Certain single mothers in black America had began referring to themselves as fathers and mothers on Father's Day. I had been put off by this practice. I deemed it untrue and, in fact, rather pernicious, ill-considered, even dangerous.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I read that the Queen of Sheba had said precisely that to her son by Solomon in the Kebra Nagast (The Glory of Kings), the Ethiopian holy book. The passage reads :
"And the child grew and she called his name Bayna-Lehkem, which means 'son of the wise man.' When the child reached the age of twelve years he went to the Queen his mother and said unto her: 'O Queen, make known to me who is my father.' And the Queen spoke to him angrily, wishing to frighten him so that he might not desire to go to his father saying: 'Why dost thou ask me about thy father? I am thy father and thy mother; seek not to know any more.' And the boy went from her presence, and sat down. A second time and a third time he asked her, and he implored her to tell him. One day however she told him, saying : 'His country is far away, and the road is very difficult; wouldst thou not rather be here? ' The youth Bayna-Lehkem was handsome; his whole body and his members , and the bearing of his shoulders resembled those of King Solomon, his father; and his eyes, his legs, and his whole posture resembled those of Solomon the King.
"When he was twenty-two he was skilled in the art of war and horsemanship , in the hunting and trapping of wild beasts, and in every thing that young men desire to learn. And he said unto the Queen: 'I will go and look upon the face of my father, and I will come back here by the will of God, the Lord of Israel.'"
P.34, "The Queen Brings Forth Her Son, Bayna-Lehkem, " KEBRA NAGAST(1995), translated and edited by Miguel F. Brooks
Certain single mothers in black America had began referring to themselves as fathers and mothers on Father's Day. I had been put off by this practice. I deemed it untrue and, in fact, rather pernicious, ill-considered, even dangerous.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I read that the Queen of Sheba had said precisely that to her son by Solomon in the Kebra Nagast (The Glory of Kings), the Ethiopian holy book. The passage reads :
"And the child grew and she called his name Bayna-Lehkem, which means 'son of the wise man.' When the child reached the age of twelve years he went to the Queen his mother and said unto her: 'O Queen, make known to me who is my father.' And the Queen spoke to him angrily, wishing to frighten him so that he might not desire to go to his father saying: 'Why dost thou ask me about thy father? I am thy father and thy mother; seek not to know any more.' And the boy went from her presence, and sat down. A second time and a third time he asked her, and he implored her to tell him. One day however she told him, saying : 'His country is far away, and the road is very difficult; wouldst thou not rather be here? ' The youth Bayna-Lehkem was handsome; his whole body and his members , and the bearing of his shoulders resembled those of King Solomon, his father; and his eyes, his legs, and his whole posture resembled those of Solomon the King.
"When he was twenty-two he was skilled in the art of war and horsemanship , in the hunting and trapping of wild beasts, and in every thing that young men desire to learn. And he said unto the Queen: 'I will go and look upon the face of my father, and I will come back here by the will of God, the Lord of Israel.'"
P.34, "The Queen Brings Forth Her Son, Bayna-Lehkem, " KEBRA NAGAST(1995), translated and edited by Miguel F. Brooks 