Story for a black night

by Clayton Bess

One dark night, an African father tells the story of another black night long ago when he, Momo, was a small boy--when he lay awake in his house in the bush, with his mother and grandmother and baby sister--when there came a knock on the door and evil crashed into his world. He tells of his strong, loving, gentle-hearted mother and her suffering to the very edge of death. And he tells of the old giant cottonwood tree that stood as a life spirit to them all. It is a story of beauty and tragedy, of a family confronting danger and dilemma, of a people enduring disorder and change. Its drama will hold the reader spellbound to the end.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Africa

86 pages, Unknown Binding

First published April 1, 1982

About the author

Clayton Bess, the author of several books for young readers, has lived for extended periods on both coasts of the United States, in Africa, and in Latin America. Much of his writing comes out of the period he lived and traveled in Africa, where he worked as a Peace Corps volunteer teacher in Liberia. His travels and experiences, the stories he gathered, and the people he came to know all give his work authenticity and true flavor.

Reviews

[Edgar Feerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relato oscuro, negro en toda la extensión de la palabra, acerca de la muerte, la enfermedad y los cambios dados con el paso del tiempo. Editado en una colección para niños, es un escrito que se sale de lo cotidiano para llevar al lector a un sentido más profundo acerca de la vida. Desde las primeras líneas el texto selecciona a sus lectores, que deben ser lo suficientemente determinados y valientes, y los lleva por un camino de miedo palpable como lo es enfermar de viruela, al punto de encontrarse demasiado cerca de la muerte; pero no por ello sus descripciones carecen de profunda belleza. La atmósfera es tremendamente oscura y sin embargo, hay una luz muy tenue que guía el relato y es la que nos transporta desde el inicio hasta el final, haciendo atisbos en distintos puntos de su línea del tiempo. Relato inteligente, bello y de profundo valor humano.

[Summer Wu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story for a black night is a autobiography.In my opinion,the theme of the story is “The moral choice that must be made in living”.In the article,a baby with smallpox is abandoned in the main character’s house.Finally,his mom chose to keep the baby and save the baby,even though the grandma disagrees.
At the beginning of the story,this they live between the bush and river,they worry about animals would attack them every night.One day night,two strangers brought a baby to their house and asked for spending a night in their house.Finally,they agreed.In the morning of second day,everybody woke up and the baby is abandoned by those two strangers.After that,they found out that the baby has smallpox.The old ma realized that it’s a infectious disease,it will put everyone from her family into dangerous because of the smallpox.Then,the old ma asked ma to abandon the baby in the bush to feed leopards or throw into the river.However,because of mercy,ma kept them finally.With time goes by,everyone from family got pox except old ma,they were all infected by the stranger’s kid.Even though main character’s sister was died from it.People keep away from them.After days,they get rid of it，a truth surfaced……..
Hawash:The main character’s mom.She is a caring and nice woman.First thing,when the two strangers knocked at the door and ask for help,but the old ma told them not to. “it’s dark outside and they would in dangerous if leopards find them,just one night would be fine.” Hawash said to old ma.Finally,Hawash chose to help them because of mercy.Second thing,when the stranger left the kid with smallpox in their house.Hawash chose to keep the kid instead of abandoning,even though Hawash‘s mom disagree.In the article,she said that she doesn’t even know why she would keep this kid,but she thought there are no differences between leave him in bush and kill him,she just can’t do that.Third thing,when Momo(main character) and Meatta(main character’s sister) are infected by the baby who with smallpox.Hawash takes care of them day and night.She also takes good care of Seatta(stranger’s son),even though Seatta is not her son.Anyway,she wants they to get rid of it.Finally,when they get well,Hawash,herself,is infected by pox,but she still concerns about how kids’ feeling.I relate it to a woman (I don’t know her name,but she is in my memory),this woman help lots of African children and refugees.A few years ago,she saved a boy from Africa.This boy was treated as a evil in their town,when the first this woman saw him,he was very thin and asked for water.This woman save him and took him out of the Africa.Now this woman treats him as her son,the boy grows very well now.
This book is instructive.I would agree with that Hawash accepted two strangers for a night,because I think when someone ask you for help,obviously,they are in difficult situations,if we decline to help them,we maybe put them in dangerous.However,I disagree with that Hawash kept the baby at their house,because the baby with smallpox would infect her and family.I think there must be a better way to deal with it,such as she can send the baby to the hospital,doctors must know better than she.The book suggest us to be rational to deal with problems.In the book,Hawash doesn’t take others advice,she is strong-headed about saving the baby.Finally,they all got infected by the baby,even though Meatta dead from it.I learned a lot from this book.I think the most important thing is that don’t be selfish,because this story’s developing all because of two women’s selfishness.I learned that selfishness maybe good for yourself,but it maybe bring troubles to others.I still remember when I was 6 years old,young ignorant of me.In order to play the computer games and don’t want to share the time with my brother,I did a very thing,I locked my brother outside the house in winter,because my parents have to work whole day,when they came back at night,my brother already got cold and very sick.Then I was taught by them,after that day I realized that selfishness is evil.
When I was reading the book,I felt sad,because of people’s selfishness and indifference.When the Momo and Meatta were sent to the town in order to prevent them from infecting by smallpox,people in there don’t like them and tell them to leave,because they don’t want to be infected by smallpox.I would suggest the book,because this book is an authentic and beautiful, yet tragic tale that transcends national, racial and ethnic boundaries.This book also demonstrates the mercy and evil of mankind.

[Josa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Siempre es fascinante leer cuentos africanos. Éste no se queda corto, una lectura muy ligera pero profunda que nos ilustra el pensamiento y recuerdo de un hombre en uno de los momentos más difíciles de su vida.
Con cuánto valor se tuvieron que enfrentar nuestros antepasados ante las enfermedades, este pequeño cuento es una celebración al poder de la vida, al valor y a una cultura que a veces se ve forzada a cambiar de pensamiento pero que mantiene sus ideales y creencias siempre vivas.
“Lo que abandonaste a la muerte... está muerto”

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book written by the author, Clayton Bess, while he was a PeaceCorp volunteer in Liberia. Story for a Black Night is about the moral choices women make in the midst of crisis, in this instance during a bout with smallpox. The most charming aspect of the book is its sing-song anti-grammar phrasing, such as “That is why that evening as I listened to silence in the bush, I was scary. Night was coming to be dark now.”

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was impressed when I first read this book in 1982, enough to purchase it and move it with me over the years. Now that I’ve reread it during the Coronavirus pandemic it doesn’t strike me as worth such permanent shelf space. It’s a story of smallpox, mercy, and suffering set in pre-vaccine Africa though I’m not sure if it would interest children. I do like the cadence of the language.

Clayton Bess is a pseudonym for Robert Locke, who was a Peace Corps worker in late 1970s Liberia.

[Bren Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es de mis libros favoritos a la fecha. Es una historia corta, vaya, de esas que puedes leer en una noche negra.

Habla sobre el amor en su máxima expresión, y eso es lo más precioso de la historia. Un miedo real a lo desconocido y de la tragedia. Da miedo pensar como era el mundo antes de la erradicación de la viruela.

[Amy Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this from the "red flag" shelf at the elementary library. I thought it was a good story, though sad (it's about smallpox). There is definitely some animism, but I think it is fine for a discerning reader.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenido pa un rato.

[Ponyodelosrios · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Josue Esparza Estrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encantó

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ma debió hacerle caso a ma grande , todo estuviera igual

[Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super corto pero todo muy entretenido y muy consistente y quizás agregar algunas hojas bo hubiera estado mal pero se disfruto.
Me dio referencias de una perspectiva que no tenía lo cual fue muy interesante y me dejo quizás con ganas de más.
3.5

[LeAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as a children's book, but it's not. although the protagonist is a child, the problems of life vs. death and risking your family out of compassion for a stranger are not children's issues, and the child does not solve his own problem. The author is outspokenly anti-Christian, viewing it as a hypocritical white religion.

[Luzali · Rating 5 out of 5]

La primera vez que lo leí tenía 8 años. La última vez 32 con mi hijo a un lado y mordiéndose las uñas para saber qué pasaba con la hija de maima kaiwu. Es una belleza de historia, te atrapa y te adentra en la dinámica de una casita en la selva de África. Amo este libro

[Blanca Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

El mejor que he leido por parte de la escuela mientras estuve en al primaria

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for a book about smallpox. (I'm interested in diseases and plagues!) This was a short book about the disease entering a small African village and the effects on a family.