Moorish Literature Part 31

"How comes it that you would not answer my greetings for so long?"

The horseman answered: "You cried to me, 'Greetings to you, you who are behind the camels,' Now, behind them are their tails. Then you said, 'Greetings to you, you who are in the middle of the camels,' In the middle of them are their bellies. You said, again, 'Greetings to you, you who are before the camels.' Before them are their heads. You said, 'Greetings to you, O master of the white mare,' And then I answered to you, 'Greetings to you also,'"

Ahmed el Hilalieu asked of the shepherd, "What is your name?"

"I am called Chira."

"Well, Chira, tell me where Redah lives. Is it at the city of the stones or in the garden of the palms?"

"Redah dwells in the city. Her father is the Sultan. Seven kings have fought for her, and one of them has refreshed his heart. He is named Chalau. Go, seek the large house. You will be with Redah when I see you again."

Ahmed sets out, and soon meets the wife of the shepherd, who comes before him and says, "Enter, be welcome, and may good luck attend you!" She ties his horse, gives him to drink, and goes to find dates for Ahmed. She takes care to count them before serving him with them. He takes out a pit, closes the date again, puts them all together, and puts down the pit. He ate nothing, and he said to the woman: "Take away these dates, for I have eaten my fill." She looks, takes up the tray, counts the dates again, and perceives that none of them has been eaten. Nevertheless, there is a pit, and not a date missing. She cries out:

"Alas! my heart for love of this young man Is void of life as is this date of pit."

Then she heaved a sigh and her soul flew away.

Ahmed remained there as if in a dream until the shepherd came back. "Your wife is dead," he said to him, "and if you wish, I'll give you her weight in gold and silver."

But the shepherd answers: "I, too, am the son of a sultan. I have come to pay this woman a visit and desire to see her. Calm yourself. I will take neither your gold nor silver. This is the road to follow; go, till you arrive at the castle where she is."

Ahmed starts, and when he arrives at the castle, he stands up in his stirrups and throws the shadow of his spear upon the window.

Redah, addressing her negress, said to her: "See now what casts that shadow. Is it a cloud, or an Arab's spear?"

The negress goes to see, comes back to her mistress, and says to her, "It is a horseman, such as I have never seen the like of before in all my life."

"Return," said Redah, "and ask him who he is." Redah goes to see, and says:

"O horseman, who dost come before our eyes, Why seekest thou thy death? Tell me upon Thine honor true, what is thine origin?"

He answers:

"Oh, I am Ahmed el Hilalieu called. Well known 'Mongst all the tribes of daughters of Hilal.

I bear in hand a spear that loves to kill, Who'er attacks me counts on flight and dies."

She says to him:

"Thou'rt Ahmed el Hilalieu? Never prowls A n.o.ble bird about the Zeriba; The generous falcon turns not near the nests, O madman! Why take so much care About a tree that bears not any dates?"

He answers:

"I will demand of our great Lord of all To give us rain to cover all the land With pasturage and flowers. And we shall eat Of every sort of fruit that grows on earth."

Redah:

"We women are like silk. And only those Who are true merchants know to handle us."

Ahmed el Hilalieu then says:

"I've those worth more than thou amid the girls Of Hilal, clad in daintiest of silk Of richest dye, O Redah, O fifth rite."

And, turning his horse's head, he goes away. But she recalls him:

"I am an orange, them the gardener; I am a palm and thou dost cut my fruit; I am a beast and thou dost slaughter me.

I am--upon thine honor--O gray steed, Turn back thy head. For we are friends henceforth."

She says to the negress, "Go open wide the door that he may come."

The negress admits him, and ties up his horse. On the third day he sees the negress laughing.

"Why do you laugh, negress?"

"You have not said your prayers for three days."

POEMS OF THE MAGHREB

[_Translated by M.C. Sonneck and Chauncey C. Starkweather_]

ALI'S ANSWER

[ARGUMENT.--It is related that a young man named Aly ben Bou Fayd, falling in love with a young woman, begged his father to ask her in marriage for him. His father refused. Angered, Aly procured a gun, engraved his name upon it, and betook himself to the chase. His father having claimed this gun he answered:]

You ask the gun I have that bears my name.

I will not give it, save against my will.

How comes it, father, that you treat me thus?

You say, "Bring back the gun to put in pledge."

Now, may G.o.d pardon you for acting thus!

I leave you in your land, and, all for you, I swear by G.o.d I never shall return.

Your conduct is unwise. Our enemies Insult me, O my father. And I think That you will give up your ancestral home And garden too. And can I after that Recover my good gun?

I shall not be Enfeebled that I am no more with you.

No longer are you father unto me, And I shall be no more your cherished son.

I think, my sire, that you are growing old.

Your teeth are falling out from day to day.

They whom you visit will not serve you more.

Your friends won't serve you longer, and your sire, He who begot you, will not help you now.

In your adversity no help will come From all your kindred's high n.o.bility.

May G.o.d make easy all the paths you tread!