I was told this true story and I thought it’s good to tell it here.

The story goes as follows:

There was a man called Hannah living in a Lebanese town. Hanna is the son of a muffin man called Boutros who had a cake bakery in his town center and used to make cakes that we in Lebanon call “Knefeh” which is our most favorite Breakfast. Boutros was one of the best cooks in Lebanon; people used to come from all the neighboring towns to have breakfast at Boutros’s, he has developed a special recipe and kept it secret.

Few years later Boutros died and his son Hannah was old enough to take over the Knefeh production business. Hannah used to help his dad in making the cake every morning and his dad used to explain every step in the process.

After closing the shop for few days and grieving on his father, Hanna went at 3 A.M in the morning to prepare the breakfast cake his father used to make. Hannah went through all the steps his father taught him, finished the cake and sat down waiting for the usual customers to come.

Customers came, bought the cakes, sat on the small terrace outside the shop, ate the cake, left quietly and never returned. Hannah knew later that the cakes were badly prepared and Hannah’s neighbors went further to say that Hannah does not have his father’s talent.

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Reaching this part of the story, I am sure that you as a reader think that you have heard this story over a hundred time, but the story does not end here.

Hannah did not surrender, he kept the same routine of waking up in the morning, baking the cakes and selling them to the very customers that kept passing by for the sake of friendship. Few months passed when suddenly a stranger passed by and tasted the cake. The stranger acted differently, he did not walk away but approached Hannah and said: ” I have heard that your father died , I used to stop here for a short rest once every year while traveling, I don’t think you have noticed me before, there was hundreds of customers. I own a bakery myself and for years I was trying to find out your father’s secret mix. I have tasted your cake and I honestly think your father’s secret is lost forever.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcm7uJ74XFI]

Hannah for sure was surprised, but he then explained that his father taught him all his secrets and trained him to perform all the preparation steps for the perfect “Knefeh”. Hannah went further and explained that he followed the steps exactly but never produced a cake with a similar taste to the cake of Boutros. Hannah was depressed and helpless, he then decided to teach the stranger all the secrets passed down by his father. The stranger went into Hannah’s kitchen and prepared all the needed ingredient listed on a paper given by Hannah and spent the whole day learning the magic of “Boutros Knefeh ” until morning was close when Hannah said to the stranger: ” I will go rest now, I need to sleep and I have lost an hope of making a good cake. I will leave you here in the kitchen, you now know all what is required, make the cake and let us see if it will have a different taste.”

The stranger nodded and started working directly.

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The cake was successful and the cake sold out the other day. Everyone was surprised. It turned out that the maker makes allot of difference in the art. Though Hannah was punctual in following the steps, he could not taste his making and judge it. He did not have the required taste as his father had.

  • Now I would like you to tell me. How is this article related to music ?