SALIM THE KNIFE SHARPENER

This is the story of a knife sharpener who takes a daily round of a few vil-lages near his home, sharpening garden shears, coconut scrapers, meat cleavers and anything else which may need his services. Lack of work makes him decide one day to cross the forest, especially since Eid is around the corner and he wants to be able to afford new clothes and sweets for his family for the occasion. The twist to the story is how he ends up helping animals keep their teeth and claws sharp, and how they then repay Salim with meat and fruit enough for his and his family’s needs. The story is a whimsical flight of fantasy, with the protagonist representing a dying profession. Living in cities, especially in the increasingly consumer culture that makes it easier to replace something rather than repair it, means that many of us no longer need or even know about certain professions: people with magic-like expertise in sharpening knives, repairing kitchen utensils, fixing or tightening charpais and furniture, re-fluffing cotton mattresses and quilts, among others.