The Golden Bull

The story takes place in Mesopotamia 5000 years ago. The drought has lasted for months and the farmlands on the outskirts of the city of Ur have been devastated. The parents of Jomar and Zefa have no choice but to send their children away from their failing farm to seek employment in Ur. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith who works for the temple of the moongod. Together they will embellish a magificent lyre that will be the centerpiece in the coming new year celebration. But Zefa, a gifted but untrained musician, is not welcomed in Sidah’s house. Tensions grow as Jomar slowly learns his craft while Zefa faces a troubled and insecure future. In order to survive in a city whose vibrant life and customs are totally new to them, the siblings must put aside old resentments, surmount their serious problems, and forge a more satisfying relationship.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Both Jomar and Zefa have grown up in a secure home with loving parents and are unprepared for life in a city that demands new ways of behavior. Have you ever been insecure when starting an activity for the first time or going to a new city or school? How did you deal with your insecurities?

2. Leaving the family farm is difficult for Jomar and Zefa. Their father has told Jomar that his sister will be his responsibility, a burden he does not want. He finds her difficult to deal with and unwilling to accept his authority. Are you sympathetic to his problems or irritated by his impatience? Are you sympathetic to Zefa when she finds her brother ignoring her and making decisions without first discussing them with her?

3. Although Jomar is not a naturally talented goldsmith and has doubts about his abilities, he is an attentive pupil and determined to learn the new skills required of him. What trait do you think is more important in acquiring new skills, natural talent or persistence?

4. Jomar immediately believes that Zefa has stolen the lapis bead from the workshop. Do you think he was justified in thinking her a thief? Sidah and Nari, his wife, come to the same conclusion. How does Zefa react to everyone believing she stole the bead? It is difficult to be accused of something you did not do. Have you ever been in this situation? Or have you ever suspected someone of theft, cheating, or something equally serious? If so, how did you deal with these incidents?

5. Sidah still grieves for his dead son and would not have accepted Jomar as his untrained apprentice had he known that Bittatti would insist that he complete the lyre on deadline. Do you think this makes his relationship with Jomar an uneasy one? From the beginning, Sidah is troubled by Zefa’s presence in his house. Why? (She comes to his home without invitation or prior agreement, and shortly after her arrival Sidah believes he is housing a thief). Sidah and Nari, his wife, work out an agreement regarding Zefa staying with them. What is the bargain that he and his wife agree upon? (Zefa will stay so that Sidah can listen to her play on the temple lyre, but she must work for Nari and leave when the lyre is completed.)

6. When does Jomar begin to understand his failure to appreciate Zefa’s musical gifts? (When the high priestess Bittatti, proud and powerful, tells Jomar about a brother who did not acknowledge her worth.) When does Jomar realize there is a reason behind Nari’s stern behavior toward them? (When Zefa tells him she understands Nari’s grief over her dead son.) What is Jomar’s reaction when he discovers why Gamil has behaved so strangely toward him? (He feels guilty because he has never tried to discover the reasons behind this behavior.) Have you ever looked at someone with new eyes and reevaluated your opinion or behavior when you have more understanding or information about them?

7. When Jomar finally finds Zefa in the bazaar, he is amazed and moved by her maturity, strength, and compassion, but he also feels guilty for refusing to believe her denial of the theft. What does he do to demonstrate his new feelings for her? (In spite of Sidah’s opposition, he insists on putting himself at risk by taking the river test in her place.) Do you feel you have any obligation to protect and comfort the members of your family and your friends?

8. Think about some of the differences between ancient Mesopotamia and the way we live in this culture today. Do you think it would be a difficult adjustment for Jomar and Zefa if they were transplanted from their time and place to the way we live now? What are some of the important features of life in Mesopotamia five thousand years ago? (For example, the power of the temple and the gods was paramount; most children were expected to work.) What are some of the similarities between the two ways of life? (For example, throughout history all children everywhere need the protection and love of adults to grow and thrive; all humans share the same basic emotions of joy, sadness, anger, and fear.)