[ti:‘A Blessing from God:’ Iraqis Harvest Truffles] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]In the Iraqi desert, a 72-year-old woman [00:04.08]carefully digs in the sand for treasure. [00:08.12]“Here it is, the truffle, [00:10.40]a blessing from God!” says Zahra Buheir. [00:16.32]In her hands, she holds a truffle, [00:19.60]a kind of fungus that grows under the ground. [00:23.08]It is used in cooking around the world and is a costly food. [00:29.28]She said, “rain came, and then thunder, [00:33.12]bringing truffles up to the surface.” [00:37.16]She and her family of seven have spent weeks [00:40.36]looking for seasonal truffles. [00:43.00]The rare food has provided the family with additional money. [00:48.96]Learning to hunt for truffles requires an understanding [00:53.40]of the dangers in the desert. [00:56.44]The hunters must deal with the severe weather of Iraq’s southern desert. [01:02.88]There are dangerous animals and military equipment left from years of war. [01:11.20]The father of her granddaughter is Mohsen Farhan. [01:16.76]He said, “We are afraid of wolves. There are a lot here. [01:21.84]And there are mines. A while ago, someone died.” [01:28.36]Landmines left over from the Gulf war in 1991 [01:33.12]remain unexploded and underground. [01:37.56]The explosive devices could be mistaken for truffles [01:41.64]by an inexperienced person. [01:45.32]But to some, the dangers are worth it. [01:48.72]This year, truffles can be sold for up to $7 a kilogram. [01:55.40]Iraq’s desert truffle costs less than European truffles. [02:00.64]Those are rarer and can cost hundreds of dollars [02:05.40]or more for a kilogram. [02:08.68]But Iraq’s economy is in crisis. [02:12.04]So, the local truffles are a big help to this truffle-hunting family. [02:18.04]This year, however, the rains came late. [02:21.04]Buheir could only find about one kilogram of truffles each day. [02:28.36]That amount is about one tenth [02:30.96]of what she would dig up in a good year. [02:34.92]Her granddaughter, five-year-old Riyam, [02:38.24]helps by turning over stones and digging the earth with her hands. [02:43.68]The child joins the truffle hunt with her family [02:47.20]to learn a trade and the desert lifestyle. [02:52.68]“When there is no work, truffles are a source of income. [02:56.88]And we are happy here,” said Farhan. [03:01.08]The child’s father said he loves the weeks he spends [03:04.68]with his family in their tent in the desert. [03:09.12]Truffles come in many different sizes. [03:12.32]When they are sold, they are named for other foods [03:16.40]they are most like in size – for example, walnuts, eggs, or oranges. [03:24.60]The biggest truffles are called pomegranates. [03:29.36]This year, a lack of truffles has pushed up prices. [03:35.40]Truffles that do not sell locally [03:37.92]are exported to wealthier Gulf countries. [03:42.24]But people who eat at the restaurants in the Iraqi city [03:46.40]of Samawa enjoy many truffle dishes. [03:51.16]I’m Anna Matteo. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM