On a rugged mountain in Tigre, Eritrea, the village of Kantebay Sallim stood proud, perched like a sentinel above the valleys below. Not far away, in the district of Daset, Cali wad Maco tended his own village, serene yet unaware of the storm that was about to descend. When Kantebay Sallim betrothed his son to Cali wad Maco’s daughter, what should have been a union of families instead ignited a sequence of deceit, starvation, and vengeance that would leave both villages in ruin.
The nuptial cortege approached Daset at twilight, hopeful and dignified, only to be met with hostility disguised as hospitality. Cali wad Maco welcomed them with barren cows and mats, a gesture meant to appear generous but hollow in reality. When the cortege requested wood to cook the meat, they were denied: “The wood of Daset is not to be burned,” the villagers insisted, forbidding even the slightest violation. Frustrated but resilient, Kantebay Sallim instructed his people to use the shafts of their spears and broken saddles to cook the meat. By sheer ingenuity, they completed their meal, yet unease lingered in the air.
The morning after the wedding, the truth revealed itself cruelly. The bride was already pregnant with a child not of Kantebay Sallim’s lineage. Enraged, Kantebay Sallim returned the dowry and the bride to her father and prepared a swift, violent reprisal. With his most capable warriors, he descended upon Daset, attacking the village with overwhelming force. Cali wad Maco was absent, wandering as was his custom, leaving the village defenseless. Kantebay Sallim’s army ravaged the homes and cattle, and the bride suffered a gruesome death in the crossfire, her unborn child torn from her in the chaos. By the time Cali wad Maco returned, the village lay in ruins, and the sight of his daughter’s lifeless body drove him into a fiery despair.
Grief transformed into determination. Cali wad Maco discovered an Arabian razor, hidden within a cut in his calf, and with it, he journeyed to Kantebay Sallim’s village. Entering the council place, he confronted the man responsible. Kantebay Sallim, fat and bearded, approached the seemingly unarmed Cali wad Maco, dismissing him as no threat. But in a swift, horrifying strike, Cali wad Maco revealed the razor and fatally cut Kantebay Sallim, spilling his entrails before the onlookers. Shock and fear gripped the council members, who hastily attempted the same on Cali wad Maco, only to witness fire erupt from his body. The flames engulfed them, consuming Kantebay Sallim’s village in a furious inferno.
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Thus, pride and vengeance claimed both villages. Kantebay Sallim’s mountain still bears the ruins of his settlement, a stark reminder of his arrogance. In Daset, the tombs of the fallen preserve the memory of the disaster. Survivors, known as the Dagdage, scattered across the region, carrying with them the bitter legacy of a feud born from stubbornness, deception, and unbridled wrath.
Moral Lesson
The story of Kantebay Sallim and Cali wad Maco teaches that pride and rigid adherence to personal decisions can lead to devastating consequences. When rulers act without foresight, disregard human dignity, or let vengeance dictate their actions, the suffering extends far beyond the initial conflict, consuming all involved. True wisdom lies in tempering authority with compassion and understanding, ensuring that power does not become a tool for destruction.
Knowledge Check
Who were the main protagonists in the story?
Kantebay Sallim and Cali wad Maco.
What triggered the violent conflict between the two villages?
The refusal to provide wood for cooking during the wedding and the bride’s pregnancy with another man’s child.
How did Cali wad Maco exact revenge on Kantebay Sallim?
Using a hidden razor, he killed Kantebay Sallim, causing fire to erupt and destroy the village.
What cultural lesson does this Tigrean folktale emphasize?
It warns against pride, rigid authority, and the dangers of revenge.
What lasting physical markers remain from the tale’s events
The ruins of Kantebay Sallim’s village on the mountain and tombs in Daset.
How does this story reflect Tigrean social and moral values
It underscores the importance of foresight, respect, and restraint in leadership and personal conduct.
Source: Tigrean folktale, Eritrea
