The Curious Case of the Disappearing Fenkati and the Mdina Watch

When Fenkata Turns into Fen-katastrophe!

There was a buzz in the air mela, akin to a swarm of zealous żunżan hovering over a platter of freshly baked qassatat. It was a balmy Friday evening in the sleepy town of Mosta, and Karmnu, a local fenkati connoisseur, had extendit invitations to his annual rabbit fiesta. The entire vicinity wafted with the allure of spices and the promise of Karmnu’s legendary rabbit stew, known to the locals as ‘Il-Fenkata Maġika ta’ Karmnu.’

But as the first guests arrived, there was despair instead of the usual cheer. “Uwejja, fejn hu l-fenek?” cried Tereża, as she peered into empty pots that should have been bubbling with Karmnu’s signature dish. Panic struck, and the word of the fenkata fiasco spread quicker than melted ġbejna on hot ħobż biż-żejt.

The Plot Thickens in Valletta

Meanwhile, in Valletta, a peculiar sight had captured the attention of passing tourists and vagrant cats alike. Ġanni, a street performer known for his affinity to mime dressing as the Knights of St. John, had broken his mime-code of silence. He stood petrified, mid-pantomime, clutching an ornate pocket watch – the Mdina Watch, rumored to reverse time for the holder, discovered in a mysterious niche within the ancient walls of The Silent City.

A Quest begins to Rewind the Dinnertime

Back in Mosta, Karmnu was desperate to salvage the night. “But how?” he pondered, wringing his hands, his apron stained with bżar and żebbuġ. It was at this dire moment a light bulb (powered by intermittent Maltese electricity) flickered above his head. “The Mdina Watch!” he exclaimed.

Cueing a montage of Karmnu dashing through winding streets and commandeering a gondola to cross the Marsamxett Harbour, he reached Valletta with the persistence of an nanna chasing a church bus. Panting to a halt before Ġanni, he begged to use the Mdina Watch to rewind to the point before his rabbit had vanished into thin air.

Discoveries and Disbelievers

“Ejja, I’ll help you,” Ġanni conceded after hearing Karmnu’s plight. He placed the Mdina Watch in Karmnu’s trembling hands, stating solemnly, “Remember, you’ll only get back a couple of hours, use it wisely!”

“Just one twist backward and bam! It’s like your plate of pastizzi never dissapeared into your belly,” – said Ġanni.

Karmnu, whose philosophy was ‘Ġiri is the best condiment’, wasted no time. He spun the hands of the Mdina Watch and found himself back in his Mosta kitchen, but with an unexpected twist – the room was full of glinting-eyed nanniet (grandmothers) each clutching a stolen piece of his rabbit! It turns out, they were behind the fenkata heist, aiming to use the meat for their own festa!

Karma and Karmnu: A Hoppy Ending

Just as the tension reached a boil akin to a pot of kusksu, Karmnu remembered Ġanni’s words about using time wisely. Rather than confront the thieving nanniet, Karmnu proposed a truce. “Let’s combine our feasts and host the most epic fenkata that Malta has ever seen!” he declared.

The suggestion, like a cherry on an imqaret, was met with resounding approval. The grand fenkata that ensued would forever be etched in Maltese lore as ‘Il-Festa Fenkata tal-Għaqda tal-Qalbien,’ uniting Karmnu’s culinary prowess with the nanniet’s wisdom.

As the merry band feasted under Mosta’s starlit sky, Karmnu mused about the day’s turn of events. Indeed, the true magic wasn’t just in his stew but in embracing the unpredictable mishaps life threw at him. “Kollox għandu soluzzjoni if you’ve got the right spirit and a touch of Maltese ingenuity,” he toasted, raising a glass of locally brewed bajtra liqueur.

The Mdina Watch was returned to Ġanni, with the agreement, it’ll be used only for benevolent misadventures, and Mosta’s fenkati were henceforth safe… or until the next improbable plot twist in the Times of Mela.