Stella Gaitano Translated into English By Asha El-Said

* As a taster, these are two paragraph that I 'sneaked' from one of the stories.
I really liked the way Stella used folktale as a shield to hide her message!
asha.

The Complete ... Half of a Corpse

Once upon an ancient time, the time of the silence of sons, there were two women who fought over the motherhood of a child. Each woman claimed he was her son. The judge was perplexed over the matter and the insistence of each woman that the child was hers. But justice was his habitude and he abhorred injustice. So resorting to wisdom and insight he ordered that the child be divided to two halves and each woman took her half. The first woman agreed, but the second one was flabbergasted and refused the idea that the child’s limbs be cut into two! She agreed that the first woman took him. The judge immediately knew she is the real mother as she preferred the loss of her son to another woman to the loss of his life. He said, ‘’it is true that a mother’s heart is on her son,’’ and he ordered the son to be given to her. Justice was on her side.
Once upon a contemporary time, the time of the silence of mothers, there were two sons who fought over a mother. Each one claimed that she is his mother. The judge was perplexed over the matter and the insistence of each of the two that she was his mother despite the differences between them. The first one seemed to possess alone everything and so he looked contented. The second one looked poor and signs of deprivation were clear on him. Still each one continued to insist that the woman was his mother. As justice was his habitude, and he abhorred injustice, the judge followed the same old wisdom and insight that saved him once upon a time depending blindly on transparency of the Truth.
He smiled to himself as he declared that the mother should be dissected into two between them. The sentence was in procession, the judge ordered the swordsman to cut the woman in two and one would take the upper half and the other the lower half. They both cried in disagreement that none would take an incomplete half. The contented one said, ‘’take the lower half. It has the legs and you are a wanderer roaming around. It suits you.’’ The deprived son responded: ‘No, I will not let you take possession of everything, I will take the upper half as I have never benefited from her mind, heart and warmth, so you take the lower half! The argument became fierce and was leading to a real fight. The judge became more perplexed and embarrassed as he never before failed to administer wisdom and insight. It is true the heart of a son is stone.
He ordered the sentence to be postponed until the sons quieten a little and he counselled with wisdom and insight. Insight said in advice, ‘’divide her into two longitudinally.’’ Wisdom added, ‘’absolutely right, this way no injustice is done to either as each one will take a whole half of the corpse!’’ The judge liked the idea which he thought would acquit his conscience. He didn’t realize that wisdom and insight have their place and time. He ordered that the mother is dissected into two equal longitudinal halves. The sons couldn’t see any reason to disagree so they agreed to the sentence. The contented one was indifferent as his spoilt self revealed. The deprived was in a dilemma as revealed by his anger! The sentence was carried out; the sword was moving to and from cutting the mother into two equal longitudinal parts: half a heart and a heart, half joy and melancholy... half a laugh and a smile... half tears and sweat... half warmth and passion... half flesh and blood... half intestines and bone... half a womb and motherhood...half a mother and ... half a Nation...and....half... and... half... and... But, he was standing there alone. Pain in complete physical presence, standing between the two halves of a corpse!

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