The
history and development of the beverage that we know as
coffee is
varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political
intrigue, and the pursuit of wealth and power.
According to one
story, a
sheepherder named Kaldi as he tended his
sheep
noticed the effect of coffee beans on behavior. He noticed that
the sheep became hyperactive after eating the red "cherries" from a
certain plant when they changed pastures. He tried a few themselves,
and was soon as overactive as his herd. The story relates that a monk
happened by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil\''s
fruit."
However the monks soon discovered that this fruit from the shiny green
plant could help them stay awake for their prayers.
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