THE SHOE KEEPER When a serious mix-up occurs, Tekley must put himself in someone else’s shoes. Tekley dashed into his house, dropping his schoolbooks on the table. He grabbed his lunch-two short sticks of sugar cane—before rushing out the door. He couldn’t be late. School fees were due in two days. Tekley had been carefully saving his tips for months, but he still needed four Birr-$3.50 in American money. His bore feet kicked up dust as he ran down the steep street into the town of Lalibela. He was proud to live here, high in the rugged mountains of Ethiopia. He knew it was an important place, because ferengi (tourists) came from all over to see the cathedrals. As he scurried down the path, Tekley could see the tops of four of the 11 cathedrals. The structures carved deep into the volcanic rock were the only ones like them in the world. SHOE SHINE Tekley raced across the bridge over the Jordon River, which flowed through the middle of town. He looked down on the enormous cross shaped roof of St. George Cathedral- his cathedral. Every day he worked as a shoe keeper at St. George. Although it wasn’t the biggest cathedral, it was by far the most beautiful. Tekley rushed down the narrow stairs that were carved into a wall of rust-colored stone facing the cathedral. He dashed around to the front door where he spotted Nahmen, the oldest shoe keeper. The white haired man sat in the sun on a stone ledge. “Mr. Nahmen,” Tekley greeted, “I thought I might be here first today.” “Ah, yes,” Nahmen smiled. “Well, it takes me awhile to get here, so I start early. These old eyes are growing dim; I have to feel my way with my stick. And the legs don’t move as fast as they used to.” Tekley felt sorry for the old man and wondered how much longer he would be a shoe keeper. Tekley knew Mr. Nahmen’s son had died, leaving four grandchildren to care for. The old man needed this job to provide for his family. Tekley peered inside the cathedral and breathed in the sweet aroma of burning incense. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw the priest standing tall behind the low altar, where several candles glowed in the darkness. A bright blue cape draped his long, white robe. A loosely wound white turban covered his head. In one hand he held a staff topped with a large bronze cross, and in the other he gripped a worn Bible. Tekley knew the book was copied by hand in the squiggle characters of the ancient Geez language. In the dim light, Tekley could make out huge columns and walls covered with brightly painted scenes from the Bible-including his favorite of Jesus talking with the children. He turned from the cathedral and joined Nahmen on the stone ledge. They watched as the first group of tourists slowly made their way down the narrow steps. Tekley smiled when he saw the large group. As the youngest shoe keeper, he would be last in line to keep a tourist’s shoes.鞋门将 当一个严重的混合行动发生时, Tekley必须把自己放在别人的鞋子。 Tekley冲入他的家,他的课本下降桌子上。他抓住他的午餐短短的两个枝甘蔗先冲出门口。他不能太晚。学费是由于在两天之内。在Tekley经过仔细救了他的秘诀个月,但他仍然需要4个比尔- 3.50美元,在美国的金钱。 他的脚踢承担了灰尘,他跑下陡峭的街道纳入城镇拉利贝拉。他感到自豪的是,住在这里,高山区,埃塞俄比亚。他知道这是一个重要的位置,因为ferengi (游客)来自各地看到的大教堂。 正如他匆匆的道路上,可以看到Tekley顶部的四个11大教堂。雕刻的结构深入火山岩是唯一希望他们在世界上。 擦鞋 在Tekley比赛桥梁的佐敦河,流经中部城市。他看不起的巨大交叉形屋顶的圣乔治教堂,他的大教堂。他每天都工作,一家鞋店在守门员的圣乔治。虽然这不是最大的大教堂,它是迄今最漂亮的。 Tekley赶到了狭窄的楼梯被刻在墙上的铁锈色的石头所面临的大教堂。他冲周围的前门,他发现Nahmen ,最古老的鞋门将。白头发的男子坐在太阳石知识。 “先生, Nahmen , “ Tekley打招呼, ”我想我可能是今天在这里第一次。 “ “啊,是的, ” Nahmen微微一笑。 “嗯,我需要一段时间来这里,所以我明年初开始。这些旧的眼睛越来越模糊,我觉得我同我的方式坚持。和腿不会移动的速度,他们用。 “ Tekley觉得对不起老人,并想知道多久,他将鞋门将。 Tekley知道Nahmen先生的儿子已经去世,留下四个孙子照顾。老人需要这份工作为他的家人。 在Tekley窥视的大教堂和呼吸的甘甜的芳香的香烛。当他的眼睛适应黑暗,他看到牧师矗立低背后的祭坛,在那里发光发热几个蜡烛在黑暗中。阿明亮的蓝色斗篷覆盖他的长期,白色长袍。松散白色头巾创面覆盖他的人头。一方面,他的工作人员举行了一次突破大跨铜牌,并在其他他陷入一破旧圣经。在Tekley知道书是抄袭的手在抽搐字符古代吉兹文的语言。 在昏暗的光线, Tekley可以了巨大的圆柱和墙壁覆盖着鲜艳描绘的情景,圣经,包括他最喜欢谈论的耶稣的孩子。 他转身从大教堂和加入Nahmen的石头边。他们看到的第一批游客缓慢的方式作出了狭隘的步骤。在Tekley微笑,他看到大集团。作为最年轻的鞋门将,他将去年在保持游客的鞋。