بتير: Ain Battir

In 1982, I met an elderly Swiss passenger in her 70’s, and we had a short talk following a little problem in connection with her trip. Meanwhile, and after she’d known I was from Battir, she said after a moment of silence: "You are from the village of Hasan Mostafa!" She added "He was really a great man,...etc", commending his achievements after 20 years from his death.

Now I wonder what instigated him who had tried with his brush to deface the name of the spring renovator. Look at the left hard nonporous stone at the bottom of the basin. It wouldn’t have fretted away as such without the feet of those who proudly bowed to drink from the mouth of the most bountiful spring. So, go and clean the face of your mother “the spring” and quench your thirst from it. It is still affectionate since time immemorial.

يا عين بتير هات من مائك العذب جرعه