Moorish Literature

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by René Basset


  "Who scratched you so?" asked his wife.

  "The servant played on the flute, and I began to dance."

  "That is a lie," said she; "people don't dance against their will."

  "Well," answered the husband, "tie me to this post and make the servant play."

  She tied him to the post and the servant took the flute. Our man began to dance. He struck his head against a nail in the post and died. The son of the dead man said to the servant:

  "Pay me for the loss of my father."

  They went before the cadi. On the way they met a laborer, who asked them where they were going.

  "Before the cadi."

  "Could you tell me why?"

  "This man killed my father," answered the son of the dead man.

  "It was not I that killed him," answered the shepherd; "I played on the flute, he danced and died."

  "That is a lie!" cried the laborer. "I will not dance against my will. Take your flute and we shall see if I dance."

  The shepherd took his flute. He began to play, and the laborer started dancing with such activity that his oxen left to themselves fell into the ravine.

  "Pay me for my oxen," he cried to the shepherd.

  "Come before the cadi," he answered. They presented themselves before the cadi, who received them on the second floor of the house. They all sat down. Then the cadi said to the servant:

  "Take your flute and play before me. I will see how you play." The servant took his flute and all began to dance. The cadi danced with the others, and they all fell down to the ground floor and were killed. The servant stayed in the house of the cadi and inherited the property of all.

  THE CHILD

  A child had a thorn in his foot. He went to an old woman and said to her:

  "Take out this thorn for me."

  The old woman took out the thorn and threw it away.

  "Give me my thorn," and he began to cry.

  "Take an egg."

  He went to another old woman, "Hide me this egg."

  "Put it in the hen's nest."

  In the night he took his egg and ate it. The next day he said to the old woman: "Give me my egg."

  "Take the hen," she answered.

  He went to another old woman, "Hide my hen for me."

  "Put her on the stake to which I tie my he-goat."

  At night he took away the hen. The next morning he demanded his hen.

  "Look for her where you hid her."

  "Give me my hen."

  "Take the he-goat."

  He went to another old woman, "O old woman, hide this goat for me."

  "Tie him to the sheep's crib."

  During the night he took away the buck. The next day he claimed the buck.

  "Take the sheep."

  He went to another old woman, "O old woman, keep my sheep for me."

  "Tie him to the foot of the calf."

  During the night he took away the sheep. Next morning he demanded his sheep.

  "Take the calf."

  He went to another old woman, "Keep my calf for me."

  "Tie him to the cow's manger."

  In the night he took away the calf. The next morning he asked for his calf.

  "Take the cow."

  He went to another old woman, "Keep my cow for me."

  "Tie her to the foot of the old woman's bed."

  In the night he took away the cow. The next morning he demanded his cow.

  "Take the old woman."

  He went to another old woman and left the old dame, whom he killed during the night. The next morning he demanded his old woman.

  "There she is by the young girl."

  He found her dead.

  "Give me my old woman."

  "Take the young girl."

  He said to her: "From the thorn to the egg, from the egg to the hen, from the hen to the buck, from the buck to the sheep, from the sheep to the calf, from the calf to the cow, from the cow to the old woman, from the old woman to the young girl, and now come and marry me."

  THE MONKEY AND THE FISHERMAN

  A fisherman went one day to the sea to catch some fish. In the evening he sold his catch, and bought a little loaf of bread, on which he made his supper. The next day he returned to his fishing and found a chest. He took it to his house and opened it. Out jumped a monkey and said to him: "Bad luck to you. I am not the only one to conquer. You may bewail your sad lot."

  "My lot is unbearable," he answered. The next day he returned to his fishing. The monkey climbed to the roof of the house and sat there. A moment afterward he cut all the roses of the garden. The daughter of the King saw him, and said to him:

  "O Sidi Mahomet, what are you doing there? Come here, I need you."

  He took a rose and approached.

  "Where do you live?" asked the princess.

  "With the son of the Sultan of India," answered the monkey.

  "Tell him to buy me."

  "I will tell him, provided he will accept."

  The next day he stayed in the house and tore his face. The princess called him again. The monkey brought her a rose.

  "Who put you in that condition?" she cried.

  "It was the son of the Sultan of India," answered the monkey. "When I told him to buy you he gave me a blow."

  The princess gave him 100 ecus, and he went away. The next day he scratched his face worse and climbed on the house. The daughter of the King called him:

  "Sidi Mahomet!"

  "Well?"

  "Come here. What did you say to him?"

  "I told him to buy you, and he gave me another blow."

  "Since this is so, come and find me to-morrow."

  The next day the monkey took the fisherman to a shop and bought him some clothes. He took him to the baths and made him bathe. Then he went along the road and cried:

  "Flee, flee, here is the son of the Sultan of India!"

  They went into a coffee-house, and Si Mahomet ordered two coffees. They drank their coffees, gave an ecu to the proprietor, and went out. While going toward the palace Si Mahomet said to-the fisherman:

  "Here we are at the house of your father-in-law. When he serves us to eat, eat little. When he offers us coffee, drink only a little of it. You will find silken rugs stretched on the floor; keep on your sandals."

  When they arrived the fisherman took off his sandals. The King offered them something to eat; the fisherman ate a great deal. He offered them some coffee, and the fisherman did not leave a drop of it. They went out. When they were outside the palace Si Mahomet said to the fisherman:

  "Jew of a fisherman, you are lucky that I do not scratch your face."

  They returned to their house. Si Mahomet climbed upon the roof. The daughter of the King perceived him, and said:

  "Come here."

  The monkey approached.

  "Truly you have lied. Why did you tell me that the son of the Sultan of India was a distinguished person?"

  "Is he a worthless fellow?"

  "We furnished the room with silken rugs, he took off his sandals. We gave him food, and he ate like a servant. We offered him some coffee, and he licked his fingers."

  The monkey answered: "We had just come out of the coffeehouse. He had taken too much wine and was drunken, and not master of himself. That is why he ate so much."

  "Well," replied the princess, "come to the palace again tomorrow, but do not take him to the coffee-house first."

  The next day they set out. On the way the monkey said to the fisherman: "Jew of a fisherman, if to-day you take off your sandals or eat too much or drink all your coffee, look out for yourself. Drink a little only, or I will scratch your eyes out."

  They arrived at the palace. The fisherman walked on the silken rugs with his sandals. They gave him something to eat, and he ate little. They brought him some coffee, and he hardly tasted it. The King gave him his daughter. Si Mahomet said to the King:

  "The son of the Sultan of India has quarrelled with his father, so he only brought one chest of silver." />
  In the evening the monkey and the fisherman went out for a walk. The fisherman said to Si Mahomet:

  "Is it here that we are going to find the son of the Sultan of India?"

  "I can show him to you easily," answered the monkey. "Tomorrow I will find you seated. I will approach, weeping, with a paper in my hands; I will give you the paper, and you must read it and burst into tears. Your father-in-law will ask you why you weep so. Answer him: 'My father is dead. Here is the letter I have just received. If you have finally determined to give me your daughter, I will take her away and we will go to pay the last duties to my father.'"

  "Take her," said the King. He gave him an escort of horsemen and soldiers. Arriving at the place, Si Mahomet said to the soldiers:

  "You may return to the palace, for our country is far from here."

  The escort went back to the palace, and the travellers continued on their journey. Soon Si Mahomet said to the fisherman: "Stay here till I go and look at the country of your father." He started, and arrived at the gates of a city he found closed he mounted upon the ramparts. An ogress perceived him, "I salute you, Si Mahomet."

  "May God curse you, sorceress! Come, I am going to your house."

  "What do you want of me, Si Mahomet?"

  "They are seeking to kill you."

  "Where can I hide?" He put her in the powder-house of the city, shut the door on her, and set the powder on fire. The ogress died. He came back to the fisherman.

  "Forward," he said. They entered the city and established themselves there. One day Si Mahomet fell ill and died The two spouses put him in a coffin lined with silk and buried him. My story is told.

  THE TWO FRIENDS

  Sidi El-Marouf and Sidi Abd-el-Tadu were travelling in company. Toward evening they separated to find a resting-place. Sidi Abd-el-Tadu said to his friend:

  "Let us say a prayer, that God may preserve us from the evil which we have never committed."

  Sidi El-Marouf answered, "Yes, may God preserve us from the evil that we have not done!"

  They went toward the houses, each his own way. Sidi El-Marouf presented himself at a door. "Can you entertain a traveller?"

  "You are welcome," said a woman to him. "Enter, you may remain for the night."

  Night came. He took his supper. The woman spread a mat on the floor and he went to sleep. The woman and her husband slept also. When all was quiet, the woman got up, took a knife, and killed her husband. The next day at dawn she began to cry:

  "He has killed my husband!"

  The whole village ran up to the house and seized the stranger. They bound him, and everyone brought wood to burn the guilty man.

  Sidi Abd-el-Tadu came also, and saw his friend in tears. "What have you done?" he asked.

  "I have done no evil," answered Sidi El-Marouf.

  "Did I not tell you yesterday," said Sidi Abd-el-Tadu, "that we would say the prayer that God should preserve us from the evil we had never committed? And now you will be burned for a crime of which you are innocent!"

  Sidi El-Marouf answered him, "Bring the woman here."

  "Did he really kill your husband?" asked Sidi Abd-el-Tadu.

  "He killed him," she replied.

  There was a bird on a tree nearby. Sidi Abd-el-Tadu asked the bird. The bird answered:

  "It was the woman who killed her husband. Feel in her hair and you will find the knife she used."

  They searched her hair and found the knife still covered with blood, which gave evidence of the crime. The truth was known and innocence was defended. God avenged the injustice.

  THE ROBBER AND THE TWO PILGRIMS

  Two robbers spent their time in robbing. One of them got married, and the other continued his trade. They were a long time without seeing each other. Finally the one who was not married went to visit his friend, and said to him:

  "If your wife has a daughter, you must give her to me."

  "I will give her to you seven days after her birth."

  The daughter was born, and the robber took her to bring up in the country. He built a house, bought flocks, and tended them himself. One day some pilgrims came to the house. He killed a cow for them and entertained them. The next day he accompanied them on their pilgrimage. The pilgrims said to him:

  "If you come with us, two birds will remain with your wife."

  The woman stayed in the country. One day the son of the Sultan came that way to hunt. One of the birds saw him and said to the woman, "Don't open the door." The prince heard the bird speak, and returned to the palace without saying a word. An old woman was called to cast spells over him, and said to the King:

  "He could not see a woman he has never seen."

  The prince spoke and said to her: "If you will come with me, I will bring her here." They arrived.

  The old dame called the young woman, "Come out, that we may see you."

  She said to the bird, "I am going to open the door."

  The bird answered: "If you open the door you will meet the same fate as Si El-Ahcen. He was reading with many others in the mosque. One day he found an amulet. His betrothed went no longer to school, and as she was old enough he married her. Some days after he said to his father, 'Watch over my wife.' 'Fear nothing,' answered the father.

  "He started, and came back. 'Watch over my wife,' he said to his father again. 'Fear nothing,' repeated his father. The latter went to the market. On his return he said to his daughter-in-law, 'There were very beautiful women in the market,' 'I surpass them all in beauty,' said the woman; 'take me to the market.'

  "A man offered 1,000 francs for her. The father-in-law refused, and said to her: 'Sit down on the mat. The one that covers you with silver may have you,' A man advanced. 'If you want to marry her,' said her father-in-law, 'cover her with silver, and she will be your wife.'

  "Soon Si El-Ahcen returned from his journey and asked if his wife were still living. 'Your wife is dead,' said his father; 'she fell from her mule,' Si El-Ahcen threw himself on the ground. They tried to lift him up. It was useless trouble. He remained stretched on the earth.

  "One day a merchant came to the village and said to him, 'The Sultan married your wife,' She had said to the merchant, 'The day that you leave I will give you a message,' She wrote a letter to her husband, and promised the bearer a flock of sheep if he would deliver it.

  "Si El-Ahcen received the letter, read it, was cured, ran to the house, and said to his father: 'My wife has married again in my absence; she is not dead. I brought home much money. I will take it again.'

 

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