The Chest by Mohammed Mrabet

Author:Mohammed Mrabet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-08-19T16:00:00+00:00

The Qaftan

A young man who was dissatisfied with the tchar where he lived went out into the forest and cleared a large tract of land. When he had planted it and built a house, he returned to his li liar to choose a bride. He found a girl named Rahma, and together Mchich and Rahma went to the forest, where they had to work very hard to keep themselves alive.

When Rahma was ready to give birth, she asked Mchich to take her home to her mother, but he said it was not necessary. So she had the baby there in the clearing, with Mchich helping her.

In the morning Rahma lay on the blankets which he had I ait on the floor for her, while the baby took milk from her breast. Mchich killed two roosters to make a cauldron of a nip for her. Then he got onto his horse and rode to the tchar 111 tell Rahma’s family that she had a daughter.

Some members of her family journeyed out to the house in the forest. They were amazed to see how much Mchich 11,id planted there in the clearing. While they were there, the 11,lining feast was held, and the baby was called Saida. Then i bey returned to the tchar, leaving Mchich and Rahma alone wlh their daughter.

This is why Saida grew up by herself, far from any other i hi Id. Three years went by, and Rahma had no more i liildren. Saida amused herself alone, because she could find i m > I i ving thing with which she could play. If she tried to play with the dogs, they snapped at her. If she went to play with tin horses and donkeys, they kicked her. If she ran to the I'n.its and sheep, they butted her. If she played among the . Iik kens, they pecked her. If she saw a scorpion or a centipede, she screamed for her mother. Rahma would run out, see the insect, and crush it with her bare heel. That doesn’t do any harm, she would say.

One morning Rahma took Saida with her to a spring below the house, where the child had never been before. Saida ran ahead to where the water came out from under the rocks. She saw her image in the pool, and began to laugh excitedly.

Yimma! Look! There’s somebody in the water!

Yes, bind.

Does she live down there?

That’s right, binti.

Why doesn’t she come out, so I can play with her?

She has to stay down there, said Rahma. She can’t come out of the water. Maybe if you talk to her every day, she’ll come out.

I’m going to come here every day, said Saida. She’s the only friend I want, and when she sees that I love her, she’ll come out of the water. And we’ll always be friends.

Yes, binti.

This is how Saida fell in love with her reflection in the spring. Rahma, who was very busy in the house, paid her no attention. She allowed Saida to stay down at the spring all day long.

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