As a boy, Joseph was playing hide and go seek with his younger cousin, Theodetta. He hid in one of the many corridors of the palace inhabited by his uncle and aunt, the King and Queen of Rwanda. Joseph heard footsteps of his little cousin as she searched for him. He heard her voice echoing through the hallways, as she called out for him. He said nothing, but he ran through the seemingly endless corridors of the palace. He then suddenly bumped into the legs of an extremely tall man, the king of Rwanda. The king was called Mwami. He wore an elaborate headdress, and draped over his elegant French suit, was a toga-like, white cloth.  In his hand was a golden scepter that reached the floor.  Joseph was terrified.  Would he be beaten, or thrown out of the palace?  He looked up at the Mwami, and the Mwami’s face was serious.  Joseph kneeled and bowed down in front of the Mwami.  He looked at the shiny black European shoes of the king.  Then Joseph dared to look up again.  To his surprise, he saw that the Mwami was smiling at him.

Copyright © 2007 by Ms.Angeline Bandon-Bibum