Fire on the Mountain

A newly illustrated version of a well-known Ethiopian folktale about a clever shepherd boy and his sister. In exchange for a bag of money and four cows, Alemayu accepts a challenge from his sister's boastful, rich employer to spend the night alone on a mountain with minimal clothing and without a fire. He survives the bitterly cold night by concentrating on a shepherd's fire across the way on another mountain. The haughty man refuses to pay him, stating that looking at someone else's fire is the same as building one's own-until the siblings devise a plan that allows the man to see the foolishness of his reasoning. Lewis has done an outstanding job of capturing the warmth and simplicity of the tale through his beautiful, watercolor paintings. They bring the story to life, complementing the emotion, expression, and character of the printed words. While other versions, including one by Harold Courlander, are available, this is a well-written retelling that's sure to be enjoyed whether read individually or aloud.

-Jos N. Holman, Univ. Hts. Public Library, Cleveland Heights, OH