A popular myth of the origin of coffee was described by Antoine Faustus Nairon, a Roman professor of Oriental languages, in his book De Saluberrima potione Cahue seu Cafe nuncupata Discurscus (1671).

Legend has it that in the 6th century Ethiopia, one day a goatherd named Khaldi noticed his flock jumping about. Observing that his flock became energetic after nibbling on the bright red berries of a particular bush, the intrigued goatherd chewed on the fruit himself. His exhilaration prompted him to bring the berries to the monks in a nearby monastery, who went on to make a drink with the berries to keep themselves alert for the long hours of evening prayer. The berries were coffee cherries, and Ethiopia became the birthplace of coffee.