I collect antique coffee grinders and some information about the history of coffee. Sometimes it's difficult telling the difference between fable and history, but here is one brief story of the holy bean.
It's believed that Kaldi, a goatherder who lived in Yemen around 800 a.d. was the first to discover the benefits of the coffee tree. He noticed his herd of goats eating the little red berries growing on the large-leafed bushes, and thereafter engaged in a few hours of playful behavior. According to one source, he thought they "looked like a group of children at play."
Naturally enough, he ate some of the berries too, and before long was soon frolicking right along with his goat herd. However, it wasn't long before this strange behavior was noticed by the monks from the nearby monastery. Kaldi and the monks then discovered that by soaking the berries in water and drinking the brew, they were kept fully awake during prayers.
Of course, there are other possibilities about the origin of coffee, but as a group of Witnesses and former Witnesses, I thought the Kaldi and monk story offered the most entertainment.
This we know for sure; about 900 a.d., the famous Arabian physician, Rhazes, first wrote about coffee calling it "bunca." He dried beans, crushed and mixed the beans with fat, forming little balls of food. Later, even a wine was made from the raw beans.
Going back to Kaldi and his heard of goats story; this proves coffee is DEMONIC because goats and monks were the first to discover coffee, and used the bean to keep practitioners of false religion awake. That's why I enjoy the holy beans!
--JAVA, a cup without coffee is like a room without windows
Edited by - JAVA on 10 February 2001 9:54:23
