Falcon V MOnk

Sudan, 1881
Ngozi Bayoumi travels from his hometown of Abu Qireiya to Port Sudan, intending to catch a boat across the Red Sea to Jiddah and thus travel onwards to Mecca for his annual pilgrimage. His companion on the journey is his trained falcon, Mesika, which means ‘born in rain’. She is restless in the covered cage, for the wagon must cross many bumpy roads. Ngozi feeds her macadamia nuts and gently strokes her dorsal feathers.

peck peck
The small convoy of pilgrims are attacked on the edge of the Nubian Desert by Sudanese rebels, unhappy with the Egyptian occupation and corruption of Tewfik. They are led by notorious bandit Samir Ali Aboud, who travels everywhere with his ferocious red howler monkey, Loko. All the pilgrims are slaughtered except for Ngozi Bayoumi, for when he releases Mesika she sets upon one of the bandits, tearing out his eye.

Samir Ali Aboud is impressed with the falcon and stays the hand of the man who would kill her and her master. He strikes a bargain with Ngozi Bayoumi, wherein the falcon and the monkey must fight to the death. If Mesika triumphs, she and her master will be allowed to continue on their pilgrimage. If Loko wins, Ngozi Bayoumi will become the slave of Samir Ali Aboud.
Half decent monkey

Mesika and Loko fight under a baobab tree. Despite the superior weight and strength of the howler monkey, Mesika manages to rake her claws along Loko’s inner thigh, tearing open his femoral artery. She suffers a broken leg but is triumphant. Loko bleeds to death in his master’s arms. It is the first time the men of Samir Ali Aboud have seen him weep, but he keeps his word and Ngozi Bayoumi continues his pilgrimage to Mecca on foot, nursing Mesika back to health when he reaches Port Sudan. Two weeks later she sweeps over the heads of the pilgrims at Mecca, gladdening their hearts.

Thus endeth the tale of falcon versus monkey, falcon wins.

Verily, there is heavenly reward for every act of kindness done to a living animal. (The Prophet Mohammad) Images by Pat Dalton.