Little Yehnina Solves Three Problems the Same Way

Once upon a time there was a woman called Yehna, who had three children. They were Haran, Berra, and Little Yehnina. Haran was a loud child who ran wild, but his heart was dark. Berra was a brave child who explored everywhere, but her heart had too much pride. But Little Yehnina was quiet and well liked, and her heart had only recipes for good food and warm drinks.

It happened that Yehna wanted to send a message to her sister, and she asked Haran to bear it, and he ran shouting along the road, but soon he fell to dreaming of how he might fail, and he lay down by the side of the road and wept.

And when three days had passed Yehna sent Berra to find what had become of the messenger, her brother, and Berra walked swiftly along the road, but soon she got to thinking that not only could she find Haran but she could rescue him, and she went off the road into the wilds and was lost.

Then when neither returned, Little Yehnina begged her mother to be allowed to visit her aunt and look for her brother and her sister, and Yehna begged her to stay, but Little Yehnina baked travel bread and made apple butter and took a flask of wine and her spice pot, and off she went down the road that had eaten her family.

When she had travelled for a day, she saw a rock that looked familiar, and she stopped to study it, and it looked like Haran, so she sat down beside it and made a great fire and cooked all his favourite foods, and the stone woke up and became her brother, and they laughed together, and then home he went.

When she had travelled for another day, she heard a storm that sounded like she knew it, and she stopped to listen, and it sounded like Berra, so she found a place at the edge of the woods and made a fire and warmed up all of Berra’s favourite drinks, and the storm calmed down and became her sister, and they talked together and then home went Berra to boast of her adventures.

And when Little Yehnina had travelled for another day, there was a warrior on the road, all in bronze, face hidden, and Little Yehnina walked up to the warrior and asked, “Would you like something to eat, famous one?” The warrior took off her helm and it was her aunt, who was waiting for her family, and Little Yehnina cooked spicy dishes and added flakes of gold, for her aunt was rich and sent them much to eat and to decorate themselves and even their food.

And if you think this tale has had no adventures of bravery or conflict, ask yourself why, for the conflict came before the telling, and the telling says that sometimes you do not need a sword to solve a problem.