ll say, look at this worthless fool who’s making his little brother do all the work. Don’t you see how stupid what you’re saying is?”
Abrau said, “I … I’ll take it on my back. What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s wrong for a thousand and one reasons! What will others think? They’ll think I’m getting you to do all the work. Your bones aren’t even firm yet, and you want me to put a big bundleof corkwood onto your back to carry? Am I nothing here? And if you’re injured? What then? Who will be responsible? Like Karbalai Doshanbeh, Salar’s own father, who’s been injured and now has to spend all day sitting in a corner somewhere. Your back’s not at full strength yet. I won’t let my own brother be hurt!”
Despite all this, Abrau said, “I’ll take the load.”
The veins on Abbas’ neck stood out as he screamed, “Stop being a fool, you idiot! I’m taking the load!”
Abrau, calmly and evenly answered, saying, “I’ll take the bundle up by the mosque, and you go home by the back alleys. I’ll sell it, and I’ll take the money to get bread to bring home.”
“You’ll sell it? You think you can buy and sell goods? I’ve traveled
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