Manush

MANUSH by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2008 written on November 19, 1993 translated by the author English text kindly revised by acam

USUAL DISCLAIMER

"MANUSH" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.

CHAPTER 7 - The first traditions

Dule was radiantly happy. While they were dressing he said to Tomaso "You know, it's funny, but... I feel more like a man at last. Now I feel... complete!"

"Sex is a very important part of a person's life my friend."

"But now... you and I are more than just two friends. A part of you is inside me and a part of me inside you. Isn't it a marvellously close feeling being blood brothers?"

"Well... yes... a little... perhaps."

"That was really good. And it didn't hurt much at all. Just a little bit at first I must admit. And I can still feel a bit like... like something uncomfortable down there. But it was really worth it."

"It will pass. I don't get uncomfortable any more just pleasure when I do it. You know that you are a nice little colt in bed?"

"I lost my head when you made me take you... Making love is really great. not in the least as if it were a forbidden ugly thing and that bullshit they say!"

"Will you come and do it again while we stay camping here?"

"Yes of course."

"And... would you like to try it with my companions too?"

"Well I thought about it... Do you think they would like doing it with me?"

"I really think so. You are a very handsome boy."

"Are they all as good as you at making love?"

"Sure. Even though each of us has... his own style so to say. Now Dule can I tell my companions about you?"

"Yes now you can."

So Dule met the others and one at a time he made love with and became friends with all of them.

When the Rogasi decided to leave the camp to travel down south to Sicily Dule was sad.

"I would like not to lose you my friends. With you I've spent the most beautiful days of my life..."

"Why don't you come with us then?" Zanko suggested.

"Would you really like me to come with you? I didn't dare ask ... Are you sure you really want me?"

"You will have to ask your family and group for permission..." Marko said to him.

"Of course. But I'm almost sure I'll get it. My father always respected his sons' decisions. And I bet he will be glad not to have to pay the dowry for another daughter in law. When will we leave? The day after tomorrow?"

"Yes. Will you be ready?"

"Certainly yes. And can I take with me my gold-working tools?"

"Of course you can. And we will also fix a place for your work won't we Mateo?"

"Yes Zanko I will set up a workshop. As soon as we have finished rebuilding caravan number 2. Instead of the small balcony like this one I will make a space big enough for Dule's workshop. I just have to think what changes will have to be made. It won't be difficult." Mateo answered.

They left. Dule went to sleep with Patrizio and Tomaso. But at times they swapped places for the night. They crossed the Straits of Messina and went to camp near Patti. Here they could finish rebuilding their second caravan. They then tried connecting the two caravans as they had planned and they were perfect. They moved one of the two beds from caravan two to caravan one, and in caravan one they set up a kitchen while in caravan two in the corresponding place they built a real bathroom.

The idea of the bathroom came from Tomaso. The Romany were not used to having bathrooms as they usually washed themselves in the open in a tub with just a curtain around it for privacy. But when they tried the new bath all were enthusiastic. Mainly because now that winter was approaching it was getting colder outside. And soon they started to bathe in couples - it was a good pretext to make love in the water. The bathroom was also excellent for washing their clothes.

While they were camping in Patti one evening around the fire Dule said "Each tribe should have its own traditions or else it isn't really a proper tribe... I was also thinking that we will gradually grow and become numerous. And so we need an initiation and admission ceremony... a rite binding forever the newcomers to our tribe."

"We aren't yet a tribe." Mateo remarked.

"But we have to act as if we already were or else we will never be one." Patrizio said with determination as he poked the fire.

"Well first of all we must have a chief." Marko said.

"We already have one Marko - he's Zanko." Dule said.

Zanko smiled but said "No he's right. We ought to have a chief officially and recognized by all of us. I propose him to be Tomaso. He's the oldest of us."

"Oh no - only one year older!" Tomaso protested and then said, "No I'd like Zanko as a chief. After all he's the one who started all this."

"But Patri started it just as much as me. If it wasn't for him I might easily still be alone..."

"Well. We have a choice of three names- Zanko, Patri and Tomaso. Now we just have to choose." Marko said.

"And how?" Mateo asked.

"With the pebble system of lots." Marko answered.

"What is that?" Patri asked.

"Each of us will have a white and a red pebble. We will pass around a bag and each of us will slip into it one of his pebbles without letting the others see which it is or which pebble he keeps. Red means yes white no. So then the bag is emptied and the pebbles are counted. Then the bag is passed around again to collect the other pebbles and when people put them in they hide them so nobody can see the colour of pebble they have not used. And so all the pebbles are shared out again a couple to each of us for a second vote ... By doing it this way nobody knows how the others have voted." Marko explained.

"Alright" Zanko said "We must get red and white pebbles and a black bag ready."

"Yes but the pebbles should all be exactly the same shape or else it would be easy to tell who had which one." Patrizio objected.

"Yes that's right." Zanko confirmed.

They then discussed the initiation and admission rite.

Marko proposed that they adapt something like the rite for the birth of a child. "After all admitting a new member will be almost like giving him birth for us." He explained.

So, after a short discussion and several proposals they also decided and established an admission rite.

Patrizio went downtown to find a stone-cutter and asked him if he could make spheres of white and red stone as big as a cherry. The Gadje said there was no problem and made them. Patrizio had ordered plenty. "Then there will be enough for votes when lots of new members have joined us." he explained to his companions. Zanko saw a bag of thick black cloth that could easily contain all the marbles and Mateo made a wooden box to hold everything. Marko decorated the box with nice hinges corners and a lock in embossed copper.

So a few days later they were ready to cast their first vote to choose their chief. They decided to vote first for Zanko. He got five red pebbles and one white and everybody guessed that was Zanko's pebble.

At that point Dule took out a gold ring he had prepared in secret.

"I made this for whoever would be elected as our chief and so it belongs to you, Zanko. It is the symbol that you are our chief."

Zanko took and looked at it. "It's really beautiful Dule. Thank you. Look at it everyone..." he said passing round the ring.

It was made of three bands side by side tied together by a small band that crossed the three with two small spheres at one end,

While everybody was admiring it Dule explained "The three parallel bands, you see represent the Romany the Sinti and the Gadje. They are perfectly the same that is to say that there is no difference amongst us. The crossing band with the two spheres... well... it's a stylised shape of a virile member with its balls... that ties all us together."

Everybody laughed and approved. Zanko put the ring at once on his finger. Then they celebrated all night long.

The following night they decided to hold an initiation and admission ceremony for themselves.

First of all they traced out on the ground a square and the five apart from Zanko stepped inside it. Then Zanko scattered inside the square three dashes of brandy and three bits of bread. After that Zanko took Patrizio's hand made him lie on the ground and with a sharp stick traced out a circle around him scratching a shallow furrow while wishing him strength and freedom. Then Zanko scattered some charcoal powder in the furrow and all round the circle. Then he (alone for that first time) sang the ring-a-ring-a-roses ancient birth song they had adapted.

"You manush are being initiated into the caravan to become a true Rogasi and so one of us. As the Good Lord gave you life now each of us will give you his gift." And he put a symbolic present inside the circle. Then Zanko took the red scarf he had round his neck and put it around Patrizio's neck so recognizing him as his "son" and therefore a member of the tribe. He then lifted Patrizio up bodily in his arms, carried him out of the circle and left a small piece of gold where Patrizio had been. Then he took Patrizio into the caravan and kissed him on the mouth as a symbol of their sexual union.

Then they came out again. Patrizio rubbed out the circle and took the piece of gold and put it in a box they had prepared for it. Normally at this stage of the ceremony there would be a party but they decided for this first time to have just one party all together at the end of all the admissions.

Zanko repeated the rite for Mateo but Patrizio put the piece of gold inside the circle. Then Tomaso was admitted and Mateo put the red scarf round his neck and took him into the caravan for the kiss. Zanko performed the rite for Marko and last of all Thomaso did it for Dule. And finally in the dead of the night they celebrated with dances songs and music. Marko played his guitar and Dule his lap harp.

It was almost dawn when they put out the fire and carefully packed away the little box with the five pieces of gold. Then they went into the caravans to make love. Zanko with Patrizio and Marko in one and Mateo, Tomaso and Dule in the other. The next day Dule worked the five pieces of gold into five rings - each was an open band with two small spheres at one end. In the evening, Zanko put a ring on Patrizio's, Mateo's and Marko's fingers and Mateo put one on Tomaso and he put one on Dule. So the admission-birth ceremony was completed.

Dule proposed to decide which of the usual festivities they would keep. They decided to keep Christmas, Saint George, Easter and Saint Michael as seasonal feasts. Then to keep Saint Andrew, Saint John and Saint Sylvester as days to celebrate love and to use Saint Andrew's day to celebrate the eventual confirmation of steady couples - though Zanko said that until they were recognized as a tribe it would be better not to form steady couples. Anyway they fixed the ceremony for union of a couple adapting the traditional Romany's wedding ceremony.

They moved on and went to camp near Gela where they planned to pass all the coldest part of winter. There were already a group of Kaloperjia's lautari camping there and so the Rogasi camped nearby but slightly apart as usual and connected their two caravans. As their caravans were really beautiful skilfully carved and painted and kept in perfect condition the Kaloperjia soon went to have a look at them.

They soon hit it off specially Zanko with a young man of twenty-one called Fadil who was a very skilled violin payer. So they soon started to invite each other quite often to their evening meetings around the fire or their parties. One afternoon Fadil was wandering around the Rogasi's caravans. He saw Patrizio and warmly greeted him.

"Hi Patri. Do you have enough wood for the winter?"

Patrizio already knew that this was just a kind of traditional greeting. So he correctly answered "Thanking the Good Lord we have wood and white bread."

"Good... I noticed that you all are wearing the same ring..."

"Yes it's the symbol of us Rogasi."

"A weird tribe yours..."

"We are not yet a tribe... We should be one after the pilgrimage I hope."

"Ah so you are going on the pilgrimage then, are you?"

"Yes."

"But... what's your circuit?"

"The roads of the world,"

Fadil nodded then said "I also noticed that there are only men in your tribe... is it permanent or temporary - just for now."

"Yes we are just men."

Fadil nodded again then said "What is it like living in a tribe made just of men?"

"It is... living without the women's quarrels!" Patrizio answered with a smile.

"You've a beautiful smile Patri."

"Thank you."

"Do you have sex amongst you?" Fadil quietly asked.

Patrizio looked at him surprised by such a direct and unexpected question then answered "I don't ask you whom you do it with..."

"I can't do it of course as I'm not yet married."

"That is also true for us six - that is we are not yet married."

Fadil giggled and said "But the rules are not always respected by everybody all the time. One cannot touch a girl before marrying her and even less the woman of another man and yet some do it... and more than once sometimes as long as they don't get caught."

"Well have you done that?"

"No I always respected that rule. But..." he said and stopped looking at Patrizio with a mischievous expression.

Patrizio returned his look waiting and smiling at him so as to encourage him to continue.

And Fadil continued "Have you ever noticed how some boys are gentler and nicer than girls?"

"Yes I have."

"And that for that reason sometimes a... special friendship can be born?"

"Yes that is true..."

"I'm lucky as I have two of these... special friends here in my group."

"Really? And who are they?"

"One is Idris. The other is Zoran... Do you have special friends too?"

"All six of us are special friends." Patrizio quietly answered.

Fadil knit his eyebrows and asked "All of you? Well of course I am friends with everybody in my group too..."

"But you meant in a special way with Zoran and Idris didn't you?"

"Yes."

"And... who do you like better between them?" Patrizio asked.

"Zoran is more handsome but he always talks about girls... he's boring. Idris is more likeable but even he is already engaged... so he will soon marry and sooner or later I will be alone again..."

Patrizio was now rather sure about what Fadil was talking about but he didn't feel like revealing his hand just yet. So, even though he was feeling strongly attracted to Fadil, he thought he would let that subject drop. But Fadil didn't seem to want to change the subject.

"It's good dancing around the fire in the evening isn't it?" Fadil asked.

Patrizio feeling now on a safer ground answered "Yes I like dancing very much especially when Zanko plays his violin. He taught me to dance."

"Ah! I instead taught my little brother to dance but he doesn't like dancing alone even when I play the music..." Fadil said with a little smile.

Patrizio at once spotted the 'double entendre'. Fadil did really have a younger brother but "made his little brother dance" meant to masturbate oneself as well...

So he said "My little brother never liked to dance alone either so I had him meet the little brothers of my friends you see to amuse themselves together. And those little rascals soon learned to play hide-and-seek too..."

"Hide-and-seek?" Fadil asked rather puzzled.

"Yes you know sneak into some hidden places so that you can't see them any more... Kids games anyway."

"Oh yes I understand. I think it's good looking at our little brothers when they amuse themselves in that way or in other ways..."

"I agree. I'm really fond of my friends' little brothers and I'm glad when I can see them... And I always feel such tenderness towards then that... you know... I like caressing kissing them..."

"Do you... kiss them?"

"Yes to show them my affection..."

"And... do you made them play hide-and-seek?"

"Yes I do. I like to have them amuse themselves and play."

"They should be very happy when they meet you..."

"Yes they really are. I always welcome them more then willingly when they come to visit me..."

"I can understand it. I too am really fond of Zoran and Idris little brothers and always welcome them very willingly..."

"You make them play?"

"Of course and I play with them..."

"Do they also play hide-and-seek... at your place?"

"Surely!"

"I'd like to see where you let them hide." Patrizio said to him.

"Well... I would like to show you but it is a secret that they don't let people see. Because you know they are quite jealous about their hiding place."

"I will tell nobody I swear." Patrizio readily answered starting to get aroused.

"But first... wouldn't you let me visit your caravans Patri?" Fadil asked.

"Sure my friend Come." The boy said leading the way.

He let him in and as soon as he closed the door he put a hand on his arse. Fadil turned with a smile and in his turn he put his hand on Patrizio's full fly.

"Where is the bed Patri?"

"Are you tired?" the boy asked in a jesting tone.

"Yes tired of playing with words. I want to have sex now. Sex with you."

"I too Fadil. Come..."

He led him to the wide bed that he unfolded. Fadil rapidly undressed and threw himself on the bed already totally aroused. Patrizio immediately followed him.

"You're beautiful really sexy!" Fadil said showing his perfect white teeth in a winning smile.

Patrizio touched the lean strong Romany's body and bent down to kiss it gently and quietly. For a while Fadil let him do that returning his caresses and fondling until tense and fully excited, he gave a long sigh.

"Do you want to take me Patri?"

"Yes please."

"But afterwards will you let me try to do it too?"

"Didn't you ever try it with Zoran and Idris?"

"Only with Idris a few times. Not often..."

"How do you like to be fucked?"

"In my arse of course..."

"Yes," Patrizio giggled "but in which position?"

"On all fours..."

"Is it the only way you know?"

"Well standing up too."

"And that's all?"

"Why are there other ways?"

"Yes certainly many others..."

"Then teach me one..." Fadil asked with a sly smile.

"Lie on your back... fold your legs against your chest and spread them as wide as you can... so... good..." Patrizio said helping him to spread them and pushing them down to each side of his chest.

He knelt in front of his arse and taking the jelly that was always at hand near each bed, he carefully lubricated Fadil's exposed arsehole which was already throbbing waiting for him. Then he sank his hard pole into that greedy hole and Fadil emitted a low groan of contentment as it went in.

"Is everything alright Fadil?" he asked when he was totally inside him.

"Oh yes! In this position it seems to go in more deeply..."

"Now I'll fuck you Fadil."

"Yes go on!" the young Gypsy encouraged him with a happy smile.

So Patrizio started a slow coming and going shaking his pelvis right and left at the same time to make Fadil feel his hardness. Fadil widened his eyes in a surprised expression but with a pleased smile.

"You're an artist Patri!"

"All we Rogasi are artists..." Patrizio murmured going on moving inside him.

Fadil was looking as if he were hypnotized at the boy tossing above him. Patrizio smiled at him and gradually increased his speed and the vigour of his thrusts.

"God it's so good being fucked like this Patri!"

"Afterwards you can do it to me alright?"

"Yeah..."

Patrizio increased the energy of his strokes and now the virile body of Fadil was twitching at each lunge. The boy was licking his lips and his hands went up to caress and tease Patrizio's body and his tense belly.

Patri accelerated his strokes and murmured "I'm going to fill you, Fadil!"

"God how beautiful and strong you are! You're a real bull!"

"I like you Fadil..."

"I like you too!"

"Now... Now... I'm... coming..." he moaned and unloaded inside Fadil with a final series of deep thrusts.

"How beautiful you are..." Fadil murmured feeling Patrizio empty inside him.

Patrizio remained well embedded inside him and caressed his chest.

Fadil asked him "Can I now take you?"

"Yes sure. But wait just a moment, let me catch my breath..."

"You are a hurricane. I really enjoyed the way you were banging me at the end."

"You mean that at the beginning you didn't?" Patrizio asked him, pulling his leg.

"Oh no at the beginning also it was delightful too. I enjoyed every single moment. I don't know if I will be so good..."

"Anyway I am longing to receive your nice little brother..."

"He too is eager to get to know you..."

"Well then" Patrizio said, finally slipping out from his companion "let me se what this urchin can do!" and he lay on the crumpled sheets offering himself to the other.

Fadil lubricated his tool then took position. He entered him moaning and trembling with pleasure so that Patrizio thought he was already near coming. But on the contrary Fadil when he was completely inside him stopped and gave a long trembling sigh. He seemed to take a breath and then suddenly started to fuck him with fast hammering strokes. Then he stopped and made his body rock with calm gentle movements filled with pleasure. He then started again to hammer inside Patrizio for a while and then calmed down again. He went on in this way for a long time and Patrizio was enjoying that original syncopated way to get fucked.

Then his strokes became deeper and Patrizio could feel it dance strong and hot inside him.

"What a delightful arse you have Patri..." Fadil panted hammering him vigorously.

"You too are a good and nice man Fadil, and you fuck nicely."

"Really? Do you really like it?"

"Yes Fadil. Go on... go on..." Patrizio spurred him. Making his sphincter twitch strongly to give his companion more pleasure.

After a last panting stop Fadil hurled himself into a frenzied rhythm until he started to shake and spasm while his seed was spurting abundantly and flew dense and viscous into the depths of his companion's palpitating channel.

Then Fadil suddenly let himself collapse on top of Patrizio who embraced him tightly and wrapped his legs round him and stroked his black unruly hair. Fadil's unshaven beard lightly brushed against his collarbone. He felt Fadil's heavy breathing slowly calm down.

"Good Lord Patri. That was just too good!" Fadil murmured.

"Better than with Idris and Zoran?"

"Oh yes way better. They only do it with me to relieve themselves. You did it because you like it. It's quite different... I can feel the difference..."

"But do you only like men?"

"Yes."

"Do they know that?"

"No, god forbid! With them I always have to talk about girls. They believe that for me it is just to let off steam until I can have a woman as it is for them..."

"But they fuck you and you don't fuck them..."

"Well, Zoran is older than me. Idris the same age and so... you know how it is..."

"But we Rogasi are all equals it is unimportant who is older or younger."

"And you all only like doing it with men?"

"Sure."

"It should be really heavenly then here at your place!"

"You could ask Zanko if you could join us..."

"What and leave my tribe?"

"Of course. One cannot belong to two different tribes at once? It's something like when someone marries out of their own tribe... or rather an even bigger change than that."

"Well... I ought to consider it. Do you think I would be accepted?"

"A handsome guy like you? And one who only loves men? I think there would be no hesitation. Anyway I would vote for you to join."

"You vote for admissions?"

"Yes sure."

"Let me have some time to think about it..."

"Alright. There is no hurry. We will stay here a bit longer."

"And... while you stay here can we do it again?"

"Sure. With me or if you like with my friends."

"Good heavens a tribe where sex is not a taboo! It seems a dream..."

"But on the contrary it's real."

"When I was born the spellbinder said I would walk on new roads... could she have meant this?"

"I think it's possible."

They dressed and went outside.

"I'm feeling dizzy because of the sex we had!" Fadil whispered smiling conspiratorially.

"Well then if you did it with all of us together you might finish by being unable to stand up!" Patrizio jested.

"All together? That would have to be fantastic..." Fadil murmured to himself.

The six companions were touring the surrounding villages and towns with their two cars to perform their show which was getting to be richer and more beautiful - with Gypsy music, Romany dances, sketches and gags, juggling and conjuring tricks and songs... They earned good money. Once they took Fadil with them and he enjoyed the show very much.

Fadil had sex with all of them one or two at a time and was spending more and more time with them but he had not yet said a word about Patrizio's proposal to join them.

One morning Fadil was helping Dule to polish some gold things he had made to sell to a Gadje who lived in a village called Vittoria.

He paused in his polishing and said "What would you say if I told you I had an urge to get into the other side of the caravan with you, Dule?"

"To have sex?" Dule asked and stopped polishing the gold armband he had made...

"Yes... I get aroused just looking at you or just being near you..."

"Well let's go then. I too am feeling something stirring..."

They put everything away and went in to where the bed was folded. They pulled it down and undressed each other. At once they started with long preliminaries as they had taught Fadil.

"I think I will ask Zanko to accept me as one of you... maybe." Fadil said when there was a quiet moment.

"What are you waiting for? You are one of us. What will you do if you stay with your people? You wouldn't get married would you?"

"If I stayed with them I would really have to do that. And if I stay with them I will miss you a lot; all of you."

"Well then where is the problem?"

"If you don't get to be recognized as a tribe I will be neither fish, nor flesh, nor fowl..."

"You could go back to your tribe in that case..."

"No. Once the bonds are broken... you know how it is. What will you do if you are not allowed to become a new tribe?"

"We are ready to take the risk. We will stay together anyway. And we will try to get approval again and again and again until we are accepted."

"Is it true that the spellbinder told Zanko he will become the chief of a tribe?"

"Yes that's what he says so it's true."

"Sure. But... I fear that a Holypi might be envious of the happiness I would have in joining you..."

"You've just not to eat beans or peanuts or such food. But what do you mean? Is there a Holypi in your group?"

"No at least not that I know..."

"Later if you want I'll give you some holly seeds for safety's sake... Moreover you can go to see a fortune teller to ask her to read your future so you can take a safe decision." Dule said.

"Ah the only future I care about at this very moment is what I'm going to do with you on this bed!" Fadil said cheering up again and bending down to suck Dule's cock.

Dule turned round under him to reciprocate. They were greedily sucking each other Dule lying underneath on his back and Fadil on top of him on all fours when Mateo and Tomaso entered. The two boys on the bed stopped what they were doing rather taken aback. But Mateo at once started to undress.

"Ah here you are! Not exactly polishing the gold! It seems to me that you are polishing something different... No, no! Go on. Because I just saw two nice little arses full of desire to admit a visitor... Don't you agree Tomaso?"

His friend who in his turn had also started to undress nodded and smiled "Which one will you visit Mateo?"

"I'll go to visit Fadil. Will you take care of Dule?" Mateo asked kneeling on the bed behind Fadil.

Tomaso standing at the bedside got close to Dule's arse. The two boys had merrily resumed their passionate sixty-nine, waiting with pleasure for the promised penetration and they didn't have to wait too long.

When finally Fadil left the caravan he was feeling light merry and sated. He went to his camp. Entered his family caravan to take a handful of wheat and a small gift and then went to look for the old fortune-teller. He found her sitting in front of her caravan.

"Mother I have a gift for you and a handful of wheat."

"Ah. Are you worried about something Fadil Hamidovich my son?"

"Yes. I have a serious matter to decide about. Can you see for me what my near future has in store for me?"

"Of course I can Fadil. Let me just get my tambourine."

The old woman went into her caravan and came back with her big tambourine the same that belonged to her grand-mother's grand-mother. She turned it upside down and started to moan a kind of litany barely shaking it. When the little cymbals ceased their jingling and the tambourine was vibrating imperceptibly "Now!" the old woman said and Fadil opened his hand and let the wheat grains fall on it. They hopped and formed a pattern. Then the old woman became still and slowly bending down put the tambourine on the ground. She looked carefully at the drawing formed by the wheat grains.

Then she said "Ah, Fadil Hamidowich my son! In a few days your road will part from ours! You will travel the roads of the world as a man! Ah... I'm seeing a weird thing..."

"A bad one mama? Is it bibatch?"

"No it's batch but I can't understand it..."

"Tell me..."

"I can't understand it. I can't understand it! I never saw anything like this before..."

"Tell me..."

"You will never have a woman and yet..."

"And yet?"

"And yet I clearly read here you will marry! And also have three sons! But you will never have a woman... Oh son how can this be?" the old woman peevishly complained.

Fadil at once thought of the Rogasi and burst out laughing feeling happy. He had had the response he was looking for and it was clearer than he had dared to hope.

The woman looked at him frowning "Don't make fun of an old woman! This is what is written here! And I am sure I am not wrong in how I read this pattern!" then she added angrily "Even though I can't imagine what such a response could mean!"

"I'm not making fun of you at all mama. And I really thank you as you gave me a clear answer to my worries."

"Clear?"

"Yes much clearer that you can imagine. Goodbye mama!" Fadil said and put his small gift on her lap then went away cheerfully whistling a tune.

Then he didn't doubt what he should do any more. He went straight back to his family's caravan and called and gathered his family.

"Listen all of you. I am now a man and have to decide my future."

"Well said my son!" his mother proudly said.

"The fortune teller told me that in a few days our roads will part."

"How's that possible?" his father asked frowning. "Surely you aren't going to marry a Rudari and join her tribe? Anyway there are no Rudari in this area at this time of year."

"No I will join the Rogasi group who are camping nearby and will travel the roads of the world with them. That is what the fortune teller foresaw and so that is what I will do."

His family tried to discuss his decision and to make him change his mind, but when Fadil took them to see the fortune teller and the old woman annoyed confirmed that it was exactly what she had seen in the wheat grains his family surrendered.

So Fadil gathered his few belongings and a few extra things that his mother decided to give him and went round all his friends and relatives to say goodbye to them and ate a last meal with his family. Then that night with his bundles and his violin went to the Rogasi fire.

"Chief Zanko I respectfully ask to be admitted to your group and to become a Rogasi."

"You know that we still are not a tribe don't you?" Zanko asked.

"Be that as it may. I want to travel the roads of the world with you."

"Well tonight you can sleep in front of the entrance. Tomorrow we will vote. And if you are accepted as soon as we are alone on a campsite we will carry out the admission rite. Now sit with us as anyway you are a welcome friend."

Fadil sat with them near the fire. He took out his violin and accompanied Zanko's music sang and danced with the others. They ate and drank all together. Then that night while the six Rogasi were going into their caravans to sleep on the two wide beds Fadil lay down on the entrance platform connecting the two caravans near his bundles. He was uncomfortable but was feeling happy.

During the night he heard the light sighs and moans coming from the two caravans at his left and right. He became aroused imaging the activities of his friends, and felt happy thinking that he would soon be one of them and that he would share one of the two wide beds with his friends... who would soon be his brothers.

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 8

In my home page I've put some more of my stories. If someone wants to read them, the URL is

http://andrejkoymasky.com

If you want to send me feed-back, or desire to help revising my English translations, so that I can put on-line more of my stories in English please e-mail at

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