How disappointing ! Nothing happened at all ! Did he charge them for what he did, for the paint ?

I think it is a very flat story.....disappointing, from a great writer.

Hi Peter

Hahahaha - good one :)

So we live in the same place... but actually where I live there are also scholars, psychologists and an awful lot of religious leaders selling yellow paint - in tones!

Cheers - Chris

Dear Reader,

I like the way the writer tells the story and I think we can have different views about it depending on how much we know about the world of charlatans. In my country traditional practices have got historic and popular strength, where in the past family and almost all "heroes" were somehow considered to have "unnatural" power because they were treated by " physicians" so that they would win all battles. It´s possible to hear "such and such" had the strenght of elephant, crocodile... and had more courage than others. We can not hide some role traditional practices have had good impact, for example, the use of herbs for medical treatment. If someone is sick and tried conventional medicine cure and failed, it is normal to leave the hospital and seek for traditional healers. This is one side.

The other side makes to role of traditional healers confusing, criminals, burglars, and some in the business are said to look for traditional healers for sucess in their work. You can hear people talking about a criminal who has always escaped punishment, kill police staff, break out from prisons and is feared by all who know him, in this case people will tell you that he has got a mighty traditional protector. They have the "yellow paint" on from the physician

Another funny thing I´ve noticed about it is that in the past one couldn´t get this services in cities, one needed to go to the coutryside and there were famous places for such, but today these practices have moved to cities. when you´re driving in Maputo there will come someone with a flyers about "healers": They claim to be able to "bring luck to your life, make your marriage/work successful, give you luck to find a job, even other changes in the sex..." I have noticed some similar features in the account I make and the story we´ve read here: We know and are told that once you seek for a healers advice you will always return to him/her and seek for adviceagain and again. One´ll be driven by the healer for the rest of your life and that´s what actually happens with the young man in the story we´ve read.

Thanks a lot

Tanguene

Hi Maria & All

Interesting comment when you say, They never assume their wrong deeds. Rather they present excuses or false arguments.

To me, it sounds very much like the politicians Peter mentioned!

Cheers - Chris

Hi Chris & All Readers,

It seems to me that this full metaphorical speech is a rich prompt to help develop thinking/critical skills in the classroom. 

Another point which has grasped my attention is that the span of time is carefully structured in a crescendo related to the young man's ongoing quest... as for "What is the meaning of this?" From a "tomorrow", stepping into "two months afterwards",then "three years later", and "six weeks later"...

In my modest opinion, irony is also set to "paint" this interesting story. Just these examples:"Cheer up, my young friend, your paint is as good as new."; "Good God!" cried the young man, "and what then can be the use of it?"; "... it is not against life; in short, it is against death that I have fitted you out. And when you come to die, you will give me news of my paint."

Thanks for your attention.

Cheers, 

Maria