Tag: anecdotes

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Haile Selassie I - Anecdotes

The Photograph of Sahle Selassie (1935)

“Our car had driven up to the door and we were on the point of getting in when Lidj Asfou came after us. ‘His Majesty ask you’, he said, ‘to come back’.
We were taken on to a side terrace, where the Emperor was waiting for us. He had put off his official manner and received us like an ordinary man, but we took off our tropical helmets and stood there under the fierce midday sun until he waived court etiquette and said with a smile: ‘I do not want you to get sun-stroke on my account. Please put on your hats before it is too late. I asked you to return because I wanted to introduce you to my youngest son, Sahle Selassie, we have never taken his photograph, and I should be delighted if you would take it’. #QHS
A native governess had brought the little prince to us, and his father, who was obviously delighted to see him, said something to him in Amharic, probably introducing us, because he pointed in our direction. Then they turned round again, and the most charming scene of my visit to Abyssinia began. Haile Selassie seemed to have forgotten his obligations to Imperial dignity, and not to notice that foreigners were watching him, for he was now only an anxious father, arranging his son’s clothes, and kneeling in front of him trying our various poses. Then His Majesty chased one of the little ‘cocker dogs’, and after catching it, put it down in front of the prince, and said to us, oblivious of everything else: ‘How would that do?’ #QHS We naturally took the photograph as the Emperor wanted it done, but if we had been able to snap him as he knelt on the ground busying himself with his youngest son, we should have had a much more interesting picture. The Emperor is widely known as a good father, and he and the Empress have three sons and two daughters. All Addis Ababa saw him crying aloud at the grave of one of his daughters, and the people were so moved by this human touch that they wept with him.“
Taken from “Abyssinia On The Eve”, L.Farago, London 1935, p. 90-91
Categories
Haile Selassie I - Anecdotes

The Jewels Fraud (1930)

“The court jeweller, a local Greek merchant, was ordered to make the new crown when the coronation day had been fixed; the Imperial Jewels were entrusted to him to create the most splendid crown that could be made in Paris or London. The merchant went with his precious burden to Paris and brought back the most beautiful crown in the world. Its intrisic value easily compensated for its lack of historical interest. The Emperor was well satisfied and the Greek was given a distinguished Abyssinian order, as it is the custom on such occasions. As the coronation day came round the crown was exhibited and all the court jeweller’s competitors had a chance of seeing the masterpiece. They discovered that the precious stones were counterfeit. When the Emperor heard of this unprecedented fraud he took the matter in hand and the Greek confessed that he had sold the crown jewels in Paris and had substituted clever copies. The money that the jeweller had made by this transaction was seized and used to buy new stones with all possible speed, and the crown was ready at the eleventh hour. The Greek’s orders were rescinded and he received a very different order from the Emperor.”
Taken from “Abyssinia On The Eve”, L.Farago, London 1935, p. 99
Categories
Haile Selassie I - Anecdotes

The Fierce Lion Cub (1927)

“Our first meeting with the ruler of Prester John’s old Kingdom was most formal. We presented our credentials and he welcomed us to his country in a reserved – almost frigid manner. He was very much on his dignity. (…)

But Ras Tafari in his home was a different man from the regent we had called upon in the official reception hall. He was dignified always but he was also cordial and engaging host. (….)

We did not come really to know the ruler of Abyssinia until our fourth visit to his home. We had just returned to Addis from our first trek through the southern provinces. Ras Tafari was much interested in our trip (…)

We were having a tea in the large living room that afternoon and Fuertes showed him some paintings of the birds of Abyssinia, done in camp – but exceedingly well done. The Ras was much impressed, especially by one of a guinea-fowl, so much so, in fact, that he ordered an attendant to bring in a live guinea fowl. He compared the live bird to the picture and gasped at the resemblance (…)

Later, by way of diversion, a small lion cub was brought in and turned loose on the floor – to the great confusion of the Ras’s little brown dog that had been romping around the room. The lion was not more than two feet high but stalked about doing his best to imitate a full grown felis leo, growling and showing baby teeth threateningly. Tafari Makonnen was greatly amused at the cub’s attempt to be fierce. He caught up the baby lion and growling back at him hissed:

‘Tidlik ambassa kufanoo’, in a awed tone – fierce big lion – then added as an aside – ‘tinnish hyah’ – little ass.”

(Taken from “Savage Abyssinia”, James Baum, 1927)

Categories
Haile Selassie I - Anecdotes

The Cartridges

“Tafari soon showed that his hand was steady and his eye keen. By constant practice he became a first class shot, far better than Lidj Yassu, whose steadiness of hand had already been lessened by the dissipations in which he indulged despite Tessama’s efforts to prevent him. This was a source of great mortification to Yassu, who one day stole some cartridges which Tafari had been saving for a special occasion. Ammunition is always short in Ethiopia and to steal a man’s cartridges is a very heinous offence under the law, which regards it much as horse stealing was thought of in the Wild West, where a man’s horse was a matter of life and death to him. Lidj Yassu found himself faced by a furiously angry Tafari who levelled a gun at him and demanded the return of his cartridges. At first he laughed out loud at this sign of determination on the part of one of whom he thought so little. Then as he saw the look in the eyes behind the gun, he threw down the stolen ammunition saying that he had only been joking.
That was the first triumph of Tafari over the man who bullied him. It taught the timid lad that the best way to deal with some sorts of people is always to call their bluff.”
(Taken from “Haile Selassie Emperor of Ethiopia”, Princess Asfa Yilma, London 1936)