Griots are semi-sacred singers of a special form of oral history that is handed down through the centuries in their music. The following is the most famous of the epic songs of the Kingdom of Biffeche. Along with a wealth of history it also relates the origins of the Biffeche war cry "walk backwards Barak Waalo!"
In the garden, Adam had no troubles.
Every day was the same, with no troubles.
Adam had a wife named Hauwa [Eve].
Their bodies were naked and beautiful.
There was also a snake with great powers.
That snake was immortal and it still lives today.
The snake lives in Africa. It has many names.
The Sérér know about the snake.
Everyone knows that the snake told the secrets to Hauwa [Eve].
Then Hauwa told the secrets to Adam.
Then Allah Al Alim [the All-Knowing] said Get out.
And Adam and Hauwa left the garden, and the snake left the garden too.
The snake, he lost his legs.
But they are still inside him, as little bones.
As Adam and Hauwa left the garden, they whispered to the snake:
Thank you. The road ahead is interesting.
The snake said Kopé Tiatie Cac will hear you.
Because the snake was older than Adam and Hauwa [Eve].
Let us go to Biffeche. It is almost as good.
All the descendants of Adam and Hauwa want a place like the garden.
They like rivers with fish, hills of sand, palm trees and gui.
They like green fields between rivers, just like the garden.
They like wise bours [kings] and happy people.
They all want to live in Biffeche.
They want to have no troubles.
They want djam.
Later, when No [Noah] got drunk, he cursed his son Aam.
But all of No's three sons were good.
Aam was good, Sem was good, and Ibn No was good.
So No's curse was foolish.
Drunk people do foolish things.
No lived 950 years and saved us all from the flood.
People who do foolish things may also do wise things.
Aam was black. Ibn No [Japheth] was toubab. Sem was brown.
They are all the same family.
We do not know the color of No and his wives.
They all liked to sing and dance.
Aam had the best legs and was the best dancer.
Ibn No had the best hair. Ibn No's hair looked like gold.
Sem had the best eyes.
All three races are beloved of Allah Tabaraka [the Most High].
Then later came Misrae who was the uncle of the Fula
and all the Sérér and the Waalo-Waalo and the Tukolor.
His sister was also their ancestor, by a different line.
Another line came from Jordan, the place of black people.
They crossed the Nile River, and came into our country.
The Naar in Biffeche are descended from Sem and Misrae.
The American kings are descended from Ibn No and Faridarish,
and Bour Charlemagne too.
Toubabs sent by Allah to us, their cousins in Africa.
They come from the city of Saint-Louis in America.
They do not come from the city of Saint-Louis here called Ndar.
The Halpulaar love their cousins the Serer
The Serer used to be masters of Biffeche many centuries ago.
Then people of the North drove them away, like an evil wind.
Then the Serer made many great kingdoms in the South.
including Sine, Keguem, Baol and Saloum.
And the Ndut were wise and powerful, with the bravest warriors.
In 1960 the Serer returned to Biffeche from the south, like a good wind.
But I will mention that later.
The snake followed the Serer and appeared in many places.
The Waalo-Waalo live around Biffeche, of course.
There are not many Lamtoro here, a few Naar, and only one Italien [Italian].
Al Akbar [the powerful one] can send us kings from different groups and families.
Peulh, Sérér, Bagana, Toubab American, Bampoleur,
or from the rich land far east of Fouta Djallon,
where the sweet water comes from.
But we never had a bour italien [Italian king] of Biffeche.
No, never even in the infinite memory of Allah.
At night some hyenas came into the village of Nguyanguet to do harm.
There was a bad noise that everyone heard.
A Fula from Maka dropped her baby in the wet sand by the river.
She did not mean to do it. The hyenas were running behind her.
After the noise stopped, people listened, but it was quiet the rest of the night.
Except for the cries of the sad mother.
In the morning the people went out to look.
The hyenas were all dead, torn in many pieces.
The people looked for the baby's dead body.
But the baby was alive nearby and sleeping in the wet sand.
Beside the baby there was a paw print in the wet sand.
It was not a hyena's print. The paw print was big. It was the paw print of a leopard.
The mother was full of joy and took her baby away.
She took the baby back to Maka.
You know that
a Fula loves her children more than jewels and gold.
The people of Nguyanguet looked at the paw print all day.
Later in Gambar the people heard of this and they were afraid.
At night they saw a Great White Leopard walking silently in the open land.
It rarely makes a noise. It never harms the Biffeche-Biffeche.
The same thing happened in many villages.
The Great White Leopard had surely protected that baby from hyenas.
Biffeche had many different rulers.
From many different dynasties, families and lamanes.
But all of them got no trouble from the leopard.
Only djam. Only djam.
The leopard might come in daytime and the leopard might come at night.
Or he might not come at all.
He is so powerful, he comes whenever he wants.
Those who cause trouble at night, be careful.
The leopard may cross the water
Surrounding the Isle de N’Tiens.
The well of our history has no bottom.
You can always reach deeper and find great things.
The river of the long history of Biffeche has no source.
Not even Fouta Djallon! ---- I'm only joking.
Long ago, every king of Biffeche had a king before him.
And that king had a king before him. And again and again.
Always. This is the true meaning of infinitude. [francais]
But we also had a few queens, and times of hidden kings.
The water of River Sénégal is really the same water as the River Nile
and the River Missouri too.
All water in the world eventually flows through Biffeche.
A Biffeche-Biffeche girl was bathing alone in the marigot.
She was already very clean.
The sun was setting and the dark was coming.
Then she stood in the wet sand and rubbed oil all over her body.
The Biffeche-Biffeche are as beautiful as Hauwa [Eve].
A crazy man was hiding in the water watching her.
You know who he was.
He was Njaajaan the Waalo-Waalo who was crazy in the river.
Grandson of Umar.
Someday he would be king of all Jolof
when it still included Waalo.
He started to approach her, and she said Stop, and go away!
But she continued to rub the oil on her body.
You know that
a Tukolor or a Waalo-Waalo is very proud.
You know that
a Biffeche-Biffeche is very beautiful.
And a Tukolor or a Waalo-Waalo loves beauty.
As he rose from the water she could see him.
She could see that he admired her.
But she continued to rub the oil.
You know that
a Biffeche-Biffeche likes to be admired.
But then she said, Stop. You are too hairy.
You have hair all over you except for your eyes and your palms.
You know that
a Tukolor or a Waalo-Waalo is hot-tempered.
When Njaajaan heard these words
He got in a terrible rage.
He disliked his hairiness and was ashamed.
He grabbed some stones.
He grabbed some sticks.
He grabbed some fish from the water. Allah gave him the power to do that.
He started to throw them at her.
This girl, she had no hair on her body except on her head.
Who are you, you oily girl? he demanded.
We in Biffeche do not talk to crazy hairy fools
who live with the bottom-fish.
Then he ran toward her in the sand.
We don't know what was in his heart, but we can guess.
She stood motionless and tall, dripping oil on the sand.
Suddenly, just as his right hand reached for her, the Great White Leopard was silently there between them.
Njaajaan stopped in total fear and amazement.
The leopard looked at Njaajaan for a long time.
The leopard was silent, but Njaajaan heard these words inside his head:
She is not yours. Your true name is Aydara.
Njaajaan walked backwards toward the marigot, taking backward steps.
The girl handed him the oil and said Use it yourself, Aydara.
Secretly, Aydara was his true name indeed.
He walked using backward steps until he was in the water.
The leopard did not move.
Njaajaan Njaay returned to the deep water.
He was a good swimmer, and would not drown.
As Njaajaan watched them, the girl and the leopard walked away into the brousse.
After that time, Njaajaan knew as king of Waalo that Biffeche could not be his.
For centuries later, the rulers of Biffeche could say:
Walk backwards, Barak Waalo.
until there were no more bours [kings] in Waalo.
Allah Al-Qayyuum [the Caretaker/Guide] decreed
Biffeche shall have bours [kings] until the end of time.
Yes, that is such a long time.
Yes, that is so many bours!
Biffeche is beloved of Allah Tabaraka. [the most high]
Four families ruled in Waalo.
The Djeuss family, the Tedyek, the Logar and the Bethio.
The first three ruled over northwestern Waalo.
They started with Njaajaan, grandson of Umar.
But the fourth family ruled Bethio, and the Poum part of Biffeche.
We honour the Djeuss family in Biffeche, who were originally Sérér.
We call our central river, at our capital, Mboubène
Marigot de Djeuss to honour this family.
We always honour the Prince Bethio from Ross-Bethio.
The French built the city of Ndar. But they call it Saint-Louis.
Gouverneur Faidherbe said he himself was king of Waalo.
But he was no true king. His kings were in France.
Gouverneur Faidherbe was really only king of guns.
Walk backwards, Barak Waalo.
The ruler Maysamaramu had a great horse.
He rode all around on his horse.
But for a king, Maysamaramu said a camel is best.
In Biffeche the camels carry the kings.
We used to get the royal camels from the Tukolor.
Our new king from America should ride the camel.
Why has King Ronald not ridden a camel?
King Ronald sometimes rides an elephant in America.
Are the Tukolors' camels not big enough for Ronald?
Are the Tukolors' camels not big enough for our king?
The Tukolor brought Holy Quran to the valley.
There were umma in Biffeche before the Kingdom of Waalo.
Now we have great scholars here, and a school at our capital.
In those days there were the old spirits.
Pangool was understood by the people.
In fact, it is still understood by some people today.
We did things here that are not done in other places.
Strange people would not understand.
But our policy does not violate Sura 4. [of Holy Quran]
The Ceernos and Imams of Biffeche are holy.
They know some things that other people do not know.
There were no Christians in Biffeche then.
Except maybe emissaries from the east.
No Talib, no Xaadir, no Tidjan, no Mouride.
These came later to Sénégambia.
There were years of sorrow, when our villages were raided.
Our houses burned, and our people were taken as slaves.
All the trouble came from the North.
From Ganaar of course.
We did not join the Jogomay.
We did not kiss the feet of the Barak Waalo.
We did not accept the mulk [Arabic for sovereignty] of Waalo or of France.
It is written, almighty Allah is the Maliku Mulk [Arabic for Sovereign of Sovereignty].
We in Biffeche have no need for the sword.
We're protected by the Lord.
Our king has no master
Except for Allah Tabaraka. [the Most High].
Allah made him be our king.
For a while [a period of time], our kings lived at Maka.
When they were called Barak Biffeche.
Maka was our capital, then.
But now it has fallen away.
And Mboubne is our capital, now.
They think only of the barriage [French for dam] at Maka.
In Biffeche we wear the cap of blue and white.
Blue and white makes us love our kings.
And the caps keep our heads warm.
When our old men sit and talk
They wear the caps of Biffeche in Blue and White
And get the wisdom of Bour [King] Edward,
And all the wise bours [kings] before him.
Baron Roger and his servant Richard came to our land.
He came from France and he was our good friend.
His great palace is still at Richard-Toll.
We honor the name of Roger, who made a great palace.
We honor the name of Richard, who made a beautiful garden.
They wanted to make the Sénégall Valley a paradise.
But then they went back to France.
Later the French let the garden and the palace be ruined.
The French and the Sénégalese let goats eat in the garden.
We do not know know why.
In Dakar they do not honor Baron Roger as we do.
Our king has gone to Richard-Toll.
King Ronald went inside Rogers palace.
Goats are eating Richards garden today.
But the Sénégal Valley will become a paradise.
In Biffeche, at least.
Gouverneur Faidherbe did three good things.
First he stopped Brakna and Trarza from burning our houses and taking us as slaves.
The Barak and the Damel did not protect us.
They did not love us enough for that.
The second thing he did was to learn our languages and teach us French..
Our educated people love the French tongue.
The third thing he did was to put the bridge at Ndar.
This makes it faster for us to visit Ndar.
He found the bridge in Allemagne [Germany].
But he was no true king.
You know that
A Frenchman always says he knows the best way.
And sometimes he does know it.
The Prince Bethio moved from Poum to Ndombo.
His old siege of Poum re-joined Biffeche.
Bethio is truly our brother.
Prince Bethio did not accept the Barak Waalo as his king.
The Prince Bethio was sovereign.
But he let Faidherbe and France control things.
And sometimes Prince Bethio helped the Barak Waalo.
But Maalixuri was the greatest Prince Bethio.
He told the Barak Waalo to jump into the water.
Later, Prince Bethio moved to Ross.
So now we call it Ross-Bethio.
Where is he today?
If he comes to Biffeche we will honor him.
Another bour [king] lives today near Louga in Sénégal
At the town of Daara Jolof.
Dakar will not honor Bour Jolof properly.
Sénégal does not remember who was great in Jolof.
This is a shame on the modern officials.
If he comes to Biffeche, we will honor him as our King’s brother.
But we will not obey him as a son obeys a father.
We have our own father.
Far away in Mont-Roland were many villages of the Ndut.
The Ndut are Sérér with special powers.
They are Christian but they have Pangool too.
They went there from Biffeche centuries ago,
To live by lake Tanma.
They left behind their favorite cousins, the Fula.
to remain in Biffeche with the Waalo-Waalo and the Tukolor.
The Ndut had the greatest heroes,
but they had no king outside Biffeche at that time.
The greatest hero of all was Njawoor Ciss.
He died and was buried but he came back to intervene.
Grandfather Njawoor climbs right out of his tomb if he is dissatisfied.
Grandfather Njawoor will scold the Serer-Ndut people if they do wrong.
That is why they do things right.
Many fondateurs [French for founders] of Biffeche,
Are of the family of Ciss.
Senghor went to France and they respected him.
Not a scholar of the Quran, but a general scholar.
He tasted dark wine and then white wine.
He is a Sine-Sine who wrote about his language.
Then he made Sénégal independent.
He made Mauritanie independent too, but they do not say it.
He is a friend of Christian Sérér in Mont-Roland.
In 1960 Senghor and the priests sent the Sérér back to Biffeche
After many centuries in the South,
To start farming there again with their good cousins.
They went to found Biffeche-Ville.
Today we call it Mboubène.
And today we call them les Fondateurs.
But the water at Biffeche-Ville was salty.
You want to spit it out.
The soil got bad, and salt was on the ground.
The Sérér were promised a tractor.
How many promises are kept in Africa?
This has been our shame.
Life was hard in Biffeche-Ville for the Sérér
They did not have the customs of the Fula.
They did not have the animals of the Fula.
They could not speak Pulaar.
And they could not find their new bour [king].
Allah Al Qayyuum [the Caretaker/Guide] decreed
Biffeche shall have bours [kings] until the end of time.
Guné Ko Ka Weex Tené was not in Biffeche.
We do not know about him.
In Saint-Louis, America,
Some people heard that the Biffeche-Biffeche might starve.
They were kind to us and sent zakat.
The Sérér were Christians at Biffeche-Ville.
They were missing the King’s wisdom in their time of need.
They asked Who in Biffeche should be our King now?
The priest said Who has helped you most? Make him King.
But could we ask him to be King?
You can ask Allah to make him King.
The person who had helped us most was not Sérér
He was not Fula or Waalo-Waalo or Tukolor or Naar.
He was not a Senegalese or Mauretanian.
He was not even French.
He was the American Edward Schafer who ruled the committee.
The committee that helped the Biffeche-Biffeche.
The committee that sent us money when we were poor.
The committee that saved us from starvation and disaster.
Do you know who told Edward about Biffeche?
It was the Naar woman of America, Henriette Bulus.
You know that
The Naar can make successful arrangements.
Twelve men of Biffeche-Ville, the twelve founders of Biffeche-Ville,
Talked of many things in their highest council.
Almighty Allah, Allah Al Dhal-Jalali Wal Ikram [Lord of Majesty Glory and Honor], put the decision in them:
Edward shall be our King.
They performed the old rituals of Biffeche.
They gathered the seeds and said the words, using the powers of the Ndut.
The Ndut women bathed in the marigot and were clean.
They got the sacred skins and the royal seeds.
They sent the message to Edward in America, and made him King.
Edward was far from Biffeche, but he could be King.
In America, Father Timothy the royal priest, an anglais en amerique [Englishman in America], put the blessing of Allah on Bour Edward le premier [the first].
Bour Edward loved his kingdom, but Allah never sent him here.
Edward sent money and advice on our crops that we were growing.
He represented Biffeche in America, and to the whole world.
He was known in America as the wise king of Biffeche.
The Arqueveque Cardinale [Cardinal-Archbishop] called him
King, by the grace of God. [English]
which means Bour, grace a Dieu [French] in that country.
Edward owned a television station, and had a radio show.
Cousin of toubab kings and queens,
descended from emperors in Allemagne and Autriche [Germany and Austria].
We had an important land, with a great king in America.
Some Mauritanians said we were poor, but did they have such a King?
Some Sénugals said we were poor, but did they have such a King?
Walk backwards, Barak Waalo.
We loved our Edward, even though
it was not Allah's will to send him to live in our keurs [compounds].
Musulman and Christian honor him, though he was only a Christian.
Today, we all honor his royal tomb at Savoigne.
Coloured blue and white.
King Edward never saw the gui,
King Edward never saw the rivers,
King Edward never saw the hills or the beauty of our land.
We told him only in letters. He was King by mail, just as Allah wanted it to be.
Edward never could rest with us and play with our babies.
Sadly, he had no children to be our future Princes.
If Edward had come to Biffeche, he would have had a herd of children.
You know that,
The Biffeche-Biffeche are beautiful.
Some important people became nobles of our land.
We honored them and King Edward rewarded them.
Our king rewards those who do good things.
He made nobles here, including Baron Faye, as Allah wanted.
And Edward's mother; we never forget Princess Joan.
We call one toundou: Joania.
Someday nobles will build great villas here.
We shall be called the STUPOR MUNDI [latin for amazement of the world],
better than all Africa.
And do not forget that
All descendants of Adam and Hauwa [Eve] want a place like Biffeche.
Far away in the city of Saint-Louis, America,
every year, the royal court of Biffeche met in splendor.
Great knights, big men, and rich men, kneeled before our king.
Great ladies dressed in finest robes kneeled before our king.
They met to honor, guide and help us.
They made Biffeche famous in America.
And we deserved this fame.
All the 35 years that our Edward was away,
We waited for him, but he could never come.
We had help from him,
and from the other city we love.
La Ferté- Macé the glory of Normandie.
The jewel of France and conqueror of Angleterre [England].
They named a mighty boulevard: Rue de Savoigne-Biffeche.
Where cars drive every day.
So we are well-known to the French people of Normandie.
King Edward arranged for us, his people
to build a big long ditch
to clear the salt from the fields in the rains.
But then the Sérér people moved to Savoigne
near a high point of Biffeche, on old Toundou Mpolo.
and Fula lived in houses at Biffeche-Ville.
Every year we make Mboubène better.
We built a fine mosque at Savoigne,
the town most favored by Allah.
With King Edward’s consent,
The French paid the Sénégalese to build a longer dike,
near the Kingdom's northern border along the river.
It is a giant work of many strong men.
In 1989, there were times of sorrow for Mauritanie and Sénégal.
Men forgot they were brothers, and did wrong things.
The trouble started about a camel on an island in the river.
But this was not in Biffeche.
One day in 1998,
the Biffeche-Biffeche returned from their fields.
as they always do.
There was a toubab standing there.
A big man, with a staff of helpers.
and with his handsome son.
Not many toubabs visit Savoigne or Mboubène or Mberaye or Gambar.
“Welcome, stranger, but who are you?” we asked.
The big man spoke:
“We are the King.”
We said “But Edward is our King.”
Edward dying had made this toubab Ronald the new King.
Edward had prayed to Al’lah who had given him no children.
And Al Hakim [the All Wise] told him to raise Ronald to Kingship.
So he would have a good successor who would love us and help us.
Our hearts filled with joy and sorrow.
Sorrow to hear of our Edward dying,
but true joy to have our King come home at last.
After so many years that we waited.
We thanked Al’lah Al Mujib [Answerer of Prayers] for our King coming home.
We gave the new King a feast.
Our elder fanned him with a fan made of reeds.
Then he asked us about our needs.
You know that,
The Americans are a generous people.
But few of them can be Kings.
In two days, he did what others could not do in years.
He brought electricity to Savoigne.
He swept away the debts of the Musulmans.
And helped repair the salty fields at Mboubène.
We offered him a royal chair
That was a work of art, unlike any other chair.
When we played our drums,
The King danced with us.
Then father King and son Christopher went away to Espagne [Spain].
Now I will stop and tell you about our King.
King Ronald is a big man -- big in every way.
His houses in Africa and America and Europe are many.
His castle in Écosse [Scotland] called “Ascog” has many cattle.
They have giant horns and long golden hair that sweeps the ground.
His castle in Allemagne [Germany] has many fertile fields,
like our best fields here in Biffeche.
His genealogy goes back many centuries to nobles.
The Reisinger and Busch and Bernadotte and Pearson.
I cannot describe his great ancestors.
I would sing for days just to name them all.
When the King walks, the sand around us shakes.
His family owns Budweiser, the world’s largest beer company.
ten thousand times bigger than Gazelle.
He supports two wives in splendor, in England and America.
His son is Christopher, our handsome Crown Prince,
Who came with him that day to Biffeche. And King Ronald has made many other little princes and princesses.
He loves the Musulmans as much as the Christians.
He rests his right hand in all our hands with love.
Every child is his friend, Fula, Waalo-Waalo, Séreer and Naar.
He is blessed by Al’lah Al Muqtadir [the Governor of Power].
He visits every country when he travels,
in Europe, Asia, America, Australia and Africa.
But Biffeche is always his favorite.
He made a pilgrimage to bathe in the sacred River Jordan,
Jordan is the land of black people.
He dines with presidents and princes and generals.
He knows big ones in Mauritanie and Sénégal.
But he does not speak Arabic or Pulaar or Wolof or Francais.
So the King of Biffeche brings a translator with him.
In Écosse [Scotland] he is Baron of Inneryne, in Ghana he is King of Axim.
In Biffeche he once had the highest noble rank under King Edward.
For Ronald was in those days Duke of Orlamande of Biffeche,
Before “sa grâce” [his grace] sat upon our throne as "Sa majesté" (His Majesty).
Surely, the Great White Leopard,
has a great white paw.
Our King’s father was Walter Chalmers Reisinger,
who controlled many television businessmen in America,
they who are like griots there who help others to sell things.
Walter was Baron of Inneryne in Écosse [Scotland], and his father
was Walter Busch Reisinger. The Busch’s make the beer.
They lived in Saint-Louis in America, as I told you before.
Not in Saint-Louis called Ndar. Just like our King Edward.
Their castle called Ascog in Écosse [Scotland] is right by the sea.
They own an island in the sea called “Eileann Na Beaith”.
A thousand years ago they were attacked by warriors who came in ships.
Fierce infidels with horns on their helmets and smelly clothes.
The leader desired the beautiful daughter of the Chef.
He held a sword to the neck of the Chef of Inneryne.
But the Chef of Inneryne said “No!
Only a believer can enter my daughter’s bed.”
The warrior saw her lovely face,
and he fell down on his knees and accepted Al’lah.
and he married the Chef’s daughter,
and he became the new Baron of Inneryne.
His descendant, who became Baron, made a small crown out of gold.
It was not much gold, and it was a very plain little crown, at first.
But each new Baron, son of the one before, added gold to the crown, and it got bigger.
One later Baron added silver.
One later Baron added jewels.
One later Baron added pearls.
The crown kept getting bigger, and more glorious in each generation.
After 100 years the crown brought fame and honor onto the people of Inneryne.
The King of Écosse [Scotland] heard about it too many times and he got jealous.
(This was before Ronald’s family became Kings of Biffeche.
They were only Barons in Écosse then, and a Baron must obey a King.)
The King of Écosse [Scotland] said “Only a King can wear a crown”
He said “A Baron can wear only a cap, but not a crown.”
You know that a King écossais [Scottish King] is sovereign and hates to see anyone above him.
So the Baron of Inneryne put a piece of cloth on his crown.
And he said “Now it is not a crown but it is a cap!”
And still it was rich and glorious.
And still it brought honor and fame to Inneryne.
All around the world.
They laughed and called it “The Cap of Inneryne”.
Can you guess the colors of the cloth?
It was blue and white, the same as the caps we wear in Biffeche
The same colors as the “écu” in the “armes” [shield in the arms] of Inneryne.
The same colors as the flag of the Kingdom of Biffeche.
You know that Fame and riches are not always good.
They may bring the evil eye and envy of other men and women.
We know about that very well in Biffeche.
Some warriors heard about that cap of Inneryne,
And they formed an army to steal the glorious cap.
So they attacked Inneryne intending to kill all the people and take the cap.
When the army came to the walls of Ascog castle,
the people of Inneryne were assembled inside.
Then the Baron of Inneryne stood on the highest tower of the castle
And held up high the golden cap.
The gold and jewels sparkled in the sunlight, like flashes of lightning.
All the men in the army saw the cap before they would attack.
The Baron shouted loudly: “Watch what I do.”
Then he threw the cap from the castle into the sea.
The army saw this, so then the army went away.
They saw it splash and sink to the bottom of the sea.
The army had no more reason for war, and they left disappointed.
So the Baron lost his glorious cap to save all of his people.
Each time a Baron of Inneryne dies,
a new Baron comes to Ascog castle.
And then, early in the morning, when the mist is on the water,
a woman rises from under the water, holding up the golden cap in her hand.
Of course the cloth is wet, but the gold still shines and the jewels still sparkle.
She is really the dead queen of Écosse [Scotland].
Each time, she hands the cap of Inneryne to the new Baron.
who always throws it back into the sea again.
But a bad Baron once plucked some jewels from the cap,
before he threw it back into the sea.
In Biffeche we are blessed by Al’lah Al Razzaq [the Provider].
We have an airport near us at Dakar-Bongo, Sénégal,
And a great Université there too; Gaston-Berger is the name.
And a great barriage [dam] was built near our old siege of Maka.
It reaches Mauritanie where we get our dates [the fruit].
Whatever is not in Biffeche, is very near to us.
Mbarou Bof is a lost child today.
But its brothers and sisters should return it to the father.
Come, Mboubène, come, Savoigne, come, Mberaye, take care of Mbarou Bof!
Bring the King to drink tea three times at Mbarou Bof!
King Ronald returned from America.
He brought us a giant rice-milling machine.
And he also brought the royal ashes of our dead King Edward.
Truly home at last.
At Savoigne we built a great tomb for the ashes of our beloved King.
With tiles made by grandmother Maryama and her daughter Fibi.
Now, speaking of the toubabs,
There is a priest at Savoigne, the italian Zanaboni,
who did many good things, and helped us dig a well,
but he is jealous of our King.
When the royal funeral time came,
Zanaboni stayed alone in his house,
seething with rage and jealousy,
and trying to cause trouble on his radiotelephone.
You know that, the Italians are a hot-tempered people.
Zanaboni would like to rule the Christians and the Musulmans too.
But he is not our King
He is not even Chef de Village.
The funeral for King Edward was beautiful and full of honor.
High Sénugals and Mauritaniens, and French came to visit,
with guards and soldiers and gendarmes.
And Chefs des Villages from all around.
The tomb was blessed with the waters of the sacred river Jordan,
revered by Musulman and Christian the same.
Our people originally came from Jordan, except our toubab King.
(Remember that Jordan was the place of black people.)
So King Edward’s body joined the bodies of his people.
And they are buried together in Biffeche today.
Then the time of honours came.
The King put his royal hand in our hands.
First, the twelve ancients who founded old Biffeche-Ville
got medals for their years of service.
Then old Baronet Faye was elevated to become Baron Faye of Savoigne.
Then Chef Seydou Dia became a chevalier.
Then Chef Malik Sow became another chevalier.
Both in the Order of the Crescent.
The Musulmans gave a feast.
The Christians killed a bull.
Two new mothers named their new babies “Ronald”.
The Naar of Biffeche offered a palace to the King.
And happiness and djam came to Biffeche.
We work hard and intelligently in the fields.
We work hard and lovingly with our animals.
We make new kinds of art, and beautiful monuments.
We have big fun at parties and feasts.
But we will still improve our cooking.
Our chiefs and Kings are the wisest.
Boys and girls here find love and marriage.
Our villages get richer every year, sparkling now with electricity from our King.
We live in piety and praise Al’lah Tabaraka [the Most High].
With our work, Yalla’s love, and royal wisdom,
Biffeche will be the greatest place on Earth.
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