MODERN ARABIC S h o r t
s t o r ie s
٠
قف ة
- ب
ت ي
Ronak H usni & Daniel L. Newman
M O D E R N ARABIC SH ...
962 downloads
3801 Views
7MB Size
Report
This content was uploaded by our users and we assume good faith they have the permission to share this book. If you own the copyright to this book and it is wrongfully on our website, we offer a simple DMCA procedure to remove your content from our site. Start by pressing the button below!
Report copyright / DMCA form
MODERN ARABIC S h o r t
s t o r ie s
٠
قف ة
- ب
ت ي
Ronak H usni & Daniel L. Newman
M O D E R N ARABIC SH O R T STORIES A Bilingual Reader
SAQI
ISBN 13: 978-0-86356-436-9
Copyright © Ronak Husni & Daniel L. Newman, 2008
Allrights reserved. No part o f this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical\ includingphotocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from thepublisher. This book is soldsubject to the condition that ;■/ shallnot, by way o f trade ٠٢ otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in anyform ofbindingor ،•٢^ ٠ other than that in w h i c h i s published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library A full CIP reeord for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Printed and bound by CPI Mackays, Chatham, ME5 8TD.
SAQI 26 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RH 825 Page Street, Suite 203, Berkeley, California 94710 Tabet Building, Mneimneh Street, Hamra, Beirut WWW.
saqibooks. com
Contents
Introduction
7
Note on Transliteration A h^eviations
12
Izz al-Dln al-Madanl
ول
The Tale ofth e Lam p
ول
Zakariyya Tamir
41
A Lonely W om an
43
M uhammad al-Zafzaf
5ة
The Sacred Tree
58
Ibrahim al-Faqlh
7°
Excerptfrom The Book ofT he D ead
72
Najlb M ahfuz
104
Q ism a ti a n d N a s ib i
107
Hanan al-Shaykh
ل44
Yasm ine's Picture
M uhammad Shukrl
147 ا6ق
The N ig h t a n d the Sea
ا6مب
Idwar al-Kharrat
178
6
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
A t the Theatre
180
Salwa Bakr
198
A n cestral H a ir
200
Fu’ad al-Takarll
220
A H id d en Treasure
222
Layla al-‘U thm an N ig h t ofT orm ent
247 248
Yusuf Idris
265
A T rayfrom Heaven
267
Bibliography
ق95
Introduction
The short stO!^ {qissa, uqsusa) is a particularly vibrant genre in co n tem pora^ Arabic literature, and almost all major authors have at one point or another in their careers ventured into this field. The present collection provides the reader with a taste o f the prowess of the masters of the m odern Arabic short story. All except Naj؛b Mahfuz, Yusuf Idris, M uhamm ad ShukrI and M uhammad a l-Z a f^ f are active to date. Naturally, when putting together a reader o f this type, it is not always easy to decide whom to include and exclude. The selection process involved many an hour vividly discussing the m ultitude o f stories from which we had to choose. At the same time, we did not focus exclusively on an author’s most recent work; instead, we chose to include those stories that were most appropriate for the reader, and which had not been translated. All too often, works o f this kind, though claiming to represent Arabic literature in general, are decidedly “Easterncentred” inasmuch as the focus is on Middle Eastern authors. As one o f the aims o f the present book is to provide readers with a sample o f the best in modern Arabic short stories, we wanted to make sure that all areas o f the Arab world would be represented, ٢٢٥٨١ Morocco to Iraq and the G u lf Similarly, we also aimed to include both male and female authors, without, however, falling prey to “political correctness” ؛rather, the
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
objective was to provide as complete a picture o f the modern Arabic short story landscape as possible. The potential readership for this book is varied. Though the primary target audience consists o f students o f Arabic, the fact that each story is accompanied by an English translation makes the book accessible to all those interested in contem porary Arab fiction but who lack the language skills to read the stories in the original. There are ample notes following each story in which relevant language and cultural points are discussed, making this reader eminently suitable for both home and classroom use. The stories in the book can be used in core language classes as well as in a M odern Arabic Literature course at all levels. Although some o fth e texts may be too challenging for novices, they will provide good practice for more advanced students. We have taken this into account by arranging the texts in order of difficulty, the easier ones first. The added advantage to this graduated approach is that it enables students to chart their own progress and proficiency. Anyone dealing with Arabic texts has to confront the issue of language variety in view ofth e diglossic nature ofthe language, i.e. the fact that there are competing varieties, linked to register, many of which are mutually unintelligible. As this is neither the place nor the occasion to enter into a disquisition on this controversial topic, suffice it to say that we have decided to include only stories written in the normative (supranational) variety, known as Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), or fushd ( ر ش غ ى. At the same time it is, of course, impossible to exclude the colloquial {‘dm m iyya, darija) altogether, since no Arabic speaker has MSA as his or her mother tongue, so it is only natural that in dialogue most authors render the language that is actually spoken. In those cases, the vernacular expressions are fully glossed in the notes with their equivalents in MSA. As a result, the book also offers highly interesting insights into the sociolinguistics o fth e colloquial and the interaction be^veen MSA and the *
Introduction
و
while containing interesting samples of colloquial expressions from all over the Arabic-speaking world. A ll words in the language notes - including the titles o fth e books m entioned - are fully vowell^d, whereas the ' vowels o fth e imperfect tense ( )المض ا ر عo f form I verbs are added in brackets, e. g. ( عمزu). If ther^ is more than one possibility, both are given, e. g. ( نف ثi, u). So-called diptote forms are marked by a dam m a (١, e.g. الن واصيIn all other cases, declension vowels a^e om itted, as is the “nunation” ( ) ش ن- the regular indefinite inflectional noun ؟n.dings - except for the accu؛ative singular in certain words, e. g. عف وا, but ( ع ا ص م ةrather than )ع ا ص م ة. As texts and translation appear together, the language notes are, quite naturally, much shorter than they would have been had we opted for a traditional reader with only the original texts. Here, too, we have been led by a commonsensical and pragmatic approach, in that we have excluded comments on language points that the learner can easily find in standard translating dictionaries. Indeed, there is little point in simply repeating the translations that appear opposite the text! Notes were added for unusual meanings an d /o r cultural or intertextual references that were thought to be unfam iliar to our target readership. In this, we have been guided by our extensive joint teaching experience. At the same time we are fully aware that this process is to some extent subjective, and the results open to debate. As far as the translations are concerned, we have taken into account the fact that the reader will primarily be used as a teaching and learning resource; as a result, an attem pt was made to provide both an idiomatic translation and a crib for the student. All the translations are ours, except for the Q ur’an translations in the notes, which are those o f M. Pickthall (1996). The original texts appear in the way they do in the original publications, i.e. without any post-editing on our part, which includes, for instance, the often inconsistent vowel and declension markings.
io
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Each story is preceded by a brief biography o f the author, his or her key works and a brief background to the story. Finally, we should like to thank the authors and others who have kindly granted permission to include the stories in the book. We are especially indebted to Salwa Bakr, Idwar al-K harr^, F u^d al-Takarl؛, Zakariyya Tam ir and Layla al‘U thm an, who offered very useful advice on a num ber o f issues and also provided us with biographical details. Ronak Husni & Daniel L. Newman
Note on Transliteration
The transliteration used in this book is that o fth e Encyclopaedia o fls la m , with the following deviations: kh = kh' ؛
= sh; dh = dh. The transcription does not reflect the regressive assimilation ( )إذغ ا مo f the lateral in the definite article a l with the so-called “sun letters” (t, th, d, r, z, s, sh, s, أ, d, z, n), e.g. al-Sahrd’ rather than as-Sahra. In line with common usage, ham za is not transcribed in word-initial positions, whereas the “nunation” (see the Introduction, above) is dropped throughout. In the narratives ofthe short stories themselves, proper nouns and technical terms appear in their “recognized” - i.e. “broad” - transliteration forms in order to m inimize “exoticness” in the narrative.
Abbreviations
CA coll. dial. ECA ICA fem. Fr. It. LCA masc. MCA MSA pl• pron. sg. SCA
Classical Arabic collective noun dialectal Egyptian Colloquial Arabic Iraqi Colloquial Arabic feminine French Italian Lebanese Colloquial Arabic masculine Moroccan Colloquial Arabic M odern Standard Arabic plural pronoun singular Syrian Colloquial Arabic
Izz al-Din al-Madani
Born in Tunis in 1938, al-Madani is one o f Tunisia’s leading lite r a l figures, and has been active in many different genres؛ his oeuvre includes novels, short stories, literal^ criticism and theory (see, for instance, his seminal essay ^ ؟٤^ ١ ا لأذب, “Experimental Literature”) and plays. He has been particularly prolific as a playwright, and one may cite, for i nst ance, دي وان ثؤرة ( ا ل ر غThe R evolt ofthe Z a n j , 1983), set against the backdrop o f the blac^ slave revolt in ninth-centuty Baghdad; '( إل طا جCarthage); ( م و ال ي ال غل ط ا ن ا لخضيT h e H a fsid S u lta n ), about one o fT unisia’s mediaeval dynasties; ( ب خل ة ا ل ح ال جA l- H a lla j’s Journey ), about the famous Persian-born mystic theologian al-Hallaj (857-922) ؛and ( عل ى المبر ا ل واف رO n The O verflow ing Sea). He has also published a num ber o f short story collections, the most famous o f which are ( م ن ح ك اي ا ت هذا الزم ا نTales o fO u r Tim e , 1982), ( زاف ا تLegends, 1968) and ( ال ن ذ وا نtheAggression). In addition to having been a special advisor to Tunisia’s minister o f culture, al-Madan! has also been editor-in-chief of a num ber of Tunisian dailies and magazines. In 2006, he was awarded the Theatre prize for his entire dramatic oeuvre at the Doha (Qatar) Cultural Festival. A l-M ada^ frequently uses Arab history, folklore and classical Arabic literary genres as a spectrum through which he addresses contem poraiy issues such as governance and
14
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
power. One such example is the story presented here, ح ك اية (“The Tale o f the Lamp”), which appears in the ahovem entioned collection م ن ح ك اي ا ت هذا الز ما ن. The story contains all the author’s hallmarks inasmuch as it is an allegorical tale inspired by classical literature and loaded with intertextual references revealing al-Madan^s wide reading. At the same time, the language used is sparse and formal, devoid o f the embellishments one would normally associate with the genre. In spite o f its setting, the events depicted in the stoiy clearly have an underlying link with issues bedevilling present-day society.
ال م ح ل
ح ك اية القندي ل
The Tale ofthe Lamp
6ا
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
“I found myself in Baghdad, yearning for the azad date ...” They claimed - and God knows it was true - that it was a year of drought and famine (may God prese^e us all!), which had struck like lightning in one o f the ancient capital cities o f the Maghrib such as ^ y ra w a n , Fes, Sijilmasa, Gafsa or Mahdia. Food had run out, and people went into the desert to look for cacti and grass to assuage their hunger. After their hopes had been dashed, they preferred death over life. May God preserve us from oppression, evil and hunger! The drought lasted for seven years until the camels knelt down, too weak even to carry the hum ps on their backs. God is kind to the Believers! The people always remembered the horrors o f these dark years, which became a milestone in their history from which they counted events and feasts. Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in one o f these ancient cities. He was extremely clever. Living in a time of plenty and opulence, he believed that contentm ent was an everlasting treasure. The story goes that during the day this man repaired sandals in a nice shop located next to the Abu ‘1-Inaya school, although some people claimed it was next to the shrine o f al-Sayyid al-Sahib. Still others said that the m an’s shop was close to the black-roofed galley that had been built by the caliph Isma’il al-Mansur al-Shi‘i. At night, our protagonist would busy him self with his family - his women, sons and daughters. His and other people’s lives were filled with such contentm ent that not even a cloud on a sum m er’s day could spoil it. However, when he was struck by catastrophe, and had to face crises from all sides, his heart and m ind deserted him, and when he saw the camels kneel out o f sheer weakness, his deep-rooted belief in contentm ent being an everlasting treasure vanished. His conviction wavered and then faded away. There was nothing left for him to hold onto! He flew into a wild rage, but to no avail.
‘Izz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
17
ا شت هي ت ا لأزاد أ ،ا وأن ا بب غداد عف و أ م ،ب ص الجف ا ف ،
والق ح
ل
زع م وا ،واف أع ل م ، ،أن
ذ
ط ،والمحل ،والمحا عة م ،و فمح بة ،عف ان ا ٦^^١وأي ا م ،ق د
نزل ت نزول ا ل صا عقة عل ى إ ح د ى ا ل عوا ص م ٧المغ ربي ة ^ كأ ن تق و ل أوف ا س'ا ،سجلماس ة ' ' أو نفصة^ أو الم ه دي ة ^ ف انع د م الق و ت ،ف خ ر ج الن ا س إ الب رية
ل
ل
م الع ه د ا !نديم ٠^ ^ ١ ص١٠
ا ل ص ح راء* ١يطلب و ن الص بار وا ا ث
ن الرم ق،ف ل مي ج د وا شيئ ا .فأك ل وا ا ل ط ح ل ب وا ل ح ج ر ،وآ ر وا
عل ى الحي ا ةبع د
ع آهما ل م .وق ان ا افآما
انق طا
وا ي و ع ،آم ين! وت وال ت محن و ا ت الج ذ
وإي اك م
بضب عا إ ل
ال و
ن
من و ا ت ٣٧ ^ ١و كر
أنب ر ك ت ا لجما ل و ص ا ر ت
ال تق و ى ح تى عل ى ح م ل منام ه ا .اف لط ي فبعب ا ده الم ؤ بن ! و ما زال أب ا س يذ ك ر ون أه و ا ل ت ل ك السن و ا ت المظلم ة ،فيؤرخ و ن به ا أيام ه م ،وأ ح داثه م
*٠وك ا ن ي م ش مت ل ك الم د ن ا لعريقة ر ج ل م ن أعق ل ا لر جا ل ،ق دآ س “ ٢٧ الع ش ا ل رغ ي د -بأن ا ر ض ك م ال • < .وك ا ن هذا ا ل ر ج ل - ،شغ ل م ال ن ه ا رب إ ص ال ح ال عا ل ١٨وت رقيع ه ا م دك ا ن ظ ر ي ف يق عب ج ان ب م د رس ة أبي ا لعن ا ن ة
ح س ب رواة ،وبمجانمب زاوية
ا ل د ا ل ص ا ح ب ح س بف ريق
ث ا ن س ا ل ر و ا ة .و س ا ل ر واة س ك ا ن يق و ل إن دك ا نه ك ا ن ي ق عب ج وار ا ل م ن ي ف ة " ص أ ما
ال ء " ال ت ي بن ا ه ا أ م ال مبهنء* ا م اللي ل ،ف ك ا ن
ص ا حبن ا ي ث ت غ ل
و حي ا ة الن ا س راضية مر ضية ٢ به ا ل خئ ب ،د م ،
ولما
ال
س اعي ل ا ل م م ور ا ب
ي ي ^ ،واف أع ل م .
بما ئه ،وأبن ا ئه ،وبن ا ته ،وب ا ت ت حي ا ؛
ت ك د ر ها ح ت ى سحا بة ص ي ف أ ل ك ن ،
نزل ت عل يه ال ك ا رثة ،فز ع،
ولما
لما
أم
ح ا ص رته ا لأزم ة ،ان خل ع
عقل ه وقل به وفؤاده .و ح ن رأ ى ا ل ج ما لب ا ركة م ن ش دة الض ع فت ساق ط لبما نه ا ل ر اس خ بأن
ال ر
ص كنز
ال
يفن ى ،وته ا ن ت اعتق ا د؛؛ وغ ا ض .و لريع د
ن د نف عا . يقب ض عل ى شيء! فث ا ر تث ات ر ته ،ل ك زث و رته ٢٧م ج
ال ر ج ل
18
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
He said: “I’ve got to get food for my family. I just have to, even if it means going out stealing or killing!” So, early one m orning he left his house, armed with a knife. He walked close to the houses, looking around intently. The only thing he saw were the bodies o f staining people piled up along the street, hordes o f flies hovering around them. The red-hot sun beat down from a clear blue sky, while a scorching wind was blowing hard. W hat a horrendous sight! Look at this miserable humanity! The poor man cried and wept. Was there any point to any o f this? None! So what was he going to take back home? Wax? Was he going to turn wax into food for the children? Were they supposed to chew on it until it melted in their mouths? Dam n this age o f injustice! The man threw the wax into the house, and the mouths caught it. Then he returned to his shop, took a large sack and filled it with eve^thing he owned: sewing needle, thread, some nails, a hammer, knife and the lamp that hung from the ceiling. He locked the door to the shop, secured it and said to him self “Let me get out o f this place and explore the wide world.” As the poet says: A le x a n d ria is my home Ifth a t is where / am.
The man left his native land and evetyone in it and embarked upon his journey, travelling day and night, week after week, m onth after m onth, not knowing what he would come across. He crossed deserts, wastelands and oases, encountering neither flowers nor animals. Then, he disappeared ... However, according to some stoiytellers, the man saw the walls of the city o f Ghadamis appear before him, while others say that he continued on the Golden Road. The stoiyteller Abu Shu’a^rib M uhammad Bin Sulayman was certain that the man died of
7zz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
فق ا ل :رر
ال
بن م ن الق و ت للعي ا د ئ ،
ال
بد م ن
ذل ك
ول و ^ ^ ، ٧وا ل م ط و ،
والقت ل!)). فخر ج
ال صإ
ح
ب اك ر ال
ط حا
بشف ر ته ،و مي ح ا ذ ي ج دران ا
ويت ل ص ص،فلم ير إ ال ج ث ث الجي ا ع عل ى ق ارعة ابلريق متراك م ة، ال ذب ز بت طير عل ي ه ا ،والسماء زرق اء ص ا ح ية دائ م ا ،و ا ك
ك
و ار ع،
فل و ج،حا
ح مراء حادخ
س
دائ م ا ،وا لري ح ق و ية الف ح ة دائ م ا .ه ذا المن ظ ر ال ب ش ع ه ذ ه البش رية ا شس ة إ
فب ك ى ا ل مخن ،ب ك ى ،وشهق ون اح -وه ل هذاي ج د ي نفع أ ؟ ك ب وأل ف ك ال! وبما ذا مم عو د إ ل ال بي
ت ؟بالش م ع!فلت ج ع ل
العي ا ل الش م ع طعامال ها .ت لو ى ،
ت ل و كه،ت ل و كه ح ت ى ي ذ و ب م أف و ا هه ا .فلع نة اف عل ى ه ذا ال د ه ف و اه.ث م ع ا د إ و ر س ا ل ر ج لبالشم ع ز بيته ،فتل ق ف ت ه ا لأ ج راب ا كييرأ وأل ق ى فيه ك ز
ما
ل
ر ا ل ظا
م!
دك ا نه ،فتت ا و ل
ك ا ن يمل ك هت إب ر ة ا لخي ا ط ة وب ك ر ة ا لخي ط وبع ض
ا ل م ا ص و ط رقة وشف ر ة ،وذا ك ال قندي ل المعل ق م ا ل ش ف .أغل قب ا ب ال د ك ا ن، لأر ح ل
أ ح ك م غل ق ه وت ا ل :ررف
ع ن ه ذ ه الب ال د ،فأر ض اف وا م مة))٠٢٩
،ا ل م ك د ري ه نا ر ي مح
و خ م ا <مح ي م *
وت ر ك ا ل ر ج ل الدني ا و س فيه ا ،و محلك ا لجا دة ،وم ا رلي آل ونه ا رأ ،أسب يد ر ي
وشه ر ا ،و ه
و ال
ا ل ودلا ن"اأم
و ا نمحا ر ى ،م ،
ما
وع ا
مي ال قيه ،وه و يق ط ع القف ا ر ^ ومهراري™ ،وت جت ا ز ان س
به ام
و ال طائ ر يو ح ي إليهبالحي ا ة ،ح تى غ ا ب ٠٠.ويق و ل ب ض ا ل ر واةت إنه
ظه ر
ض وار غدا م س مم أم ا م أ
و ال
بين م ا
نب ا ت يعرت ض سبيل ه ،و
ال
دابة
ي ذ ه ب رواة آ خ ر و ن إ ل الق و ل! إنه
مل ك
طر يق
ال ذ ه ب .ل ك ن الر ا و ي أب ا ث ي ب محم د بن محلما ن ي ؤ ك د أن ا ل ر ج ل ما ت ج وعأ وع ط ث أ م ا ل ص ح راء ال ك ر ى .إ ال أن ص ا ح ب ا ل طهرأب ا مهرك ا ت ش ت : أن
ال ر ج ل
ض و ا ره ا . ق د لمح ته ح ما ^ ٦٢م دين ة طمبكت و أ ما م أ
أم ر ،فلنق ل إن
ال ر ج ل
وا
صل
وم ه م ا
يك نم ن
طر يق ه رغ م ا ل جو ع ،وا ل ع ط ش ،والت ع ب ال ش دي د ،
20
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
hunger and thirst in the Great Desert. However, Sahib al-Tayr Abu al-Barakat asserted that the man was observed by the pigeons o fth e city o f Tim buktu in front o f its walls. Whatever the case may be, let us assume that the man continued his journey, despite severe hunger, thirst and fatigue, since we do not want our story to end here ... It was only with great difficulty that, on a costal-clear night, the traveller reached the walls o f a city made o f red clay which had suddenly appeared in the bleak desert, much to his surprise. Excited, but perhaps also fearful, he knocked on the gate. A guard appeared, who said: “Welcome to the city o f Timbuktu. You are among brothers.” This allayed the m an’s fears; he regarded this welcome as auspicious. He asked the guard for some water - for water means salvation - to wet his parched m outh. The guard said: “Drink! However, one o f the conditions o f entry into the city is that you spend the night outside its walls. On the morrow, you may enter, provided you have a gift for our ruler, the Sultan.” Then the guard disappeared, and the man remained alone all night. He wondered what he was going to do about this gift for the Sultan, since he had nothing in his bag that he could give. W hat could he do? Damn this age o f injustice! When the voice o f the m uezzin calling the faithful to the dawn prayer resounded, the guard came out o f the gate and hurried to rouse the man, who was purposefully veiy slow in waking up. The guard took him first to the mosque, where the traveller performed his ablutions, which he also stretched out for a veiy long time. Then, he prayed, taking his time with the genuflections and prostrations and stalling his prayers. His heart was throbbing like mad, the pulses reverberating like a drum. The guard offered him some dates and milk. After having eaten, the man was finally led to the palace. He felt as though
21
٠Izz al-Din a l-M a d a n i
لأنن ا الن ر ي د ل ق دبل غ
أ ال
تق ف ح ك ايتن ا عند ه ذا ا لخن. ٠. ب ش ق ا ل أ ش س م إ ح د ى اآل سي ا ت ال شم 1فة م ث ر الل ور
ال ر ج ل
أض وار م دين ة ط ينية ح م راء ،ق دق ا م تف ج أ ة ض ا ل م سا م ب '/م اخل ر داءغف ام نم ه ش ل
ذ ل ك .و س ش د ة الف ر ح ،أو رمما م ن ش د ة اخل و ف ،د قب ا ب ا
ع
ا
ل
و ر ،ف رز ل
س ^ وص ي ف.
فق ا ل ل ه! رر م ر ح بأ ب ك
م م دين ة ط مبكت و ،أ ه أل و م ه ال ب
ك يي ن
إ خ وان ك!)).
فهدأ رو ع ا ل ر ج ل ،وامح تبشر خثرا بهذا الترحا ب ،ف ا ل ه خيئ ا م ن الماء، والماء أ ما ن ،ح ت ى ي
ريقه.
ل
فق ا لل ه ا ن ما س ا لو ص ي ف ؛ (رإخ ر ب،ل ك ن م نش ر و ط ال د خ و ل أن تن ا م الليل ة خ ا ر ج ال سو ر،ث م أن ت د خ ل صب ا ح غد بهدية عل ى م و الن ا ا،م ا د ا ط ان))م ث م غ ا ب ا ل ص ا س الوص م ف ،وبق ي ي هديه إ
ل
السلطا ن،
بين م ا
م
ال ر ج ل
ال ي ملك شيئ ا
س ه عما ط و ا ل اللي ل بما ل نف
م ج ر ابهيست ح ق ا ال هداء! كي ف
يف ع ل ؟ لع نة اف عل ى ه ذا ال د ه ر ا ل ظا ثر! ولما أذن الم ؤذ ن ص الة الف ج ر ،خ ر جل ه ا لع سا س الوص ي ف م هرو ال لي وق ظ ه. سيق ظ عل ى م ه ل ،ت م أد خل ه ا ل م ا س
أو ال
إ
ل ال م
ج د ،خت و ئ أ ،وأ طا ل م
الوض وء•* وصل ى ،وأ طا ل م ا ل ر كو ع ' ،وا ل م ج ود ^ ،و ط ح ،وأ طا ل م الت سي ح م ، ،ومن م ،وأ طا ل كال ب ن د لأ* ا ل رن ا ن م ن
م الت سل م “ ،وذك ر افتعالى م ، ،وقل به ي خف ق
ال ضر ب .ث م
تمر ة ،وخ ر ب خ ر بة .وأخثرا ق ا د ه إ المالط ف ة ،ه ذ ه
المجا
ق د م ل ه ا ن ما س ل
الق صر .فأ ح س
ا ل م ر والح ال ر ج ل
ب ،فتن ا و ل
بأنه سج ن ن ه ذه
د ،ه ذ ه الضي ا فة الق ا ي ة عل ى القل ب .ما ذا مج ه د ي إ
ل
ا ل مل ط ا ن ؟ المطر قة؟ س ه ئ م به ا ر ف ! الشف ر ة؟ سذب ح ه به ا! إب ر ة ا لخي ا ط ة؟ سيخي
ط
سق ودث به ا ج فنيه ،و خفتيه أ ال ب ك ر ة ؟سي و ثق ه به ا خ ال فأ ومح
(ري ا ك ل ب
22
M odern A ra b ic
Stories: A B ilingual Reader
he were a prisoner of this kindness and courtesy, this merciless hospitality. W hat would he give to the Sultan? The hammer? He would use it to smash his head in! The knife? He would slaughter him with it! The sewing needle? He would use it to sew his eyelids and lips! The thread? He would use it to truss him, saying: “You dog! You dare present me with wretched thread after we have treated you as our guest, honoured you and elevated you above ourselves! You dog!” To which the traveller would retort: “May God protect me from the Devil!” Finally the man found him self in front o f the Sultan, who was surrounded by his retinue of secants. The Sultan rose from his throne and descended the dais to welcome his guest, saying: “Greetings. Welcome in our midst, esteemed guest.” The Sultan then embraced his guest and kissed him, as though he was greeting a dear friend he had not seen in a long time. He bade the man sit next to him on the throne. The man continued to clutch his bag close to his chest, whereas the Sultan did not take his eyes off it. Suddenly, the ruler asked: “Is that our present you’ve got in that bag of yours?” All the members o fth e Sultan’s entourage fell silent, agog in anticipation to see the wonderful gift for the Sultan. The man mumbled: “Yes, my lord, this is your gift in the bag.” The Sultan shrieked with joy, while the man imagined his head on the chopping block. He put his hand into the bag, and hit upon the lamp. He took it out and gave it to the Sultan, who looked at it in wonder: “W hat’s this?” The man said: “It’s a lam p.” The Sultan was speechless, while eve^rone in his entourage craned their necks to get a better look at the object. Then the Sultan said: “A lamp?”
‘Izz al-D tn a l-M a d a n i
3ق
ب د أن ا ش ف ف ن ا ك وأكر*تاك وجملغأك ت ه د ي إ ز بك ر ة س ا لخيط الح ض م ف و ق وؤوسن ا ؟! يا كل ب ؟ يا ك م أ » فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل« :أعوذ < اش م ن الشء طا ن ر جم م »ع. ، وإذا به
أ ما م الم
ا طا ن و م حض ر ة حا شيته؟؛ .
ونه ض السلطا ن م ن ع ر شه ،ونزلليق
ل
ضيفه أ ح ن ال تب و ل.
فق ا لل ه :رر م ر ح بأ ،م ر ح بأ ،حلل ت أ ه لأ ،ونزل تس ه ال! ))*. ٠
وع انقه وقبل ه وا حتضنه ،ك ما لو ا ح ت ضن ص د ي ق أ عزيزأ عل ه م يش ا هده منذ ز ما ن.
وأجل
هب ج ا نبه عل ى ا ل ع ر ش•
و ظ ل ا ل ر ج ل متمامح
ك اب ج ر ب
ال
هدبن ا م ا خل ر ا ب؟)). م يف ا رقه .و ظ ل ا ل مل طا ن ي د م إليه الن ظ ر ،فق ا ل (( :هذه ف ك ت أف ر ا د الحا شية م ه ر م ئ ال ه دي ة السلطا نية الف ا خ ر ة. و
م ه م ال ر ج ل
فق ا ل!
ررن عم ي ا
م و ال ي ا ل م ا طاد،ء ه ذ ه
هديت ك م
م
اخل را ب)). ح ت خ ربة ا ل ج ال دأ فف ر ح ا ل خ طا نف ر ح أ خديدأ .ورأ ى ا ل ر ج ل رأسهي طير ن فأ د خ ل
ي د ه م ا ل جر ا ب ،ف ا ص ط د م تبال قندي ل فتن ا ول ه ،وأع طا ه إ
ل
ا ل خ طا ن٠
فت ع ج ب ا ل سل طا ن(( :ما ه ذا؟)) فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل(( :هذا ند ي ل!)). فب ه ت السلطا ن ،وامح رأب ت أعن ا ق أف ر ا د اخل ا خية ست طلع ي نم. ٠٠ فق ا ل
الل
ط ا ن(( :قندي ل ؟)).
فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل(( :ن عم ،ي ا م و ال ي فق ا ل السلطا ن فأ ج ا
ث را:
((و ما
الم
ا طا ن إنه واش٠١
مع ن ى قندي ل؟)).
<ه آل ة م ن الن ح ا س ،فيه ا ت ب ا ل ر ج ل :ر م
ف ا ل ه ا ل مال طا ن:
((و ما
قندي ل
م ن الن ح ا س)).
و ظ يفته؟)).
ل
وف ي ء م ن ال زيت))-
24
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
“Yes, my lord - a lamp made out of copper.” “What does ‘lamp* mean?” enquired the Sultan. The man replied: “It is a device made of copper, with a wick and a little hit o f oil.” The Sultan asked: “^ a t does it do?” “It gives light.” W ith increasing amazement, the Sultan asked: “It gives light just like the sun or the moon?” “It lights up the world when the sun has disappeared and it is cloaked in darkness.” The Sultan was quite taken aback. “So, this is a piece o f live coal from the sun?” The man replied: “If you wish, my lord.” As the Sultan gazed at the lamp, turning it every which way, he said: “Does it give light at this moment?” The man replied: “No, it’s not giving off any light at the moment, my lord. Let me light it.” W ith a magical movement the man ignited the lamp, and light suddenly began to spread throughout the hall, leaving the Sultan quivering, almost fainting with joy and glee. The members o f his entourage were clapping their hands and cheering, praising God for His munificence. The Sultan took the man to his side, grabbed the lamp and proceeded towards the window looking out onto the streets o f the city. Lo and behold, they were thronged with people eager to know about the Sultan’s gift. Then, the Sultan cried out: “This is the lamp!” The crowd cheered, their eyes glued to the lamp: “Long live the lamp! Long live the Sultan! Long live the lamp! Long live the Sultan!” The Sultan then kissed his guest and said to him: “We didn’t know about the lamp, and thanks to you, our esteemed guest, we’ve learned something that we didn’t know. You’ve lit up our darkness. You’ve let the sun into our world, and for this, I’ll make you a minister!”
7 zz al-Din a l-M a d a n i
5ق
فأ جا ب ا ل ر ج ل(( :و ظ يفته أن يتير!)). فزادتعجم ب ا د ا ط ،ن(( :أن ينير مث ل الش م س أو الق م ر؟)). فأ ج ا
ت ب الش م س ويعم ال ظ ال م الدني ا))٠ ب ا ل ر ج ل(( :أن ينثر الدني ا “ م ن ج
فا ن ظ ع ا فأ ج ا
س ا ن(( :إذن،
ب ا ل ر ج ل(( :إذا
أرد م
م قب س م ن الش م س؟)). ذ ل كي ا م و ال ي ا د ا ط ا نأ ) ) م
ث مق ا ل ال ط ط ا ن وه و يق ل ب ال قندي ل بتن يديه( :روه ل ه و ينير ا الن؟))م
فأ جا ب ا ل ر ج ل :ررإنه ال شر ا ال نيا م و ال ي الم ا طا ن ه ا إي محأوث د ه ) ) . وب ح ر ك ة س حرية أ وق د ا ل ر ج ل ال قندي ل .ف ث غ الن ورف ج أ ةف ا هتز السل طان ب ذ ل ك ،وك ا د يغ م ى عل يه ف ر ح أ ومحر ورآ وانشرا ح أ .وص ف ق أف ر ا د اخل اخ جة وهلل و
ا م وك إ ر وامه ،و ح م د وا ال ذ عل ى
ال ر ج ل
ن ت ه .ف أ خ ذ ا ل خ طا ن م
إ
ل
جا نبه ،وتن ا و ل ال قندي ل ،وت ق د من ح و الشب ا ك المطل عل ى خ و ا ر ع الم دين ة ،وإذا ا ل جما هير مكت ظ ة وه ي تتش و ق إ ف
صا
معر فة ال ه دي ة.
ل
ح ا ل م ا طاد،ت ((إنه ا قندي ل أ)).
ف هتف ت ا لجماهير* ،وأب ص ا ره ا معل ق ة بال قندي ل .ي ا لمططا ن! ي حي ا ال قندي ل،ي
حي ا الم
حي ا ال قندي ل ،ي حي ا
ا طا ن !)).
ر(إف نرنعر ف م حف رتن ا ا ل سل طا نية ئ م أقب ل ا ل خ طا ن عل ى ضيفه فق ا لل ه :ي ال قندي ل .ومما أ ك أيه ا ال ضي ف المب ج ل ا ل ع ظ م ق د ع رفتنا.مما ئر ن ك ننعر ف، وق د أن ر ت ظلمتن ا ،و ق د
أد خل ت الش م س
فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل(( :يا م و ال ي
ي دني ان ا ،فيا،ف
أ ج عل ك
وزيرأ!!)).
سن ا ن أن ا ر ج ل م ن ا سمم ،ص
أه ل
م
والتق و ى ،أ ح ب ا لعافية وا ل ط م أنينة ،و ال أع ر ف تدبجر فأ ل ح
عل يه ال ا ط ا ن إخل ا ح أ ش دي دأ ،فق ا ل ل ه ا ل ر ج ل(( :أ عف ي ي ا م و ال ي
السلطا ن م ن ه ذا
المن ص ب
أك ن
لك
خ ا دم أ أم ينأ ،و ص ا ح بأ ودودأ)).
26
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
The man said: “My lord, I am but a comm oner, a Godfearing m a n . اenjoy peace and tranquillity and w ouldn’t know how to advise a Sultan.” However, the Sultan insisted, upon which the man said: “My lord, I implore you to relieve me from this post. I’ll be a faithful se c a n t and devoted friend.” The Sultan exclaimed: “Outstanding! Bravo!” Then the Sultan ordered the Treasurer to come to him. When he arrived, the three o f them went to the Treasury. The Sultan said to the traveller: “Take what you like from these worldly goods and improve your situation with it!” The man grabbed as m uch jewelleiy, pearls, diam onds and other precious stones like coral as his bag could take. Then the Sultan bade the Marriage Judge o fth e city o f Tim buktu to come to him immediately. W hen he arrived, the Sultan said to him: “I am going to wed this man to my daughter Zubeida. I want you to write the marriage contract, and be quick about it!” The Sultan then dressed the traveller in a gold-embroidered silk robe o f honour and guided his guest to the princess in the presence o fth e courtiers. W hen the man saw his bride-to-be, he thought she was the most beautiful girl his eyes had ever beheld. She brought to m ind the words o fth e ancient poet: M y nighty this bride is one ofth e Z a n j A d orn e d w ith p e a rl necklaces.
The Marriage Judge said: “Forsooth, I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as Zubeida, nor anyone as tender, fragrant, slender or more delicate. She is like musk and amber, silk and velvet, like a flower and jasmine. It is time to draw up the marriage contract!” The man made thousands o f lamps for the Sultan, his courtiers and all the people. He hung them eve^vhere: in the palace, the mosques, the schools, streets, squares and houses.
‘Izz al-Din a l-M a d a n i
7ق
فق ا ل ا ل خ طا ن( :ريخ بخث م بخ!)) ث م أ م ر الس ر طا ن بإ حض ا ر
صا
ح ب بي ت
الما ل.ف ل ما
حض ر ،ذه بئ
ال ي ه م
إ ل ال دي وا ن. “1 فق ا ل
ط ا ن لل ر ج ل؛ ررتن ا و ل
الل
ما
ق ث ت م ن وس خ ال د ب
يم
هل ح
حال ك!!)).
م ن ا ر ض اخل وا * ر والل ؤل ؤ واخل م ا ن والما س و م م ج د والر جا ز بكلت ا يديه ح ت ى
أم ل ج ر ابه .ث م أ م ر
السلطا نب إ حض ا ر ق ا ضي ا لأنك ح ةمام
مب دين ة ط مبكت و ا ل عا م ر ة عل ى الف و ر. ف ل م ا حضرق ا لل ه ! ررهذا ا ل ر ج ل أزو ج ه ابنتي زبيدة.ف اكت ب ع ق د ال ن ك ا ح عل ى ع ج ل!)) . ئ م خل ع عل يه ا ل م ا ط ا ن خ لع ة م ن ال د ش س وا لحرير ن وئ ا ة بال ذ ه ب ، وأد خل ه نف أ ج م ل ما
ط
وب حض ور الحا خية عل ى ابنته .ف و ج د ه ا ا ل ر ج ل
ع روض ا
من
رأ ى ٠٠.فه ي ك ما ق ا ل الش اع ر ا ك د م ،ف در لأم:
ص ض ء دث س س ا ؤ غا ه عي ه اف ال ن سلحم ب أ
وق ا ل ق ا ض ي ا لأنك ح ة :ررواف إ ي ل؛ أر أ ج ز ع ن زييدة،
و ال
أر خ ص م نه ا ،
و ال أع ط ر ،و ال أض م ر ،و ال أرق ،نهي م ك وعنبر• وهي حر م ومحمل- وه ي ورد وياصم ي نم واشل ق د تن ه د ت ون ت كت ا بة الع ق د !)) وص ن ع عل ق ه ا
ال ر ج ل
جميعا
وش وارعه ا ،و
للسلطا ن و ل ل ح ا شية وللن ا س أ-جمع ي ن أل ف أل ف قندي ل، م
ط و
ق صر
الم دين ة ،وأمحو اقه ا ،و
ما
ج د ه ا ،وم دا رس ه ا ،
ح ه ا ،وبيوته ا* و و ق ف عل ي ه ا أل ف وئ ا د م ن الزن و ج ا ل ر د
ح ت ى غ ر ن ت الم دينة و م ك انه ا م الن و رليأل ونه ارأ • وع ا ش ص ا حبن ا م ا ل ي م وا ل ع ا دة ،و طا ب ت ل ه الحي ا ة من و ا ت ط ويل ة أ ن ...نعم ،إ
ل
أن ب دأي ح ز إ
ل
اليعلم ع د د ه ا إ ال
و ط نه ،ويئت ا ق إ
ل
است عال ،إ
ل
رؤية عيال ه وأهل ه .ورأ ى
8ق
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
He employed one thousand black men to light the lamps until the entire city and its inhabitants bathed in light night and day. As for our traveller, he enjoyed a life o f com fort and happiness for many years, though only God knows for how long, until... yes, until he began to yearn for his native land, and to see his children and people again. He realized that the lean years must have ended by now, and that the fat years must have started, bringing with them prosperity and blessings. Yet, who knows? He asked the Sultan for permission to travel to his native land. The Sultan agreed, and the traveller began to prepare a caravan o f camels, horses, donkeys and mules carrying rugs from Kairouan, mastic from the Yemen, teak from Niger, amber from the Sudan, ivory from Ghana, and other fineries. And so the traveller left the bright lights o f Tim buktu for his native land, under the protection o f God the Almighty. As soon as he and his caravan arrived in his native city, people began crowding around him to grab his possessions ؛soon fights erupted over them, and they even began to kill each other. The mob attacked the camels, the horses, mules and donkeys with knives and ate them all. The traveller enquired what was happening, and was told: “The people in the city haven’t had anything to eat for about twenty years.” He remembered his famous saying and former indignation, and said: “Damn this age o f injustice!” There was another man there, sitting motionless, observing the dreadful spectacle. Then he looked at the traveller. His eyes alternated between the terrible scene and the traveller, who was still sitting on his camel and staring at the hum anity milling around like a swarm o f locusts. Finally, the man got up and greeted the traveller. He said: “I know you. You used to work as a cobbler, and your shop was next to the shrine o f Moulay M uhamm ad al-Dakhil. My shop was opposite yours. I used to repair sandals. My shop used to be next to the shrine o f Moulay M uhamm ad al-Kharij.
‘Izz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
و2
أن ا ل م و ا ت ا ل ع جا
حامل ة مع ه ا ا لخير
ف
ال
ب د أنه ا أ ن ه ت وأن ا ل م و ا ت السما ن
وال بركةل
بل د ه .فأذ ن ل ه فتأ ه
ب
ال
ي د أ ه حل ت ،
م م ن يد ر ي؟ف ا متأ ذ ن السل طان م ا ل ر م صل ؛ ق
و ج هز ق افل ة ص الج م ا ل وا
والغ ا ل'1
يل لخ
واخل مب ر
حنل ه ا ز رانيأ أ الرق ي و'ن ،ولب ا ن اليم ن ،وسما ج الني ج ر ،وعض ا ل ر دان، وع ا ج غ ا ن ة . . .وب ا ر ح م دين ة
طمبكت و
ا ل م ع د ة ا آلع ن ة بأنوارها ا
ك
رئ
اب ا ط ع ة ،وقص د و ط نه عل ىب ر ك ة اش.
د خ ل ا ل ر ج ل .ق افلته إ ل المدين ة .وإذابالن ا س مب شرون حوله ،وإذا يفت ك و ن البض ا غ ،وإذا ين ح ر و ن ال جما ل
به م
واخل ل
ي خ ا ص م و ن وإذا به
م
يق ات ل و ن ،وإذا بال ك م ي ن
وال بغ ا ل والحم ير ،ويأك ل و ن ،ويأك ل و ن.
٠٠ا ل ر ج ل)) ،فقي ل ل ه ( :رأن
اه ا ل
به م
الم د ي ة م ي اك ل و ا ش
فأ ل
ش ذ زه ا ،عث ر ي ن
ط
منة ،وتذ ك ر قول ته ال شهي ر ة ونق م ت ه المقد ي ة فق ا ل :رر لع نة الأن عل ى ه ذا ال د ه ر
ا ل ظال م ». وك ا ن
رجل
آ خ ر ق ابع أ ش م ك ا نه ال يت ح ر ك ،ي
إ
طر
ل
الم ش ه د المر بع،
ث م ي طر إ ل ررا لرجل)) .ت م ي ط ر إ ل الم ش ه د الم ف ز ع ،ن م ي طر إ ل ررا لرجل ((ا لر ا ك ب عل ى را حل ته ،الت ع ج ب ص ه ذا اخلل ق الم نتشر ك ال ج ر ا دث مي ط ر إ ل
ا ل ش هد الم ه ول • وأ خ را ،نهض ،وأقب ل عل ى ((اأ ر ج ل))• فق ا ل ل ه (( :ل ق د ع رفت ك ،ك ن ت ت ث ت غ ل إس ك ا ئ .ودك ان
ك
ك ا نب
ج ان ب
يف قبال ة دك ا ك .و كن ت أشتغ ل ربت قتع زاوية م و ال ي محم د ال دا خ ل• وك ا ن دك ا يف ك ا نب ج ا ن ب زاوية م و ال ي محم د اخل ا ر ج. الن عا ل .ودك ا ا
لآن .ل ك ن ،ق ل
ال
ب د أن
ك
عرضي
ل ،ب ا ف علي ك ^ ،كي ف صنع ت لت ح ص ل عل ى ه ذ ه الرت وة؟
و ما ذافعل ت ؟ ق ل
لفيا،ف ن
يوم ب دأ ت المح نة .وإ
ل
مل ك
م ا ل حر فة ،و ج ا رك
أ يبل د ر ح ل تلت ج م ع
م ال سو ق ،ولريبملث
ه ذه النعم ة ؟ق ل ل
إ ي مشت ا ق
30
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
You must remember me by now. Tell me, honestly, how did you manage to acquire such wealth? W hat have you been doing? Tell me, since we work in the same trade. I was your neighbour in the souk , and your com panion on the day you started in the profession. W hich c o u n ty did you travel to in order to collect all these fine things? Tell me, for I am keen on bread and meat, silk, women, gold, tranquillity and sweet dreams. Save me from the pain and m ise ^ of this age of injustice!” The traveller replied: “Leave this land, my frietid, and follow the road until its end. There, you will find a city, and one o fth e conditions for entering it is that you offer a gift - any gift - to its Sultan. And the strange thing is that they reward you for it, too! As you can see, it is quite simple.” So the other man left his country in search o f the good life, meat, silk, women, gold, tranquillity and sweet dreams. He travelled until the end o f the road and crossed the desert until, one clear night, he arrived at a city made o f red clay, like Marakkech or Tozeur, which had suddenly sprung up in the middle o fth e desert. He knocked on the gate, after which a guard came out and greeted him in the m ost splendid fashion. The following morning, the guard woke him up and said: “Do you have a gift for our lord the Sultan?” The man immediately answered: “Yes, I’ve got a gift in this bag.” The man quickly went through his ablutions and prayers and hastened to the palace, h u r lin g in to meet the Sultan and his entourage. He quickly prostrated him self and kissed the ground before the Sultan. When he raised his eyes he saw that the Sultan was barefoot, as were all the courtiers, including the guard who had brought him in. He rose from the ground, slipped his hand into the bag, and took out one o f the most beautiful and best sandals that had ever been made in the city o f Fes since its foundation.
‘Izz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
1و
إ ل ا لخبز ،وا لل ح م ،والحرير ،وا ل م اء ،وال ذ ه ب وا ل ر ا حة ،واأل ح ال م ^ ١؛. أتقذق ،م ،آ الم هذا ال د م ا ل ظا لم!».
أ جابه ال ر ج ل؛ رءار ح ليا أ خ ي عن مذا البل د ،وا سل ك اي ا دة إ ل منته اء ا ، ت د م دين ة ،م ن شروط د خ وهل ا أن ت ق د م هدي ة— أيأ ك ان ت— الى وهن ا ك ج ط ط ا ن ه ا .ف إ ذا
ما
أ ع م ت هف إ نهي ج ازي ك .فأا ل م رس ه ليسرك مات ر ى!)).
ور ح ل ا ل ر ج ل عن و طنه طل بأ لل ص ،وا لل ح م ،وا لخرير ،وا ل م اء، وال ذ ه ب ،وا ل را ح ة ،واأل ح ال م الل ذ ي ذ ة .ف ا ر إ ل الجا د ة ح ت ى منتهاها ،وا7حت از ا ل ص ح راء ،ح ت ىبل غ إ ح د ى ا لأمسي ا ت الشف ا فة دائ م أ إ ل م دين ة حم راء مث ل
م را ك ش
ق د ق ا م تف ج أ ة <دين ا ل ح ا س ب ٠د قب ا ب ؛لسور،
أو توزر
ف خ ر جل ه ا ن ما س الوص م ف ا ل ص إ ح ،وت ا ل ل ه ؛ ( ره الف و ر:
((ن عم ل
هدي ة
ور ح ب
ل لك
م ه ذا
به
أ ج ل ال ترحا
ب دائ م أ .ث م أيقظه م
هدي ة لموالن ا ا ل م ا طا ن؟))م ا ل جر ا ب)) .ث م
مت ع ج ال ،وأك ل مت ع ج ال ،وس ا ر ن
حو
أ جا
ب ا ل ر ج ل عل ى
ت و ف أ ا ل ر ج ل مت ع ج لأ ،وصل ى
الق ص ر مت ع ج ال،
ود خ ل
عل ى ال سن ا ن
وعل ى حا جت ه مت ع ج لأ ،فقب ل ا لأرض بتن يديه مت ع ج ال .و ح نن وف ع عينيه و م ما
زال محاج دأ ،
ال ح ظ
أن
الل
ط ا ن حايف ال ق د ض وأن أف ر ا د اخلاص ية حف ا ة،
وأن ا ن ما س حايف ال ق د ب ن .فق ا م م ن س جو ده
وأد خ ل
ي ده
م ا ل جر ا ب،
فتن ا و لبلغة م ن أ ج م ل البلغ ا ت وأحس ن ه ا ،وأبد عه ا ولعل ه ا م ن أ رو ع البلغ ا ت ال ت ي صنع ته ا م دين ةف ا س م ن ذت ا ري خ تأ يس ه ا إ ل الي و م. فق ا ل ل ه ا ل سل طا ن م ب ه ورأت ( ( ما ه ذ ا؟))م فأ ج ا به ا ل ر ج ل! ((هذهبلغة هدي ة إل ي ك ميا م و ال ي ا ل م ا ط ان))م فق ا ل
الم
ا طا ن:
((و ما
و ظ يفت ه ا؟)).
فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل ؛(( و ظ يفته ا أن تنتعل ه ا ه ك ذا ٠٠. وم ش ى
ال ر ج ل
به ا خ ط و ا ت فف ر ح
ب ذ ل ك السلطا نف ر ح ا
ش دي دا ،وص ف ق
32
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Surprised, the Sultan asked him: “W hat’s this?” “This sandal is a gift for you my lord.” The Sultan asked: “W hat’s it for?” The man answered: “It is to he worn as follows.” Thereupon the man took a few steps in the sandals. The Sultan was extremely pleased with this, and the courtiers all applauded. They called out: “Long live the sandal! Long live the Sultan! Long live the sandal! Long live the Sultan!” The Sultan then went up to the man and said: “This is a most wonderful present you’ve given me, and it merits the greatest reward!” The Sultan then ordered the Treasurer to come, and when he arrived, the Sultan told him: “Return whence you came.” The courtiers were surprised at this. The Sultan said: “This man deserves a better reward than mere filthy lucre.” He turned to the man, and said: “Esteemed guest, please raise your eyes towards the ceiling.” The man lifted his head. The Sultan asked him: “W hat do you see?” The man replied: “I see a lamp.” “Behold the reward for your gift!”
*Izz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
33
أف ر ا د الحا ث ي ة . فهتف وا؛ ررتحي ا اليلغة أي حي ا السلطا ن أ ث م أقب
ل الل
ب د أن أ ج ازي
ك
ني ا اليلخة أي حي ا ال ا ط ا ن أ )إ ح
ف ،ئ و ط ا ن عل ى ا ل ر ج ل فق ا لل ه؛ ((هذه أ ب د ع هدية أ ه دي ت 1ي ختر الجزاء!)).
ث م أ مرب إ حض ا ر ص ا ح ب بي ت
الما ل.ف ل ما
حف ر ،ث ا ل ل ه ال -ا ط انت ر(عد
م ن ح ي ث أتبت)) . ض ج م ت اخل ا شية. فق ا ل السلطا ن عن دئ ذ(( :هذا ا ل ر ج ل يست ح ق جزاء أع ظ م م ن و س خ الدني ا!)). ئ م خ ا ط ب ا ل ر ج ل؛ ((أيه ا ال ضي ف ال ب غ ل ا لع ظي م ارفع رأ س ك ن ح و ال ث ف ) ) م
م
م ة
ق -س تر ط..
فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل :أ ر ى ق د ال>>.
فق ا ل ا ل ل ط ان :رره و ل ك جزاء عل ى هديت ك! )).
34
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Language Notes
1 .ا ئ ث ه ث
ا لأزاد وأن ا ببغداد: extract from the opening line o fth e
so-called نق ا م ة بغداد, composed by the Persian-born Faris alHam adhanI (968-1008), who is credited with the invention o fth e مقام ةgenre (lit. “standing”, but usually translated as “session” or “assembly”), which consists o f social vignettes recounted in razor-sharp, eloquent rhyming prose () ن خ ع. The مق ا ما تare also a cornucopia o f rare and archaic words. The genre was further developed by Abu M uhammad al^ s i m Ibn al-Harlrl (1054-1122). 2 . ا لأزاد: also known as “( ا ل ر نبيق ا لأئ ضthe white lily”), it is a type o f date ( )تمرknown for its exquisite taste. و. غف و آ: the usual meaning o f this term is “ ؟xcuse me!” or “D on’t m ention it!” (in response to ف ك ر ا, “Thank you”). However, it can also mean “o f one’s own accord”, or “spontaneously” (cf. عف و ي, “spontaneous” and غفوئة, “s ^ n ta n e ity ”). 4. واف أغن م: this form ula, which literally translates as “God knows best” or “(Only) God knows”, is traditionally used to express doubt regarding the veracity o f a statement. 5 . الم غ ل والق ح ط،ف ا ف وا لخ: in this example o f lexical repetition all three words denote “drought”, with ق ح طhaving the additional connotation o f “dearth”, or even “famine”. 6 . اش غف ان ا: lit. “May God spare us”; it is used when someone is faced with a particularly dire prospect. 7. الع وا ص م: sg. ;ع ا ص م ةthe m odern word for “capital (city)”, but I^sed in the past for any major urban centre. 8. ال ئ ر ب: this term, which currently refers to “M o ^ c c o ”, used to denote the Islamic lands in the west (المث ر ب, “the place where the sun sets”). Note that in English, “؛Maghrib” tends to be synonymous with “N orth Africa” (i.e. Morocco,
‘Izz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
35
Tunisia, Algeria and Libya). و.ت الرق ي وا نa town (and governorate capital) in central Tunisia, approxim ately 150 km from Tunis. An old centre of Islamic learning, Kairouan is the site o fth e first mosque in northern Africa (or ا(إفبيقي اand was the first Islamic capital o fth e region (and a base for m ilitary expeditions). 10. ف ا س: the traditional capital o f northern Morocco, Fes (or Fez) boasts the oldest university in Morocco, dating back to the m id-ninth century and the famous ق ر و ي نmosque. Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, Fes was the undisputed political, economic and intellectual centre of the entire region. The town also achieved great fame as a relig؛ous centre. 11.سحلماس ة: the ancient capital o f th e ت افلل تdistrict, situated some 300 km from Fes, it acted as the gateway to the desert and was also the centre for a num ber of Moroccan dynasties. Today, only ruins remain of this most evocative o f sites. 12 ق ش ة م: a town in Tunisia s©!ne 350 km southwest o f Tunis. Its name is derived from the Arabicized form of Capsa, which was the name o f the Roman settlement on that site. After playing a considerable part in the country’s histoiy, (even including a short independent spell in the eleventh and twelfth centuries), Gafsa (its current Latinized form reflecting the local pronunciation o f قas /g /) dwindled into^ oblivion 13-
a Tunisian town and provincial capital (named after its founder, م ح د اف م ه د ي, d. 934 AD), located on the coast some 200 km south ofT unis. ل4*صبر م: “cactus”, “Indian fig” (or “tamarind”). However, there is also a possible play on the homographic ( نجارor ص ار، )صب ار, meaning “(smooth) stones” in Classical Arabic. ل5• ا لخش ا م: sg. ( خ شي شcoll. ), which, in addition to “herbs” or “grass”, also demotes “hem p” (cannabis).
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
16.
وق ان ا اف وإيا ك م: lit. “May God preserve us and you (fro im m inent evil).” 17. محز ال ن ش ا إل ض: this is a reference to the fixed expression “( القن ا عة كنز ال ق شcontentm ent is an everlasting treasure”),
which is attributed to ‘All Ibn Abl Talib (d. 661), the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, who was also the fourth caliph in Islam. 18. ا ش ا ل: sg. ( نت لpi. also )أ ممل, originally denoted “sole”. ول. ن د زس ة أبي العن ا ي ة: this Fes-based school was founded in the fourteenth centuiy. 20. ن وا ة: sg. رو ي >) راو, “to report, narrate”). Also related are “( روايةnovel”) and “( ر وا مnovelist”). 21. زاوية: lit. “corner” (of a building) originally meant the cell o f a Christian m onk (also )ص ؤمع ة. In Islam, it refers to a small mosque (which in many cases houses a saint’s tomb), prayer room or (especially in the Maghrib) a building for members o f a ن وصbrotherhood () ط ر يقة. 22. نميم ة: p i . بف ا ئ ف مoriginally the roofed portion o f a street. 23. ك غ الء: this is the feminine form o f “( أ ك خ لblack”, especially referring to eyes, with the plural form ك غ لbeing ho ^ o n y i^ o u s with “antim ony”“ ؛kohl” ( pi . )؛ك ح ا ل. 24. المإم يذن أمير: this was the traditional title o f caliphs in Islamic histoiy. 25. ا س ماعي ل المن ص و ر الشيع ي: Mawlay ا ! م ف ذb. al‘1-Na؟r, the second sultan o f the Alawid dynasty, who reigned for fifty-five years, between 1672 and 1727. 26. ر ا ب ي ة ر ضية: this is a Q u r’anic phrase: ر جع ي إ ل زئ ك “( راضية ر ضيةReturn unto thy Lord, content in His good pl easure”.( ؛83:23, الف ج ر ق7 لكث ثورته م،فث ا ر تث ائ ر ته: this is a typical example o f a type of word play in Arabic, in which the same root reappears in different guises. 28. العي ا ل: sg. ( عت لpi. also ث(عال ةlit. “dependents”. وت. أر ض اف واسع ة: lit. “G od’s Earth is wide”, this expression
7 zz al-D in a l-M a d a n i
37
is com m only used in the sense o f “There is plenty of opportunity elsewhere.” (Note that أرضis feminine!) 30. ا الم ك ن د ر ي ة دار ي: this is another extract from a m aq by al-Ham adhanl (see above), i.e. from the so-called المقام ة ا ي ا ح ظثة, which has the following famous opening lines:
نؤ إل فيه ا زا ر ي 31.
وب ال ع ر ا ق نه ا ر ي قف ار: sg. ف ز, “desert” or “wasteland” (also, see below. ) ص ح راء.
32. ث رار: sg. ت إ ة “ م رopen country”. 33• توئت ادثsg. واد. 34• ص ح ا ر ي: pi• o f ح راث.( صindef. pi. ) ن ح ار, which, depending on the location, can be transjated in English as “desert” or “Sahara” (also in Arabic )ا ل ص ح راء المح رى. Note that ص ح راءis grammatically feminine. 35•
غ د ام: a small oasis in the Libyan Sahara, near where the Libyan, Algerian and Tunisian borders meet. It owed its former prosperity to its position as a hub in the transSaharan trade.
36•
ح مادم م:
س
pi. o f ح ما م ة, which can denote either “pigeon” or “dove” . 37* نب ا ممب: pi. of ن بمب. Also مم ر م بمب. 3( ع س >) ت ع ن ا س مةu ) “to patrol by night”) Although this form can only be adjectival (meaning “spending the night patrolling”), it is nominalized here to “one who patrols at night”, i.e. a “guard” or “night watchman”. This also betrays the au th o r’s origins, as the private gu^rd to the Tunisian ruler, the Bey ()ب ا ي, was known as ال غ ن ة الم ن و نة. 39• مو الن ا: lit. “our lord” ؛a variant o f Mawlay ( ن ز ال ي, “my lord”) - commonly transliterated in Morocco as Moulay the honorific title borne by ^ o ro c c a n sultans. 4°• ؤ ئ و ء: lit• “cleansing” (cf. ت(ثزئأthe obligatoiy (minor) ablution to be performed by Muslims prior to prayer. It generally involves washing the face, hands and feet, rubbing
38
M odern A ra b ic £^٠٢/ Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
the head, rinsing the m©uth and washing the ears. This is contrasted with the “m ajor” ablution (in order to remedy a state o f “m ajor’^im purity such as after intim ate relations, menses), i.e . بملwhich refers to washing the entire body in ritually pure water. The full ablution is also performed on ^corpses. 41. ن ك و ع: the verbal noun ( ) ن ن ذ رo f ( ركعa), “to bow”, “kneel down”, ^he individual acts o f bending are known as زكع ة
( p i. ) بما ت. 4 ق. بممل: verb denoting the uttering o f بسم ال د ا ل ر خ ت ن الت ح ؛ م (“In the Name o f God, the Beneficent, the M erciful”). The formula is norm ally used at the beginning o fth e recitation o f the Q u r’an or any activity. O ther such formula-based verbs include خؤق ل, “to say “( ” ال ح ؤ ل و ال قؤة إ الب اشThere is no power and no strength save in Go d ”) خ ن ذ ل ؛, to say الحم د “( ثPraise be to Go d ”) ن ئ ى ؛, to say “(يسم اشIn the name o f G od”). 43. ن ج ود: )> ( ن ح دu) “to bow down”, “prostrate oneself’ during prayer ؛it is also the plural o f “( ساج دprostrate [in worship]”). The individual prostration IS known as ن غ د ة ( p i. )سج دا ت. 44• ئنب ي ح: this is the ن ص درo f ن ث خ, and refers to the part of the prayer during which the worshipper utters the phrase ^‘( ت حا ذ افPraise the Lord!”). 45. ذك ر اش ت عا ل: lit. “m ention o f God the m ost H igh” ؛in prayers and worship, it refers to the repetition o fth e phrase اشتعا ز. In a suft context, ذك رis associated with the constant repetition o f words and formulae, often accompanied by dancing, which induces a trance-like state. 46. يئدي ر: (pi. )نن ا د م, a musical instrum ent resembling a tambourine. 47.
ا ش ر وا لخب: this is the traditional offering to welcome guest (especially in N ؟rt^ Africa). 48. ت؛غ و ئ ي ا ف م ن الغي طا ن ا ل ر ج مthis form ula is used when faced ب
(Izz al-Dtn al-M a d a n i
39
with a particularly heinous sight or occurrence. It may he compared to the English “Get thee behind me, Satan!”. 49. ح ا شية: ( pi . ) خ وا شin addition to the meaning in this text, this word afso denotes “commentary” (in the margin) of a book. 50. خ ن ك أ م أل و زل غ ن ه ال: an expansion of the gr eet i ng( ان ال و ن ه الsaid by the host), which literally means “(you are among) kinfolk and on level (i. e. hospitable) land”. The expression here literally means “you have stopped among your people and you have descended upon a plain”. Th^ere a*؛e a nu! ؟ber of variants, the most common ones being “( مح ث ق ات م أ أه ال و موض عا ن ه الYou have come to a people who are like kinsfolk and to a place that is smooth and plain”) and “( ف د ن غ أه ال وو ط ث ن ي الYou have come to your people and you hav^ tread onto a level plain”). 51• ؛واشlit• "by G od” (in the sense of “I swear”), this expression is used profusely in Arabic in a wide variety of contexts, e.g. “I swear”; ^Believe me”“ ؛No kidding”. 52• ؛ مto say “( ال إل إ إل رشThere is no God, other than God”). 53• *٠ say “( اش أ مGod is great”). Also see note No. 42. 54• ي ب: sg. ي ن ه و ر, “group” (which gave us ج ن ه ورية, “republic”), it initially denoted “a group o f people” or “main part o f the people” (or, indeed, the chief part of anything). 55• ا ل ع ا م ة: lit. “the com m on folk”, vs. ( اخل ا ن ةlit. “the special ones”), “the elite”. 56• ۵١٠٣: “chancelleiy” or “council o f state”; ديوانoriginally referred to official records or register (< ن ؤ ذ, “to record”), and then to the place where the records were kept). The same ^ o rd also denotes a poetry collection. 57• أ ك ح ة: sg. “( نك ا حmarriage”), with غئ د ال ئ ك ا حdenoting “marriage contract” (in the East, the usual expression is
)عقب ال زواج. 5ف دره مة: lit. “his achievement is due to God” (ذز,
40
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
“achievement”, but also “m ilk”!). (ت ' ل ر غ •وتpi• ا(ند و جthis term usually denoted the black peoples o f the east coast o f Africa. ظArab histoi^, however, زغ usually refers to the rebel slaves who rose against their Arab masters in Abbasid Iraq (in 689-90, 694 and 869—83). 60. لمب ي ه ذ ه... تthese are two lines from a poem by the famous Abbasid p ؟et و) أ م الن الء الم م ي73- و مل8(م 6البغ ا ل ما: sg. ( تن لpi. also )أثغ ا ل. 62. زرابي: sg. ررمح ة. This word is more com m on in N orth Africa than in the M iddle East, where the usual term for “carpet” is ( ن ج ا ب ةpi . ) ن ج ا ج ي د. 63. ب اش علن ك : lit. “as God is your witness”. It is used in the sense o f an oath to assert one is telling the truth, or as an en؛reaty, i.e. “ I beg you”. 64. ت ما ك شtown in M orocco about 220 km south o f Casablanca ()ال دا ر اي بماء. It was the capital o f the Alm ohad dynasty ( *)الموح د و نwhich ruled over M uslim Spain (al-Andalus) and N orth Africa in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. A fte^ a rd s; it continued to be one o fth e official residences ofM oroccan rulers. 65. توزو: town in southwest Tunisia. As an oasis, it once served as a transit point for caravans plying the Sahara. Today, Tozeur is perhaps best known as a popular tourist destination.
Zakariyya Tamir
Zakariyya Tamir (Zakariya Tamer) was born in 1931 in Damascus, Syria. One o f Syria’s most famous writers, he is particularly renowned for his short stories, many ofw hich have been translated into num erous languages. In addition, he is also one o fth e Arab w orld’s leading authors o f children’s stories. A m ir ’s stories often deal with injustice and opposition to social and political oppression. He was forced to leave school in his early teens to support his family, and continued his education at night school. The hardships he experienced in his early life no doubt provided inspiration for his literary work, in which he gives a voice to Syria’s poor and dispossessed. He published his first collection o f short stories, صهي ل ال جو اد ( ا لأبيضThe N e ig h in g o fth e W hite Steed), in 1960, while working as a blacksmith in a foundiy in Damascus. The immediate success o f the book allowed him to embark on a new career as a government official, while editing several periodicals like a l-M a w q if a l-A d a b i (The L ite ra ry Stance ), a l-M a srifa (Knowledge) and the children’s magazine Usama. ^ m i r was one o f the co-founders of the Syrian Writers’ Union in 1968, and its vice president for four years. After losing his position at a l- M a (rifa following the publication of politically controversial extracts from works o f the famous nineteenthcentury reformer ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibl, ^ m i r left his
42
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
homeland in 1981 and settled in London, where he edited a num ber o f publications while writing articles for the newspaper al-Quds a l-A ra b i (1989-94). Among his many collections o f short stories, one may cite { ري ح ش ا إل ما دSpring in the Ashes, وا6 كءآ)ا إل ع د ثإوThunder, ول7ث(ه { د م ش ق الحرائقDamascus F ire , ا97{ لما ذا ن ك ت ال نه ر ت(وW hy the R iv e r F e ll S ile n t , ل97{ قال ت ا ل و ردة للسن و ر ;(وThe Flow er Spoke to the B ird , 1978) { التن ور لمي الي و م العاص ؛Tigers on the Tenth D a y , 1978; English t r ans. ل997(; { بداء ن و حN oah's Sum m ons, 1994) { ن ث ف خ ك ؛We S h a ll Lau g h , 1998); and { ال ف ئ ئ ذThe Hedgehog, 2005). The following story is an example o f how superstition sometimes se^es as a tool to dom inate and exploit women in traditional societies. Aziza is a beautiful, naive young woman who is concerned that her husband is on the verge o f rem arking another woman. In desperation, she resorts to visiting a sheikh who pretends to know how to undo the magic spell Aziza is allegedly under. This is a tale o f deceit and a loss o f innocence.
ا م ر أة و ح ي د ة
A Lonely Woman
44
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
Aziza was a beautiful girl with a fear o f black cats. She looked worried the m om ent she sat down in front o f Sheikh Said. His eyes were jet-black and fiery. They closed in on Aziza, who was ^ i n g to ward off an ever-increasing panic, exacerbated by the smell o f incense rising from a copper dish, which filled her nostrils and slowly num bed her body. Sheikh Said said: “So, you want your husband to return to you?” “I want him to return to me,” Aziza replied, hesitantly. Sheikh Said smiled as he added, mournfully: “His family wants him to get married again.” He threw bits o f incense into the dish filled with live coal, and said: “Your husband will return to you, and he will not take another wife.” His voice was sedate and soft, and soothed Aziza, who heaved a deep sigh o f satisfaction. The Sheikh’s face lit up. “However, my work doesn’t come cheap,” he said. Aziza’s face dropped. Staring at the gold bracelet on her wrist, she said: “I’ll pay you what you want.” The Sheikh grinned, and said: “You will lose a little, but you will regain your husband. Do you love him?” Aziza angrily muttered under her breath: “No, I do n ’t.” “Did you have a fight with him?” “I quarrelled with his family.” “Does your chest feel tight?” “I sometimes feel as if I have a h e a ^ weight on my chest.” “Do you have any disturbing dreams?” “At night I always wake up ftom my sleep, frightened.” Sheikh Said shook his head several times and said: “Obviously, your in-laws have bewitched you.” Aziza was gripped with fear and shouted: “W hat can I do?”
Z akariyya Tam ir
45
عزيزة' ص بية جميل ة ،ت خ ا ف
الق ط ط
ا
ل
ر داء ،و
ص
كا ض مضيري؛
؛فل ةقع د ت قبال ة ال شي خ ٢م ع ي د ،وك ا ن ت عين ا هق س ي ن م ن الم وا د نحاص را ن ء زت زةا ك ي ،ك ا ث ^ و ال ال
ص ص ء لعيت م و و .ما ي د روين ا ر وي رأ
بين ما رائ ح ة ال ب خ و ر الت م ا عدة ص وع اء ن ح ا س تفعم أنفه ا وت خد ر
ب
بب ط ء .
ويق و ل ال شيخ معي د :رراذن تريدين أن ر ج ع إلي ك زو ج ك؟) ) . أ جا ب ت عزيزة ريتذ د :ا(أ ري دأ ن ير جيعإ ف ». ف ا ت س م ال ش ي خص ع ي د بين م ا أ ردف ت ق ائل ةب اكتئ ا ب! ١١أ هل هير يد و ن تزوي ج ه مر ةث انية)). ن ا ل ال ث ك خ م ع ي د و ه و ت ر س ز وع اء الجمر نتفأ م ن ال ب خ و ر :ر( ب م د إلي
ك
زو
ج
ك ،ول ن يت زو ج مر ةث انية)).
وك ا ن ص وته وقورأ ه ا دئأ من ح عزيزة الطمأنينة ،فن ذ ت عنه ا آ م ة ارت؛؛ح ط ويل ة ،ابته
ج هل ا
و ج ه ال ش ي خ وق ا ل! ر(ول ك ؤ عمل ي فتطل ب
ف ا كتأ ب و ج ه عزيزة ،وقال ت وه يت ر م قس وارا لك
ذهبي ا
ما ال
كيرآ))م
ز مع ص م ه ا! ررمح أ د ف ع
مات ر يد)).
ض
ح
ك ال ش ي خ ض ح ك ة قصي ر ة حا د ةئ م ق ا ل :ررس ت خ
ر ي ن قلي ال
ول ك ن ك
سمأزد حين زو ج ك• حأتبينه ؟)) . غ مغ م ت عزيزةبس خ ط :رر ال أ ح به)). رر— اختل ف ت مع ه ؟)). ((— تش ا ج ر ث مع أهله)). (( “ ه ل تش ع ر ي ن بضيق م ص د ر ك ؟)). ((— أخ ع ر أ حي ا نأ كأ ن ح ج ر أ ثقي أل عل ى ص د ر ي)). رر— أت ن ا ه دي ن أ ح ال م أ م زع
ج ة أثن اءن و م
ك ؟)).
(ر— أ متيق ظ دائ م أ ز اللي ل وأن ا مرع وبة)). فهز ال شي خ سع ي د رأسه ع دة مر ا ت وق ادت رر س حر وك)). ارت ا ع ت عزيزة و هتف ت :رر ما ا ل ع م ل ؟!)).
ال
ب ذ أن أ ه
ل
زو"'حلئم
46
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
“To end their magic spell would require ten pounds’ worth o f incense.” Aziza was silent for a moment. She raised her hand to her chest, and took out ten pounds from her dress. She handed the money to Sheikh Said, and said: “That’s all I have.” Sheikh Said got up and closed the black curtains in front of the two windows overlooking the narrow winding alley. Then he came back and sat in front o fth e copper dish in which the embers were glowing over sm ooth white ashes. He threw in some more incense, and said: “My brothers, the jin n , hate the light and love darkness because their houses are underground.” Outside, the day was like a white-skinned woman. The sun’s yellow rays burned down on the streets and fused with the m urm ur o fth e crowds. Sheikh Said’s room , however, was dark and quiet. “My brothers, th z jin n , are kind. You’ll be lucky if you gain their love. They love beautiful women. Remove your wrap.” Aziza took off her black wrap, revealing her buxom body, enveloped in a tight dress, to Sheikh Said. The Sheikh started to read from a book with yellow-stained pages in a low, mysterious voice. After a while, he said: “Come closer ... Lie down here.” Aziza lay down near the incense dish. Sheikh Said put his hand on her forehead while he continued reciting strange words. Suddenly, he said to Aziza: “Close your eyes. My brothers the jin n will arrive shortly.” Aziza closed her eyes and the Sheikh’s voice rose, in a harsh com m anding tone: “Forget eve^rthing.” The Sheikh’s hand touched her sm ooth face. She remembered her father. The Sheikh’s hand was rough, and had a strange smell. It was a big hand, no doubt with many wrinkles. His voice, too, was strange ؛it rose gradually in the quiet ٢٠٠^ with its dust-coloured walls. The Sheikh’s hand r e a c h e d Aziza’s neck. She remembered
Z akariyya Tam ir
47
“ ١١ف خ سحر ه مي حت ا ج أ ل يخورث منه ع ملريا ت » . فو ج م ت ع ز ي ز ة خل ظةث م م د ت د م ا إ ل ص د ر ه ا ،وأ
ر
ب ن ت
ل ؛را ت ،وأع ط ته ا لل ش ي خ م ع ي د ق ائل ة ( :رهذا ك ز مم أم ل ك ». ذء ض 'أ ش خ
س ،و أ د ل مت اترتم ات ة عل ى الن ا ف ذتي ن ا ل ط ك ن م ر
الزق ا ق ا م حق ال ت <ج،ث م ع ا د إ ل القع ود أ ما م ا ل وعم ،الحاس ي ال ذ ي ص ب الج م ر ا ت ف و ق ر ما د أمح ضن ا ع م ،ف أ خ ذيل ق ي ال خ و ر و م يق و ل: تم اي ا ن ، <ا إ خ و ي
و"ك ا ن األصف
ر
ا شموب م ن ا ك ة لأن مح وته محت ت ا لأرض)).
ص ^ رج ال ممة ا م' مخلم ء ا أ ض ،وا
سى ي و ه جض إ ؤئ
م ا ل ط رق ا تموبن ج بمح ب الن ا س غثر أن غ ر فة ا ك؛ خ
م ل
مه
ط ل م ة محا ك ة . (( ” إ خ و ت ي ا لجا ن
ل طا
ف <' .متك و ذين محظوظ ة إذانل ت ح به م .إ لهمي حم و ن
ا ل م اء الجمي ال ت .انزعي م الءت ك)).
وتخل ت عزيزة عن م الءته ام ا ل م ودا ء .فبدا لعيني ال شي خص ع ي د جم د الن اض
ج
ها
شث و ب ضيق ،وابتدا يق ر أ م كت ا ب أصف ر ا لأوراق ب مو ت خفي ض
غام ض^ ^ ١ث مق ا لبع د حتن• ((راقت ب يمت ذ د ي هن ا)). ٠
واض ط ج ع ت عزيزةبالق ر ب م ن وع اء ال ب خ ور رف و ضع ا ل شي خ صع ي د يده عل ى
ج بهته ا و ه و م ت م ر
مت ال وة
ك ل ما
ت غ ر ي ة ا ل رن؛ن وبغتأ نا ل لعزمحزم-
ررأغ م ضي عيني ك .مي حضر إ خ و ت ي الجا ن )) . أ ط ب ق ت عزيزة عينيه ا .و ص ع د
صو
ت ال ش ي خ خ ط
رأت أراضي م م
ي د ال شي خت ل م س و ج ه ا الن اع م .تذ ك ر ت أب ا ه ا ٠ي د ا ل ي خ خ ^ ة ،
غ ر يب .ي د ي ر ة ،و ال ب د م ن فشيئ ا
أنه ا ك م ة الت ج ا عيد .وص وته غ ري ب
خ
ب
ز الغ ر فة ا ل صا م تة ذا ت الج د را ن الرت ابية.
وبل غ ي د ال ش ي خ عنق عزيزة .تذ ك ر ت عزيزة ي د زو ج ه ا ٥^ .نأع م ة
ي
48
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
her husband’s hand; it was soft and tender, like a woman’s. He worked as a clerk in a grocery shop owned by his father. He never once attempted to caress her neck with tenderness؛ instead, his clawing fingers would grope the flesh o f her thighs. The Sheikh placed both his hands on her. His hands gently ran across her full breasts, and then moved down along the rest of her body, only to return once more to her bosom. This time, however, they were less gentle and began to squeeze her breasts ferociously. Aziza moaned. W ith difficulty, she opened her eyes, gazing at the wisps o f smoke spreading through the room. Sheikh Said took his hands away fiom Aziza. He continued his reading, added some incense on the burning embers in the dish, and said: “My brothers the jin n are coming ... They’re coming.” A sharp jolt spread through Aziza’s body, and she closed her eyes. W ith a voice that seemed to come from the other side of the world. Sheikh Said intoned: “My brothers, the jin n , love beautiful women. You’re beautiful, and they’ll love you. I want them to see you naked when they come. They’ll take away all the magic spells.” Panic-stricken, Aziza whispered: “No ... no ...” The sheikh replied sternly: “They will hurt you if they don’t love you.” Aziza remembered a man she once saw in the street. He was screaming like a wounded animal before collapsing, white foam forming on his m outh, kicking with his hands and legs as if he was drowning. “No ... no ... no.” “They’re coming.” The smell o f incense grew much stronger. Aziza started to breathe loudly. Sheikh Said shouted: “Come, blessed ones, come!” Aziza heard faint, joyful laughs and words she could not understand. She sensed the presence in the room o f a large
Z akariyya Tam ir
49
كي د المر أة .وه ويعمل ك ا تبأ ش دك ا ن البقال ة ال ت ي يمل ك ه ا وال د م .ولري حا و ل م أ ي مر ة أن ي دا ع ب عنقه اب ر قة إنما ك ا نيعتصر بأ صا ب عش ر هة ل حم ف خذي ه ا .
ال شي خي ل م ه ا بكلت ا يديه .يداه عل ى ص د ر ه ات ري ا ن عل ى نهديه ا الن اض ح ن ب ر ف ق وتن ح درا ن إ ل بقية الحس دث متعو دا ن إ ل الم ه دي ن وق د فقدت ا ر ف ق ه ا ت ا عل يه م ا فضغ ط
ض ر اوة ،فتأ و ه ت عزيزة ،وفت ح ت عينيه اب ص ع و بة ل ت ن ا ه د
د خ ا نأ خفيفأ م نتشرأ عيرف ر ا غ الغ ر فة.
وأبع د ا م ح خ ص ي د يديه عن عزيزة ،و م ض يق ر أ و ي ر م ال ب خ و ر فوق الجمر ال ت ق د م ا ل وع اء الن ح ا م مث مق ادت ((س يأت ي إ خ و ت ي اخل ا ن .سأت ون)). ف ر ت ز جس د عزيزة قشعرير ة حا دة ،وأغ م ض ت عينيه ا ،و سم ع ت ال ش ي خ سع ي د يق و ل
بمو
ت تن ا ه ى إل يه ا كأنه آ ب م ن آ خ ر ا ل عا م ( :راخ و ت ي
الجا ن ي حب و ن ا ل م اء الجمي ال ت .أن ت جميل ة ومحسحب ون ك .أ ريد أن يروك ع ا رية عند ما يقب ل و ن ،و ميي ع د و ن عن ك ك ز س ح ر)). ه م س ت عزيزة بذع ر ((ال ال)). ف جا ءه ات و أ
صو
ت ال شي خ كص د ى ص ا رم( :سم ؤذون
ك
إذا مي حب وك)).
وتذكر ت عزيزة ر ج ال أبصرته مر ة ز الش ا ر ع ،وك ا ن يص رخ ك حي وان
جري حث م مارت ى عل ى ا ال ر ض وال زبد ا ألمح ض عل ىف م ه وأ خ ذي ح رك ذ را ي وسام ه كغ ريق• رر -ال .ال .ال » . را -مأت و ن > ).
وا زداد ت رائ ح ة ال ب خ ور وت ك ا ث ف ت ،ورا ح ت ،عزيزة تتتف
س
ب مو ت
س م و ع .و هت ف ال شي خ سع ي دف ج أة :ررت عالو ات عالو ايا عب ا رك؛نت عالوا)) و سم ع ت عزيزة ض ح ك ا ت خ افتة
م ر ح ة وك ل م ا
ت غ م م ف ه و م ة ،وأ ح ن
أن الغ ر فة ا ك ت ق تمب خ ل وق ا ت قزم ة ',ك م ة الع د د م تت م ك ن م ن فت
ح
تا
ع؛يها
50
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
number o f dwarf-like creatures. Sbe could not open her eyes in spite of repeated attempts to do so. She felt the creatures’ hot breath on her face, ©ne of them grabbed hold o f her lower lip, and greedily squeezed it. The carpet felt rough under her naked back. The incense fumes gathered and turned into a man who held her in his arms and anaesthetized her with his kisses. A wild fire erupted in her blood as the mouth left her lips and moved to the rest of her body. Aziza was panting, too afraid to move. Then her fear subsided, and she slowly began to experience a novel sense o f ecstasy. She sm iled as she looked a t w hite stars, a dark-blue sky, yellow p la in s an d a fie ry red sun. She heard the m u rm ur o f a riv e r in the distance. How ever; the riv e r w ou ld not rem ain remote. She laughed w ith joy. Sadness was a ch ild that was ru n n in g a w a yfro m her. N ow she was an adolescent. The neighbours9son hissed a n d embraced her. N o ... N o ... This was shameful. L ik e when the baker’s assistantgave her some bread w hile she was standing at the door o fh e r house; then, suddenly, his h andshot out an d pinched the nipple o fh e r sm a ll breast. She was hurt, angry a n d confused. Where is his hand? Ah, here
it is. His hand once again touched her body. ٠ # her wedding night she had screamed in p a in , but now she does not scream. She saw her mother h olding up a handkerchief, soaked w ith blood, w hile her relatives looked on, curiously. H e r m other was shouting herface beam ing w ith jo y : “M y g ir l is the most honourable! L e t our enemies die o f envy!” A z iz a returned to the dry, ye llo w fields. The clouds were high in the sky. The heat o fth e sun was close to her. She tw isted a n d turned\ flushed, her body burned by a fie rce heat. The sun was a fir e closing in on her, sneaking in to her blood. A z iz a resisted peaking. A t that moment, the ra in poured down, a n d her entire body shuddered.
After a short while. Sheikh Said moved away from Aziza’s naked body and headed towards the window. He drew back the curtains. Daylight flooded the room, setting Aziza’s white flesh aglow.
Z akariyyd T am ir
ل5
ض الر ء م س محا و الت ه ا ا ن ك ر رة ،و ك ء ت و جهه ا أنف ا س حارة ،و
ش■
وا ح د عل ى خفته ا الم خل ى واعتصره ا بنه م . وك ا ث ا
ن ت ظ ه ر ه ا ا ل ع اري ،و كا ن ا ل مر ي جم ل ا ل ة خ شنة ح خ
وي حو ل إ ل ر ج لي ح ضه ا ض سا عديه وي ح ذ ره ا قب الته .وث_ت م ز د م ه ا إ ط كا ن
م لآرك
٣ل ص إل بمية الحس د .عزيزةت لهث وال
ت ح ر ك .خ و فه ا يض م ح ل .وتت ذ و ق عل ى م ه ل نش و ة ذا ت طعم ج دي د . ؤ ه يت سم زتض ح ك .أبص ر ت بجوم أي ض اء و س م اء ذرقاء ذ\ئه وص هو ي أ
صفراءوش س ا س نز حمرا ء .ث ن ح م -ي ةخ رلر ن م •بمبد* ادمرم اذمذهم
فله ئ ام شحذث.مح .ا لخزن طفلئركض م م مدا محه ا .ءي ا الن ط لي حذق ذ\ ي ر آ .يله ا ا ى ا ل جر\دن وع انقه ا .الم ال .هذاع ب .وعند ما كان ا ب م
ا يو
دن\وتي ا \ل غف ة املح زو طي واهفة عق.ب ا ب ا ن ب ت ا م د ي د ه و ز ص حل م ة ن ه د ه ا
\لص م تل ن ت .غفس ث \ .رن ك ت .ي ن ي د ه ؟ ه ا ظ ي ي د ه ئت ل ك جس د ه اث\ مم.
و ؤ نله انم س اطل ق تصرخة ،و\إحم التصرخ• ابصرت لم ه ا قلمن مندي ال
ب اليال د؟ح يتفر ج عب ه ام.دها.دف ض و د ا ل ت ص ح لم ه ا ؤ و ج هه ا-ب و ح •لفر ح ج غ.م لآ.دنتي ص ل م ف \ نن \ ت .فيم ت ا ل أعداء غ ط\اا.
وتعو د عزيزة إ ل حق و لصفراء .حق و لب ال ماء .الخت و م م اآل ئد،م ا ل من س ن ارتدن و م ن عزيزة -ت لو ى عزيزة وتته ا ل ك م نتشية تحر قه ا حر'رة ق ا ب .الش م س ن ا ر تقت ر ب وت سل ل إ ل ال د م و ال تحا و ل ال ذ ر وة ،و س *د
ه ط ل المطر ،وارتع د جس د ه ا كله . وابتع د ال شي خ س ي د بع د قلي ل عن ج
نه ذ م د عزيزة ا لعا ر ي ،وا ج
الن ا فذتي ن وأزا ح عنه م ا ا ل م ائر ،ف ت د ف ق ت م اخل ا لش م س ال ه ا ر الى م " ، وتأل ق ل حم عزيزة ا لأبيض مغ م ورابالض وء ا ل سا ط ع•
52
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Aziza was restless, and opened her eyes slowly and carefully, surprised at the brightness of the sunlight. She got up, feeling frightened. Sheikh Said said: “D on’t worry. My brothers, the jin n , have left.” Aziza bent down, weaty and ashamed. She picked up a piece o fh e r clothing. She wished she could have lain there for a long time, motionless, eyes closed. Sheikh Said wiped his m outh with the back o f his hand, and said to her: “D on’t be afraid ... They’ve left.” Tears ran down her cheeks. At that m om ent, she heard the cry o f a hawker in the alley. It sounded to her like the weeping of a desperate man who would not die. A few minutes later, Aziza was walking alone in the narrow twisting alley. She raised her head expectantly, but there was no passing bird. The sky was blue and empty.
Z a k a riyya Tam ir
53
و س ت عزيزة ،وفت ح ت م ح ه ا مب ؤدة و حذر، الش م س،
محمو .ب ت ت
ءق اأ-ا ص ا كء مس م د (( :ال تخان ,
ص د ر < «,
ثي ا ب ه ا ،موت ن ت
-
م إ
وان ح ن ت عزيزة إ إع إء،و كا ن ت متمة ،وخجل ة، لوظل
ئ
والط
ت أم د ؟ ط ويآل م تل قي ة دو ن ح ر ا ك
م
د أول » ; .uمن ض ئ^ ^ ١
يف .ر ح ل وا» و س ح ال ش ي خ ص ي د ف م هب ظ ه ر ي ده ،وق ا لل ه اث ا نية « ال ت خ ا رفت ق رن ت ال د م و ع م عينيه ا محت مات عال مت ل ك ا ل س م ة م ال ز ال ق ص_ا ح
ب ا ئ ع مت ج ول ،وتن ا ه ى إ ل سمع ه ا بك اء ر ج ليا ضل ز يمو ت . وبع د دق ا ئ ق ك ا ن ت عزيزةمت ث ي و ح يدة م الزق ا ق ال ف ض الط ويل ا كر ج . و حتن مر ن ت و ج هه ا إ ل أعل ى متطلع ةبل هفة ،ل)ت ع ر عل ى أ ي ك ا ن ت ا لم ساء زرق اء خ ا وي ة.
طات ر
بما
54
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Language Notes
1. غزيرة: this is an old-fashioned, traditional name that derives from the male name عزيز, which is also an adjective meaning “precious” or “dear”. It is worth pointing out that many Arabic and Muslim names have adjectival meanings and most o f them are used for both sexes, e.g. (نع يد(ة (“happy”), (“( نلي م(ةsound”), (“( ي مي ل(ةbeautiful”), (ل ف ي د ( ة (“rightly guided”). 2. ف ن خ: ( pi . ) ئ ي و خ, v a rio u s ly transcribed in English as Shaikh , Sheik , Shaykh or Sheikh , the word initially m eant “old man” (this meaning is also used in the Q u r’an). Later on, the term became a title referring to a leader, noble or elder. It is also a term o f address for an Islamic religious or legal scholar, while it is often extended to those purporting to have this expertise, as is the case in this story. Sheikh Sa‘ld in this story is not a genuine Islamic scholar, but someone who pretends to have the power and knowledge to undo magic spells. و.إ غ و ة: this is one o f the plurals o f “( أ خbrother”), the other one being إ خ وا ن. Note, however, that there is a difference in meaning; the latter plural is ^used in the sense of ‘brethren’, as in, for instance, ا إل غ و ان الم نلن و ن, “The Muslim Brotherhood”. 4. ص: (coll. cf. ةك; ج ا ذ. “ ) ج ن يGenie” (id jin n , jin n ) refers to ghosts or spirits created out o f fire (cf. Q ur. 15:26-7), which are frequently m entioned in the Q u r’an (siira 72 is almost entirely devoted to them) as well as in m any folk tales (not least o f which in The Thousand a n d One N ig h ts). O ften said to be endowed with magical powers, the jin n o f folklore can take on m any shapes, while m any people believe they are m uch like hum ans, capable o f being good and bad. Th t j in n are part o f popular beliefs m ainly in N orth Africa
Z a k a riyya T am ir
55
and Egypt. The same ٢٠٠* has also given us محو ن, “m ad” ٠٢ “m adm an” (i. e. one possessed by 2 ijin n ). أ. م النة: this is a large cl©ak ٠٢ shawl often made o f wool, wrapped around the top half o f the body with one end tucked in under the arm and enveloping the body. 6. ن خو ر: in some Arab countries incense is used to keep the evil eye away from the sick. In the United Arab Emirates, for instance, guests are usually provided with coffee and the smell o f incense as soon as they arrive. In recent years there has been an increase in the varieties ofincense aroma. They come in the shape o f sticks or powder, or the raw ingredient is grated. 7 محلون ا ت محرم ة م: small ghostly creatures (here referring to jin n ); ؟ ) قزم1. )أفزام: lit. “dw arf’. 8 . منديأل نث ألب ا لأم: this is a reference to an old tradition, which is still alive in some areas (especially in the c o u n ^ sid e ). After the consum m ation o f the marriage on the wedding night, a white sheet or cloth with the bride’s blood on it is paraded as a sign that she was a virgin, and thus an honourable girl from an honourable family.
Muhammad al-Zafzaf
Born in 1942 in Suq al-Arba‘a al-Gharb (Souk Larbaa El Gharb), near Q unaitra in Morocco, M uham m ad al-Zafzaf studied philosophy at the University o f Rabat (M ohammed V) before becoming a seconda^-school teacher in Casablanca, which would remain his home until his death in 2001 after a longsuffering illness. Considered the master o f the M oroccan short story, alZ a fz ^ is held in the greatest esteem all over the Arab world. He produced an impressive body o f work, including many novels as well as plays and criticism. His short story collections include ( حو ار م ن ل نثأ ئ رLate-night D ialo gu e , 1970), ت و ت وا ط ئة ئ0 )اممHouses, 1977)» ( إل م ىThe Strongest, 1978), ( غي ر م الغ ا بةGypsy in the Forest, 1982), ( ال ن خ ر ة ا شThe Sacred Tree, ؤل8 ) هand نب ك ( اب نK in g o f the J in n , 1984; Spanish trans. 2002). Interestingly, in the West a l-Z a f^ f is mainly known as a novelist thanks to translations into ؟rench and Spanish o f some o f his novels, such as ( الم رأة وال وردةThe W om an a n d the Rose, Spanish trans. 1997), (م ثب ة الدي كThe Cock's Egg) and ال ثنن ب ال ذ ي يق ه ن و ن ن ث ف ي (The Fox Who Appears an d Disappears, French trans. 2004). The French translation o f ييضة الدي ك, L ’oeu f du Coq, received the prestigious Grand Atlas Frize in 1998. Like others in his generation (such as M uham m ad Shukri), al-Zafzaf gave a voice to ord؛naاy Moroccans, especially
M u h a m m a d a l-Z a fza f
57
those living ٠٨ the margins o f society. His is a literature of social realism, arguing the cause o f those who cannot express themselves, often doing so in the local vernacular. The story presented here. The Sacred Tree (taken from the homonymous collection), provides a good example of both the type of prose and subject matter tackled by al-Zafzaf. The language is Standard Arabic, yet clearly Moroccan (or N orth African) in the way it is used, with a num ber o f peculiarly Moroccan usages. This fits in well with the subject, which, despite certain universal features, is quintessentially Morrocan and reveals a great many things about that countiy’s contem poraty society. At the same time, al-Zafzaf is not a “political” author, as such؛ this is no pam phlet or treatise dressed up as a work o f fiction. Rather, it is fiction with a social conscience, drawn from reallife events; the realism is palpable and the narrative enthralling, with tragedy often commingled with comedy.
The Sacred Tree Some youngsters who had enjoyed some education simply smiled with derision and contem pt. W hat did it matter to them if they cut down a tree in an abandoned place? What did it matter to them, even if it was a towering tree that was in a garden and h e a ^ with delicious fruit that fell because it was ripe or rotten, or remained hanging from the branches? They were stretching themselves, craning their necks, the better to look at the crowd milling around. They did not pay any attention to the work that was going on in the middle of this clearing where there was nothing but a tree. Behind it, there were panels o f reinforced concrete that were being carefully and slowly erected. Behind the high-rise panels, there were darkly coloured buildings in which the window frames had not yet been fitted, the giant gaps redolent o f the gaping maws of mythical animals. A cordon of auxiliary security forces formed a tight circle, preventing anybody from approaching the clearing where the tree stood on a brown sandy hillock. A crowd gathered behind the hedge made up o fth e auxiliary troops, who responded violently, flailing their batons at shoulders and knees. One could hear the laments - perhaps it was a child being trampled underfoot, desperately clinging to its mother, barefoot and covered in rags. Behind, some youngsters with a modicum of education continued to crane their necks. One o f them said to his neighbour: “T h at’s w hat the state does best.” “W hat’s it to you what the state does? W hat do you care if they cut a tree? The day after tom orrow they’ll build a modern building, and that won’t have anything to do with you either! The money for the rent won’t go into your pocket!” “Fair enough, but this magical nonsense should be rooted out. They continue to worship this tree.”
الش
ص ةلم
جر ا
ة
ب ض الشب ا ن ال ذ ي ن ت ن م و ا قلي أل اكتف و ا شلب1
ال
بما م ع ى ا ر ض م
وا ال متهزاء• ما ذا يه م ه م ز شيء ،قطعش ج ر ة ز .م كا ن خ ا ل ؟ م ا<نا يهم هم خ ى ول و كا ن ت
ي ست ا ن ،وق د ت دل ت م نه اث م ا ر شهية ،ت نما ق طض
ر
نض ج ه ا أو ف ا د ه ا ،أوت ظ ل م ع تق ة عل ى الف ر و ع وا لأغص ان' ؟ و ش يين م م ن شم'مح ل آ د و ن إ ل اد ا س المتزا ح م ين ،ال إ ل العملية ال تي
ضط مو
ت ل كجا ت ه ،اخلال ية ؛. ^ ، < ٠١٢ وراء الش ج ر ة ،هن ا ك أ ل و ا ح م ن اإلسم ن ت ا ل م ل ح ترك ب بب طء وإتة ا نم
ام ت د ت ،خل فت ل ك األ ل و ا ح ،ال تي ترتفع ي المساء ،ع م ا را ت أخر ى د ممة،
إ
ت رك ببع د رت ا ج ا تن و ا ف ذ ه ا ،فب د ت مفت و ح ة كأف و اه حي وان ا ت خرا ب . ك ا ن هن ا ك سي ا ج م ن ر ج ا ل الق و ا ت ا ال حتي ا ط ية ،ي ث ك ل دائ ر ة متينة
متمامح ك ة ،مب ع الن ا س م ن ا الرقت ا ب م ن الوسع ة ،ح ي ث تش م خ الش ج ر ة،ف و ق م ر م ع أر ض ي ت ي ا ل ل و ن. الن ا س يتزا ح م و ن خل ف سي ا ج ر ج ا ل الق و ا ت ا ال حتي ا ط ية ،ال ذ ي ن ك ا نوا يردونبع ن ف ،بضرب ا ت عل ى ا لأكت ا ف أو عند ا لر ك ب ،فت س م ع أن ا ت ،وتد يسم ع زعيق طف ل ،حن ت ا لأر ج ل ،ت شب ث بأم ه الحا فية المم زقة الي ا ب . أعن ا قبع ض السجا ن، ^ ^ ^ ١
م اخلل ف ،ما تزال تش ر ب .ن ا ل أ حلم * م
لل ذ يب ج ا نبه: ” ه ذا أحس ن مافعل ت ال د ول ة. “ ما ذا يهن ك ،أن ت ،ن ا تفعل ه ال د ول ة ؟ ق ط عش ج رة ال يه غد
محو
تف ع
ئم
ف تبنى،
م م ك ا نه ا ،ع م ا رة ج د ي د ة ،ل ن
ب
ته من ا أيض ا
م ث يءم
^
م شيء ،وش
ن ^ ه م ج م ك-
ب ب القض اء ض ضتال ك اخل راف ا ت .ص ظل وا مبس وف عل ى ك ل ،مت ل ك الش ج ر ة.
60
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
“They’ll worship it even more once it’s been cut down!” “Quite the contrary, they’ll forget all about it.” The crowd around the clearing continued to grow, with plenty of jostling forwards and backwards. Some rifles and thick-ended batons were raised into the air and then swooped down hard on arms and bodies. A woman pulled back her snotty-nosed child and said to another woman, who completely ignored her: “W hat’s that tree got to do with us? This government wants the curse of Sidi Daud to descend upon it. Believe you me, not one of them will be able to sleep tonight w ithout something bad happening to them.” “What does the government care?” said the second woman, without even turning around. “It’s the poor devils that are cutting the tree that’ll be hit by the curse. The m akhzen keeps well clear o f it. They’re always making people dig their own graves, while they make sure they’re out of harm ’s way.” The woman realized that it was dangerous to talk like that, and she started to tremble with fear, anxiously looking around. She was scared that one o fth e m akhzen agents might be behind her and would take her down to the police station, where she would be flogged and hung like a sheep from a butcher’s hook in one o f the cells. She thought about the three children she had to feed after her husband had passed away. She continued talking to the woman next to her: “The government know what they’re doing. They w ouldn’t cut the tree if there wasn’t a good reason.” The other woman asked: “So, you’re not afraid o f the curse of Sidi Daud? Shut your m outh or he’ll come to y o u when you’re asleep tonight!” “And what am I supposed to have done to Sidi Daud? I’m just a poor widow, trying to make ends meet and care for my children as best I can!” The woman left the crowd. She didn’t want any problems.
M uham m ad a l-Z a fz a f
ا6
” محو ف يقدس و نه ا أكثر عند ما تق طع. —ب لس و ف ي نمو نه ا٠ م ا ال زد ح ا)، ا رآ د ق
د م
لل ف .بمص ط ال و م ع ة ،و م ا ك دا ذ عأ ل ' لأم-ا م و إ ل ا خ ب ا ك بم ر ؤ و س كا ب ت رتفع
jال م اء ،وته و ي
علىبعض ا لأذرع أو األ جسام• ،ج رت امرأة طفل ه ا ما نغ ر ،ذ) ا لملط خبالم خ ا ط ،وهي تق و ل المرأة م تهت م به ا : ما لن ا و ما ل الئ ج ر ة ‘؟ ه ذ ه ح ك و م ة تريد أن ي ر ل به اب الء«س د يءداوود)) .واف ،ل ن س ط ع أ ح د م ن ه م أن يغ م ض عيتيه الليل ة ح ى تحصل ل
محمس ة ,
وق ا ك المرأة الث انية دون أن ت ك إليه ا: — الح ك وم ة هما ل ا؟ أولئ ك ا لرجا ل المسا ك ن ،ال ذي ن يق طعو ن الث ج ر ة ،ه م ال ذ ي نستص يبه م ا للع نة .ال خ ز ن1بع ي د ك ل البع د ع ن ذ ل ك .إ ث ه م يدفعو ن الن ا س لل ف . إ ل ح تف ه م دائ م أ ،ويبق و ن م ا خ ل و ف ،ال تفت ت أد ر ك ت المر أة أنه ا تق و ل ك ال ما خ طرا .ارتع د ت م ن ا خ ل ا .خ ا ف ت أن يك و ن ،أ ح د ^ ٧^ ^ ،خل ف ه ا ،فيأ خ ذ ه ا إ ل المقاطع ة ^ حو ه ح ي ث تجل د وتعل ق مث ل ش ا ة
ل ا أنتع و ل م أ ح د ا لأقبية .ف ك ر ت أن ع ه
أ طف ا له ا الث ال ثة ،ال ذ ي ن تركه م له ا ال ز و ج ٧
^
^ ح ي ث س ذ ه و ن ج م عا•
وع ا د ت تق و ل لل ت يب ج و ا ره ا :
“ الح ك وم ةتعر ف ما تف عل ،لو لرجن د م صلح ة في ق ط عتلمك الش م ة ث فعل ت ذ ل ك. قال ت المر أة ا لأخر ى : “ أ ال ت خ ا ض م ن لع نة س ي د ي داوود؟ أغل ق يف م ك ،وإ ال ،و ف ع إي دئم ه ذ ه ا ل لي ل ة ض ا لمن ا م.
و م اذافعل ت ب ي دي داوود؟ إني مجرد أرمل ة ض؛ ،أ مل ،الثة أو الدبك ل ا لو سائ ل.
م ح ت رأة ص الز-ءام .ال تريد ث اك ل مع المق ا س و ال ع
إي
6ث
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
either with the p©lice ٠٢ with Sidi Daud. W h at’s m ore, she did not even kn©w Sidi Daud. She had never seen him , and his grave was n o t in the clearing. People said he had planted the tree where his soul had migrated. It was also said that n o body had planted this tree, but that it had just appeared one day in the clearing, as though it had been there for years. She had only appealed for his help once, when her husband had been on his deathbed for more than two years. However, a few days after visiting the tree, Sidi Larbi - or Sidi D aud - had taken her h usband’s soul. The sun seared the bodies in the crowd, while the people had become unrecognizable because o f the dust and debris flying around. All that could be seen were the drops o f sweat glistening on their noses. The noise o f the bulldozer in the clearing continued unabated. A few o f the w orkm en were whiling away the time by playing with the ropes attached to the tree trunk. Behind them , the rifles were still trained on the crowd. A government order m ust be enforced to the letter. Then, the trunk and branches could be heard to crack, and the tree fell to the ground. Some o f the workm en let go o f the ropes and ran off. Behind them , the policem en also beat a hasty retreat. None o f them felt like having their eyes poked out by a falling branch. The security cordon began to disintegrate, and once again rifle butts and batons were raised. Crooked arms were flailing about in em pty space. Voices o f protest rose, both m uffled and loud. One o f the onlookers said: “T om orrow or the day after, a building will be constructed on the resting place o fS id i D au d ’s soul.” “I’m afraid that these people will call it ‘Sidi D a u d ’s B uilding’, and that they’ll hang candles and am ulets along its walls.” “A nything is possible.” The jostling around the clearing increased. People had left their small, pokey shops, rushing to see w hat was going on. O thers preferred to o b se ^ e the scene from a distance. Two cars drew to a halt in front o f the crowd. The police ch ief got out
M uhammad al-Zafzdf
دا و ود •
دا و و د ،ال
م
م ال و س ع ة .نال وا
٠٠/و م ر ه
قط م
حي ا ته ا .ال ي و ج د ر .
م ال ذ ي ز و ع الش ج رة و س م ت ,رو ح ه .
م
"
قال وا أيض ا ،؛) يزرعه ا أ ح د • ل ك ن الن ا س فو ج م' ،ذ' ت ^ ح ،ي س الش ج ر ة م ال و ذ ،وكأنه ا ب تسن وا ت• م ،لم ش ر ك '' د ه ا إ ال م ة وا ح دة؛ ب ءش ؤو
ب
م مه ' ش ' ^ ت أ م ص ع ا ص-
م ،مب د الزي ا رةي ا .ا م،
أ خ ذس ي د ي ال ربي أوس ي د ي داوود روح زو ج ه ا• تلف ح الش م س ب ش د ة أ ج م ا م الم تزا ح م ب ،ال ت ي الت عر ف م ن ج راء ا لأوس ا خ،
ف لمتل ت م ع سو ى حب ا ت ص ا لعر ق عل ى أن و فه م -هدير اخل رافة م
الوسم ة م ا
يزال م ست م ر ا ٠. .بع ض الع ن ا دت سللو اب ال حب ا ل المرب و ط ة عل ى ج ز ع ا ك ج ر ة، وراء ظ ه و ر ه م ك ا ن ت البن ا د ق مش ر عة .ي ج ب ت ن ف ي ذ أ م الح ك وم ةم ،ب د و ن زا ن أو ت خ ا ذ ل .ب ع د ه ا س م ع ت طق ط ق ة ا ل ج ذ ع والف ر و ع ،ف خ ر ت الش ج ر ة ع ز ا ل أرض .ت ر كبع ض ا ل ع ما ل الحب ا ل ور م م و ا إ ل اخلل ف .ا ل حر س م ن خل ف ه م أي ضأت ر ا ج ع و ا .ي ي ك ن وا ح د م ن ه مي و م أ يت م ن ى أن ي ف ق أ عينه غص ن شه ج ر ة . اخت ل ن ظ ا م الدائ ر ة ف ارتف ع ت أعق ا ب البن ا د ق و ر ؤ و س العص م
م
ا ل س م اء م ن ج د ي د .ال ت ز ت ا ل أذر ع وتخب ط ت ي الف ر ا غ .و س م ع ت أ ص و ا ت ا ال حت ج ا ج م ك ت وم ة وع ل ي ة. ١١ وق ا ل أ ح د ه م : “ غ دأ أوبع د غ د صو ف ت رتف ع ع م ا رةف و ق ر و حس ي د ي دا و ود. — أ خ ش ى أني س م ي ه ا ه ؤ الء ع م ا رة س ي د ي دا و و د ويعلق وا عل يه ا الش م و ع والت م م ؛ ك ل ف ي ،مم ك ن !ا زداد ا ال زد ح ا م ح و ل ا ل و ذ .ب ع ض الن ا س ركض وا ص ح و
ص
ل تروا ما ي ح د ث .الب ع ض ا لآخ ر ف غ ل أن ي راق ب ا ل أ م م ن مب د • س ارت ا ن ت ر ب الم زد -ء مي ن .نزل ق ا ئ د المق ا ط ع ة م ن إ ح د ا ه م ا ،
ب ٩ ه ■ض
64
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
o f one o f them , preceded by a few o f his m en, w ho set about clearing a path for him . At first, the people were shocked ،٠ see him. Some began to curse him u n d er th eir breath, while the policem en lashed o u t in every direction. The party was surrounded by a cloud o f dust. O nly the police chief knew how im p o rtan t it was to appear cool and indifferent. The slightest m ovem ent could trigger no end o f unrest and chaos, especially in m atters as sensitive as this one. D ust flew up. Then, there were cries, and the fleeting m ovem ent o f batons and rifle butts. All this was necessary at such a tim e. The greatest ruler in the world only has to do one th in g - to keep his nerves under control. The greatest head o f governm ent, m inister, police chief, or whatever, all o f them have to make sure o f only one thing, nam ely to keep themselves under control. However, those who receive orders do n o t control themselves. Sometim es they, o f their ow n accord, th in k they are enforcing an order that has com e dow n to them . Any head of state is capable o f receiving a slap in the face and still continue sm iling in fro n t o f television cameras. People will adm ire him precisely because he did no t react the way they w ould have done - indeed as they do for the slightest thing. However, when the camera lights are n o t trained on him , th a t very same leader can just as easily give the order to destroy tens o f cities. Afterwards, he will hold grand speeches, cloaking h im self in the innocence o f one who respects his fellow man. Arms and voices rose, rifle butts pierced the sky, sometimes hitting a b aton or a skull. There were screams, faces oozing with blood, bodies collapsing to the ground. The police chief never made the slightest m ovem ent; he tried to prepare him self for when he would become a m inister, standing in fro n t o f a television camera. (S ta n d firm ! The hour ofvengeance is near, an d you w ill be able to destroy tens ofcities.)
Some o f the rifle butts inadvertently brushed against him because o f the thickness o f the crowd, those people who
M uhammad al-Zafzaf
إ د س ،ي و د د ن ل ال ر ش • أ
مأ خ ذ ن .ص بمر ت
ب الن ا س أ و ل ا ل أ م
ذ م د ص د ئ ا .م
ض • الحر ا - ،دريم ن ف ك ل ا تجام
ت طاير ال م ا ر حو ل الم و ك ب ا سر م ن ك ز١
'
^ .اض'د ر ض
ي عر ف * ع ن ى أ ن ي ظ ا ه ر ا إلن ا ني الث إ ت واأ ال م؛ ا الم• أ ب ز م " ى ض ^ «
وف و ض ال ح ل هل م ا ،خ ص و ص ا م أ مور ذا ت حما س ة ض مذم .ي ' يت طا ير ،و ' ك ب ر ا خ وا لعم
م
ص ض
ى وأعق ا ب البن ا د ق ث طا م ،ك ز ص هيءضروري
ض ئ ض ا م ر ض د و ال م ٣ ١إ ال أ ن يت م ا ل ك ا ء ه امبم
ط ض أ م ر ض " ج و مة ،أ م وزير ،أ م وال ،أ م ع م د ة ،آ م ناقد مقاطع ة ،أ مف ال ن إ ال أن
يت م ا ل ك
ف • ل ك ن ال ذي ن يلق و ن م /ا م ٧
يت ما ل ك و ن أ شس ه م .يع ت ق د و ن أ حي ا نأ أن أ يتص ر فف ر د ي ،يأت ي ،^ ۶٠
م
تل بية أل م ر سا م• إ ن أ ي رئي س د ول ة م ا ل عا مم ي ك ن ه أن يتقب ل صفع ة ويت م!• أ م كامث را ما التل ف زي و ن.ض و ف ي ق د ر ه الن ا س ل أته ل؛ ينف ع ل ط ه م لأتفه؛ ١شيء. ف اء ،ست ط ي ع أ ن يعط ي ا لأوا م رل ت ه د م عث ر ا ت الم د ن .لأن ك ا م را ل ك ن ه م ا لخ التلفزي و ن ل ي ت م و ي ه ة إل يه
مت ل ك ا ل ل ح ظ ة .ب ع د ذ ل ك محو ف ي خ ط ب م
الن ا س ط ه ر أب راءة ا إلن ا ن نجا ه أخيه ا إلن ان ! ا ل أذر ع ا لآن ت رتف ع ،وا أل ص و ا تت ر ت ف ع ،وأعق ا ب البن ا د ق ؟ را ه ق•'
م
السماء ،ت ص ط د م ب ر ؤ و س م ا ن ي أ حي ا نأ ،وب ر ؤ و س البش ر أ حي ان ا أ خ ر ى• ف و ا ه وتنز ا ل و ج و م د م ا ،و ش م ط ا أل ج س ا م أر ضأ .ل ك ن ا ل ما ت د د س ت ص ر خ ا لأ ال يت ح ر ك .إنه ي ح ا و ل أن ي عو د نف س ه عل ى أن ي صب ح وزيرأ ،أ ما م ك ا م ؛ التل ف زي و ن ( .أ ي ت .س و ف تأت ي ل ح ظ ة ا النتق ا م ،
م ح ينه ا ،عندم ا ت
ط ع أن
تهدم عشرات الم د ن)٠ أعق ا ببع ض البن ا د ق تن ا و ش ه ،ع ن غير م ن د ،بف ع ل ز ح ا م ا-ب م امهث ر ،ا م
66
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
worshipped this tree. Yet, he did no t flinch. He retained his stera smile, despite the dust that coated his face and a large part o f the throng. However, one o f those receiving orders had lost his selfcontrol. Throw n from God knows where, a large stone landed on the police chiefs head, fracturing his skull. H e sank to the ground, his smile still fixed on his lips, lying in a pool o f blood and soil. The troops opened fire. Stones were flying through the air, h e a ^ with dust. Shots rang out, though n o one knew where they were com ing from. Bodies fell. O thers fled, scattering in every direction, pushing and shoving one another. A cloud of dust rose up. It was a fully-fledged battle, total chaos. Feelings o f anger, fear, hatred, courage and cowardice enveloped the tree that lay lifeless on the ground. Bullets were flying eve^where, ripping evetything in their path. Eveiything became blurred: the laments, the weeping and dying screams. The police chiefs lips still had a smile on them , despite the blood and soil, as though tens o f cameras were crowded around him in order to get a shot o f him. The people began to disperse. The narrow streets became empty as the doors and windows dotted along the haphazardly built walls were shut. Eyes appeared through the chinks and crannies in the walls, windows and doors. However, these eyes did not see anything except the troops, spread o u t across the clearing or posted at the entrance o f the maze o f squalid alleyways in which the sewage and garbage had amassed. Some shopkeepers, greengrocers, spice m erchants and other small traders left their goods in order to take shelter wherever they could. A few old women who sold henna, herbs, locally produced soap and various magic paraphernalia such as rats* tails, and crows’ heads, scattered in every direction, abandoning their wares on the pavement. The policem en approached their chief, who signalled to them to take him to one o f the cars. One o f the policemen was struck by the chiefs extraordina^f strength o f character when he saw him lying there, still sm iling as though nothing had happened.
M uham m ad al-Zafzaf
7ء
م ل س الشع م ة •
م ال
د ب م، م يت م ا ألث> ن ف ه .
ماب ش ه صارم ة و جا دة ،رغ م
ي الز
م ص ا م ' ج م ي ن • غ م أن أ ح د ال ذ ي ن ي ك ون ا آل ري و م
ى ,ة ي ي ش من م ك ا ن ما ه و ت ق طع ة ح جر ك جرة عل ى رأس ن ا ئ د ائق اءل رأص ه .سق ط عل ى ال ت را ب ،و ظ ل ت ا البت س ا مة أ ب دأ م ر س و مة عن ى A.j Iا إلي ن
ظلت ا سب ح ا نيف،
ر
م م ن 'أدم وا م ' ب • أطل ق ا ر س
ر
ص ا ص .ت ط ر ز
أ ح جار م الفض اء ا م حر ،فتكه ا ر ص ا ص ا ت م ي ك ن أ ح د يدر ي ص أي ك ا ن تتطل ق .أ خ ذ ت األ ج سا د ت ق ط ،ته ر ب و ث ث ث ت ،وتف ر ق وت م د م بب ع ضه ا م ا رتف ع الغب ا ر .م ع ر ك ة ح ق ي ق ي ة ف ع ال .م يع د هن ا ن ظ ام لأي ميمء ع و ا ط ف م ن الغض ب واخل و ف والح ق د إللش ج ا عة را ض ،؛ل ها محر م حو ل ش ج ر ة مق ط و عة .ا ل ر ص ا صي ط ل ق م ن ك ل م ك ا ن وي خت ر ق ك ز م ك ا ن .اخت ل ط ك ز خ يء .ا ل ع وي ل وال ب ك اء وأنت ن ا ال حتض ا ر ا لأخير .ابت سا م ة ق ا ئ د المق ا طبة ل ت ا ب ،كأ ن عث را ت ك ا ن ت ما تزال مرس و م ة عل ى خفتي ه ،رغ م ال دم وار ال ك ا م ي را ت تتزا ح م ح و ل ه ،لتلتق ط ل ه ص و رأ . ب و ا ب ،ا ل ر ي تف ر ق الن ا س خ لت ،الش و ا ر ع ال ضيق ة ،وأغل ق ت ال و ا ف د وا لأ ت ر كيبأ عش و ائيأ عل ى ج د را ن ،بني ت كيف م ا اتف ق .ك ا ن تب ع ض ال م و زت ط ل م ن ثق و ب أو خق و ق
ب و ا ب ل ك نت ل ك الع يو ن م م الحي طا ن والن و ا ف ذ وا لأ
ت ك ن ت ر ى سو ى ح ر س غير
م الومحع ة و م رؤ و س ا لأزقأ ال ف ذ رة
ا لتف ر عة ،ال ت ي ت جمع ت فيه ا الق ا ذ و را ت وا لأو سا خ . أ ص ح ا ببع ض ا ل حو ان ي ت ،م ن خ ئ ا ري ن و عف ا ري ن وأشب ا ه ةغ م ح ،ر م سم ن ه م وا حتف و ا
م أ ما ك ن ما .بع ض ا ل ع جا ئز ا ل ل و ات ي ي س ا ه ء د ' ي
وا ل ص اب و ن البل د ي و ل و ا زم ا ل ح ر ،ك ذ ي و ل ال فئ را ن و ر ؤ و س
' <ف ن
و;كن ط ،شء ا ىا م ار .ا م ب ض ا < س س الق اند .أئ1ر إل هممحدم ف ح م ل و هب سرعة إ ل إ ح د ى ا ل سي ا را ت .ت ع جم ب أ ح د ا ل ح ر ا س س عن د ما رآه ما يزال يبت س م ،كأ ن شيثأ ب يق ع.
ص
68
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
Language Notes
1- ا ن ما نsg• ( > ع = من نpi• م م( <و ع: 2. كزاء: M CA “rent (m oney)” ت ي1. (أك ر ي ة, > م ى, “to rent out" (“ ر ا م ىto re n t”, “hire”). In MSA, the usual term is اي ج ار م >), “to rent o u t”, “let” <> ا ن ت أ ج ر, “to re n t”, “hire”). و. ح ط م: lit. “m u^^le”, “sn o u t”. 4• ما ف و ما ل ال ن ي ر ة: dialectal phrasing co m m o n in a large num ber o f dialects (e. g. Egyptian and Iraqi as well as M oroccan). It is im p o rtan t to note th at ما لhere does not refer to “m oney” or “w ealth”; gather, it is a particle used to denote possession. MSA: ما لن ا و ك ^ ^ ة م و. س ي د ي: strictly speaking “( ن ت د يM ister”, “Sir”), the form he^e is p ro n ounced s id i ai^d is used in N o rth Africa for people enjoying a high social or religious status. It is also the usual epithet for saints, as is the case ^ere: م ي د ي دا و ود. It is som etim es abbreviated to س ي: e^g. م ي مح ئ د. 6.
محزن: lit. m eaning “storehouse” (< خ ز ن, u, “to store”), the word is used here in the peculiarly M oroccan sense o f “the au th o rities” (form erly only the Treasu^f, i.e. “the place where the m oney is stored”).
7.
مح زي: “a m akhzan m an” (see above )مح زن, i.e. “government official”.
8 . المق ا ط ع ة: M CA “district office”. In MSA this w ord denotes “d istrict”. 9• ( ث ئ ص (ا إل ح: “to transm igrate ( مthe sp irit)”; cf. ق ن ص, “m etem psychosis”. N ote th at مم ئ ض ش خ ب ف ال نmeans wto pretend to be som eone else”, “to take over som eone else’s personality”. 10. 0م ك ب:“ أseek a blessing ) ن ز ك مfrom a saint. 11. ۶ ؛لي؟: = غلن ا,‘( س ا <> ز الغلنيsecretly’). 1 2. تمائ م: s g. .تمي م ة وا. ك ا ب را: this borrow ing is increasingly used, at the detrim ent
M uham m ad al-Zafzaf
o f the hom egrow n coinings ال ة ال مضo r . ث ن ؤ ر ة ا4 أ ش: superlative o f “(ت ا فهinsignificant”). ه ر ض أر: MCA; MSA “( ز ن قare th ro w n ”).
6و
Ibrahim al-Faqih
A؛imad Ibrahim al-Faqih was born in 1932 in to a middle-class family in M izda, a small village in the fam ous m acadam hills © f ( ا ل ح ما ل ة ا لخن راءH am ada H am ra), ab o u t 100 miles south o f the Libyan capital Tripoli. After com pleting his secondaiy education in Libya, he went to E ^ p t in 1962 to study journalism , When he returned to Libya, al-Faq!h worked briefly as a journalist before m oving to London to study theatre. Resettling in Libya in 1972, he became head o f the co u n try ’s N a tio n al Institute for Music and Dram a. In the 1980s, d u rin g his stay in Britain as a diplom at attached to the Libyan embassy, he com pleted a ? ^ ه at the University o f Edinburgh. Together with Ibrahim al-Kawnl (al-K oni)- a fellow member o f the so-called “Sixties G eneration” - al-Faqih is undoubtedly one o f the m ost fam ous and influential Libyan authors o f the present day. He has published the follow ing c o l l e c ti o n s ^ short stories: ( ال ي غ ر ال ماء بيهThe Em pty Sea, وا66ازث ط وا أ حزم ة تز ( المق ا ع دFasten Your Seatbelts, ول68(; ( ا ح ش ال ث غ و م فأت ن أن تThe Stars Disappeared\ a n d Where Wt ere You?, 1985); ( اث زأة م ن ن وءThe Lady o f Lig h t, 1985)( غن س حن اخ سحت ك م ال ش د ة ؛F ive Beetles A re R u lin g the Tree, 1998) ؛and ( نزاي ا بيني سي اReflections o f Venice). In
addition, al-Faqih has also been prolific as a journalist and critic, p la ^ r ig h t and novelist. Several o f his works have been translated in to English, including ( غزا ال تGazelles, a n d Other
Ibrahim al-Faqih
71
Plays , ( خئ و ل م ن ا إل م ا د ث(ووولV alle y o f Ashes, novel, تش ارلزأر و وول \l\j*j(Cbarles, D ia n a a n d M e , مح » ه
Stories, 1999); and ن ن
( ئ غ ا ف أيث ا كريس ت يW ho's A fra id o fA g a th a C h ristie ?, novel, 1999). Al-Faqih also edited a volum e o f translated short stories written by Libyan authors th at had originally appeared in the Londonbased magazine ص م under the title L ib y a n Short Stories (1999). ?robably his m ost am bitious project to date is the prizewinning trilogy (t؟anslated as Gardens o f the N ights , 1995), co ؟ ؟.is tin ^ o f م) ن افي ك ن دين ة أ غ ز ىS h a ll 0$ e r A nother City); ث غ و م تل م0( ه ذThese A re the Borders o f M y K ingdom ); and ث ق ( ت ضن ه ا م ر اة وا ح د ةA Tunnel L it by a W om an). Like the Egyptian Yahya H aqql’s ( قتدي ل أم ه اش مThe Lam p o f Um m H ash im , 1944) or the Sudanese al-Tayyib Salih’s ( م ؤ س م الب ح ر ة إ ل الش م ا لSeason o fM ig ra tio n to the N o rth , 1969), al-Faqlh’s trilogy highlights the alienation o f W estern-educated Arab - in this case, Libyan intellectuals, o n the cusp between the W estern tem ptations to which they at som e p o in t give in and the realization that salvation can only com e from w ithin. The present story, extracted from ا خ تف ت الن ج و م فأي ن أن ت ؟, is to some extent also preoccupied w ith alienation, albeit not in the traditional sense inasm uch as it depicts the protagonist’s inability to deal w ith changes in trad itio n for reasons rooted w ithin him self rather than being based on experiences outside his native society. The result, however, is no less dram atic and tragic, and at times even com ic, all o f which is powerfully conveyed by al-Faq!h’s tight, polished prose style, which, as the story develops, is increasingly at odds w ith the protagonist’s mental disarray.
Excerptfrom The Book ofThe Dead At first he th o u g h t that they had all, fo r som e reason, decided to play tru an t th at m orning. O n his way to class, the teacher, M r Abd al-Hafiz, had walked past the teachers’ room . He, too, had got in to the routine o f taking roll call. H e continued his journey to the classroom th ro u g h the long hallway, the walls of which were covered w ith notices and stu d e n ts’ drawings. W hen he saw that the d o o r at the end o f the hallway was closed, w ithout a sound em anating from inside the room or any o f the usual racket that could be heard every m orning, he knew that the little devils had invented som e excuse for n o t turning up for class that day. It also m eant th at he had to return to the school office to have it o u t w ith them ab o u t this recurrent absenteeism. He swore th at he w ould record any student’s unauthorized absence, whatever their excuse or reason. As if to remove all d o u b t he opened the door, and w ithout so m uch as glancing inside he closed it again. He considered going back to the school office, were it n o t for the faint whisper he had heard when opening the door. He looked inside again and, m uch to his surprise, he discovered th at they were all there. They were sitting properly in their seats, quietly opening their copybooks and silently studying or w riting. They behaved as though they had suddenly transform ed in to grow n men. Abd al-Hafiz entered the classroom , com pletely dum bstruck. He im m ediately started looking aro u n d to see w hether the ‘fat cat’ from the M inistry was lurking somewhere. Indeed, the only possible explanation for this eerie calm th at p e ^ a d e d the class was that one o f the m inisterial inspectors had arrived before him to conduct an inspection ro u n d in order to em barrass him in front o f the students and record th at he had arrived late for
صمحه م ن
كت ا ب الموتى مث
ا لأو ل ،
ب ،و ل أ م م ا ،ق د تغيب وا عن اخلص ور؛ ز
ص
الم د رس ة ه ذا ا ل ص إ ح .ك ا ن األمحت ا ذ عب د الحفي ظ ق د ،٢ ١ب مجر ة ا ك ر ^ي ن وأ
ط
ى
مم و ه و
م ا ر و م حا م ج ل
ز ئ ر ينه |لى
س ور وم ار ين ط ع
ممر أ ط وي آل تأم ل ج د ران ه ا ل ص ح ف ا ل حائ ط ية ورم ر م ا ل ال م ين ،ز ل ح ج رؤ ا ك رسم_ا• و عن د م ا رأ ى الب ا ب ز نه ا ية ا لممر مغل ق أ ،و لم
لل ط ل بة ص وق ،و م
يتن ا ه إل ي ه ض جي ج ه م وع ر ا ك ه م ك ما ه ي ا لعا د ة ك ل ب ا ح ،أدر ك أن هؤ الء ا لشي ا ط ي ن ق د تدب ر وا عذ را لل ه ر و ب م ن ال د ر س ه ذا الي و م• وأ ن عل يه أني عو د إ ل ا إل دا رة وبهم ا ل اب ح زم أ ن جن د أح ل ل ه ذ ا الغي ا ب ا ل ت ك ر ر ،وأق س م بينه وبين ف س ه أن ي س ج ل ه عل ي ه م غي ا ب أ غير مش ر و ع م ه م ا ك ا ن ا ل ع ذ ر أ و السب ب . ولمجر د ق ط ع الش كبال ي ي ن فت ح الب ا ب و د و ن أن يهت مبإلق اء ن ظرة إ ل ال د ا خ ل أع ا د قفل ه ،وهن؛ب ا ل ر ج و ع ل و ال أن تن ا ه ت إل ي ه عند فت ح الب ا ب هم ه م ة ض ع يف ة ،فأع ا د فت ح ه م ن ج د ي د وا كت ش فل د ه ش ت ه ال كب ي ر ة أنه م جميعا هن ا ك، ي ج ل ون
م أ د ب إ ل ث ا ع د ه م ويفت ح و ن
م ه د و ء ك ر ا ر ي ه م ،و م حن
م ص م ت عل ى ا ل م طال ع ة أو الكت ا بة ،وي ص رفون كأن ه م ت حولوا ف ذ ' ة إ ل ر ذ ل
ك إ ر. د خ ل ا أل مت ان عب د ا ل حفي ظ و ق د ع ق د ت ل م ا ئه ال د ه ش ة إ ل الف ص ل ،ذ ش أ و ل ما ف ش ع ن (الق ط ال ذ ي جاء ص ال و زارة)،فلي س هن ا ك س
ال هدوء ا ل ع ج ب ال ذ يي عم الف ص ل إ ال أن
م هل ن ا
ط ص م فت ش ي ال وزا رة ذل ٧ ٣
إ ل هن ا ،اخت ا ر م ذ ؛ ا ل و ن ت ) ل ب ك ر لج و ك 1ك ث إ ك ي ي حر ج ه أ .ا م ا
و ي ج ل عليه م ؛ أنه ج اء إ ل الد ر س شأ خ رأ ،ط ر إ ل سا عته وا
ب
س إ ل ان
74
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
class. But then Abd al-Hafiz looked at the clock, and was fully reassured th at he was on time, no d o u b t about it. He would defiantly raise his head to this inspector, w hom he imagined standing next the blackboard. However, there was nobody there. W hat kind o f prank was this? He knew ab o u t the cat-and-mouse game these inspectors were so p roficient at, and inflicted upon him . He walked around the blackboard and the desk, in case the inspector was hiding behind one o f them , b u t there was no cat or mouse. He stopped for a m inute, baffled and at a loss to explain what was going on. His gaze w andered aro u n d the room in search o f som ething out o f the o r d i n a l , b u t evei^thing was the way it should be: each boy was sitting at the desk which had been allocated to him at the beginning o f the year ؛the window was still the same ؛the m ulberry tree beh in d it, which had recently sprouted leaves, still stood p ro u d and tall ؛the drawings on the wall were the same feeble and prim itive scribblings that had always been there ؛the blackboard had n o t m oved an inch from its place. This was definitely his classroom and these were definitely his students, with their usual faded, grim y features. He had n o t taken the w rong route in to w ork, n o r had he entered a school on another planet, in an o th er co u n try or city. Everything inside the classroom was as it should be, except, that is, for this eerie calm, which he had never witnessed in any classroom for as long as he had been a teacher. His atten tio n was drawn to a previously em pty seat at the back o f the class which was now occupied by one o f the students w hom he was used to seeing in fro n t o f him , at the first desk on the left. He was about to ask him for the secret behind this change when his atten tio n was drawn to the stu d e n t’s former seat, where he suddenly discovered a demon - G od help us! sitting quietly. There was no d o u b t that this was a dem on who had taken on the guise o f a girl, and was sitting in this seat, close to him , im pudently and shamelessly. It was against all the laws o f nature!
Ibrahim al-Faqih
75
د حض و ر م jاك ما م و ال ك ما ل ،و رف ع ز ل مح تت يوا ج ه ؛ جد ،ئ ال ذ ي نمور أنه ي ق ف ا ل آن بمحا ذا ة ا ل م ت و وة .ل؛ ي ك ن
ص المف-ا
و
الهزار' الثقي ل ؟ إنه يعر ف لعبة الق ط وال فأ ر ال ت ي مب ن ء< الء ا ك م ن حت ؛ ه إ مع ه٠
طا فب إلسي و ره وا ل ض د ة ع سا م ا لآن ي خت ف ي خل ف إ ح دا هلم ا ،م ي ج ر ق ط أ و ال فأرأف و ق ف ل د ق ي ق ة م د ه ش ا ،ع ا ج زأ ع ن م سر ٠؛ ح د ث ،أ ^ ل مب م ء
دا خ ل ا ل ح جر ة ع ؛ ي ج د
ب
ب ق د ح د ث ،كا ن ك ل شيء ى م ،
م
ول دي جل س إ ل مك انه ال ذ يت عو د أني جل س إل يه م ن ذ بداية ا لخام ،ا سزذ ص الن ا ف ذ ة وم ن خل ف ه ا ش ج ر ة اكومت ال ت ي اكتسم ت ح د ي ث أب ا ل و ر ق ق ف ت ز زهم و
وكبري اء ،وا لر سو م عل ى ا لحائ ط ص نف س ا ل ر س بدائية و ر كي ك ةتع و د ان ي راه ا دائ ما ،وا ل م حو رة لر تتز ح ز ح ق ي د ٢^ ٢ع ن م ك ا ن ه ا والف ص ل هو نمله، والت ال م ي ذ ه مت ال م ي ذ ه ،ب س حن ا ت ه م ال ترابية الب ا هتة ،فه و م ي خ طى;؛ ا ل ط ر يق وثر يد خ ل خ طأ إ ل مد ر ئ
م ك و ك ب آ خ ر ،أو و غ ن ا خ ر ،أو م د ي ة أ خ ر ى غير
م دينت ه ،ك ا ن ك ل خيء
م دا خ ل ال ن م ل ع ادي ا و طبي عا ،ما عدا ه ذا ال هدوء
الغ ر ب ال ذ ي لي يره طيل ة ع م ر أ مض ا ه ي التدري س ي ح د ث
م
نمل م ن
الف ص و ل ال د راس ي ة. اسرت ع ى أنتب ا ه ه أن ص د أ م ه ج و رأ ز آ خ ر الف ص ل ج ل س إل يه ا لآن وا ح د م ن ا ل ط ل بة مم نت ع و د أن ي راه م أ ما م ه يس أل ه ع ن
م أ و ل مق ع د عل ى الش م ا ل ،هب ا ن
م ه ذا ال ت غ ي م ل و ال أن ح ا ن ت منه التف ا ته إ ل م ك ا نه ا ل س ابق ،دإذا
به ي ك ت ش فف ج أ ة أن -عف ر يتأ -ي ج ل س م ه د و ء إ ل ذ ل ك ا لف ع ل iy u ،اض م ن ال شي ط ا ن ا ل ر ج م ،إنه دونما ش ك عف ر ي ت ،تن ك ر م ص و رة بن ت س ا ^ ت و ج اء م صف ا ق ة وقل ة أ د ب و ذ و ق مح رقأ ك ز الن وامي س م ال د ب ، ذ ل ك المق ع د ق ري ا م ن ه.
إل
7ة
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
He looked at her with co n stern atio n as she sat am ong his male students as if she was one o f them , as if she had known them, and they her, for ages ؛as if this was a perfectly normal and natural thing to d o ؛as if there was n o th in g wrong with the fact th at a girl was present in a school for boys and in ه class devoted to the teaching o f boys. H e co n tin u ed to stare at her, b oth in terror and astonishm ent, as th o u g h he had seen a corpse in his class. How could M r Abd al-Hafiz bear a sight o f this kind? After all, this was n ot a girls’ school, bu t a boys’ school, where all the teachers and students were male! H ow could this girl have ended up here, and what right did she have to com e here and sit down, in fro n t o f him , on this m orning? He was never going to allow any creature to catch him unaw ares like this. He had got up that m orning, done his prayers, had breakfast, shaved, corrected his stu d ents’ assignm ents, p u t on his coat and come to school w ithout even the slightest inkling th at there would be a dem on in the shape o f a girl brazenly sitting in fro n t o f him. He could never have im agined that this was going to happen to him! He had always im agined that girls had to study o ther things, that they were taught by female teachers and surrounded by girls in schools especially for them , w hich had big iron gates and high walls and were filled w ith mystei^f and secrecy. He thought that what was taught to boys was for males only, and any female ought to be embarrassed and ashamed to hear it. He could never have im agined that any girl w ould depart from the principles o f decency and m odesty and sit dow n in class together with boys, with a total lack o f shame and m orals ؛to listen to the things the boys listened to, to write dow n w hat they wrote down and to be examined on the things they were exam ined on. As for this girl, she m ust surely be lost - either that, or she had slipped into the school through the window. She was clearly engaged in some plot against him , and he was no t going to treat her like the
Ibrahim al-Faqih
77
يج
ط ر إل ه ا *■ذء و رأ و ص نجلس ض ط ال به ال ذ ك و ر كأ ن ها ور
؟أنه؛تعر فه مموبرف و نه ا م ن ذ ا لأزل ،كأنه ئ ىء ع ا د ي أن ت ك و ن
و ف
ح
م ر_ال
م ء د ر ئ ل م ح ،و نمل م ن ا ل ص و ل ا لخف م ة ل ت د ر س ا لأو ال"د
ب ت .امت م ر ين ظ ر إل ي ه ا م ذع ر وا ن د ه ا ش كأن هي ر ى ز نمل ه قي ألء إ ذ ؛ ؛ ف أل لست ا ذ عب د ا لخفي ظ أن ي س توع ب م ث ه د أ ك ه ز م و م ي ئ م ى ٣٢^ ^ ١أن ه ذ ه لي س ت م د رس ة للبن ا ت ،إنه ا م د ر س ة ل لأو ال د ك ز مر
^٣
ر جا ل ،وك ل ط البه ا ذكور ،كي ف إذن سلل ت ه ذه ال بن ت ؛ ل هنأ والي م م ج ا ء ت و ج ل م ت ،لي ج د ه ا قب ال ته ه ذا ا ل ص إ ح ،إنه ل ن ب م س حمأبرأ ل؛ىش من ك ا ن أن ي أ خ ذ ه ه ك ذ ا عل ى حتن غ ر ة ،ل ق د ق ا م ال ي و م م نن وم ه ،وأ د ى ص ال م ، وتن ا و ل إف طا ره ،وحل ق ذ ق ه ،وص غ ح ك ر ار ص ت ال مي ذه ،وا رتد ى ***A ll
س ة دون أن ت ك و نل ه أدنى ف ك رة أن عف ر ه تنك ر م ص ور؛ و جاء إ ل الم د ر ب ت و ج اء ي جل س
م صف ا ق ة أمام ه ،خ ا ل ال ذ ه ن تمام أ م ن ك ز ه ذا ال ذ ي
ي ح د ث ا لآن. ل ق دت ص و ر دائ م أ أ ل للبن ا ت د رومحا أ خ ر ىي ج ب أ ن يت عل م ن ه ا ،عل ى أيد ي مدرس ا ت م ن بن ا ت جنس ه ن دا خ ل م دا ر س خاص ة ب ه ن ،م دا ر سل ه اب واب ا ت ح د ي د ي ة كبت رة ول ه ا أس وار ع ال ي ة ول ه ا تكت م وم ر ية.
وأن ك ز ما يق د م م ن درو س ل لأو ال د
م شيء خ ا صب ال ر ج ل بمب أن
تست ح ي حو تش م أ ي ا م ر أ ة م ن ا ال ش م ا ع إل يه ،ال أن ت خ ر ج عن
م بو ل
ا ل أد ب والحش م ة وتجلس م تهت ك وف ج و ر ودونما خ ج ل أو ح اء م ع ا لأو ال د ز الف ص ل ،وتست م ع إ ل مايست م ع و ن إل يه ،وتك ت ب ما يكتب و ن ،و ىاح ن١٠٠٠٠ ب محن و ن فيه ،وأ ن ه ذ ه ال ب ن ت ال ب د ق د أ خ ط أ ت ط ر ي ق ه ا ،أوت س ل ك إ ل اليم رمءمة م ن الشب ا ك ،وأنه ا م د م و م ة عل ي ه د ن أ ،وأنه ل و سمح ل ف ه أن ؛٧٠٠١٨
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
78
other students, even if it was a sin or a crim e u nder the law for which he would be made to appear before a judge. He was afraid that the students had noticed the terror and turm oil that had gripped him , so he pulled h im self together, straightened his posture, knitted his brow and addressed the girl formally, tiding to conceal any trace o f the excitement he felt within. “Stand u p .” She stood up. H ow shameful! ... She was indeed a woman, with a build and height sim ilar to his. She had bulging breasts and long black hair th at ran dow n to her shoulder blades. She was a woman who had blossom ed, and the tim e had come for her to get m arried rather than m ix with boys who had recently reached m aturity at a secondary school. Surely this was a trap. “Name?” Before she could open her m outh, the boy w ho had given up his seat for her and sat at the back o f the class volunteered the answer: “Her nam e is Zahra, Sir.” He was infuriated by the in tru sio n o f this boy who, as he only just now discovered, had a physical deform ity, in addition to being ugly. His clothes were filthy, while his teeth were yellow-stained and w orn. He knew that this boy scoured the streets for cigarette butts. Pretending n o t to have heard the boy, M r Abd al-Hafiz repeated the question angrily, quickly ru n n in g o u t o f patience: “Name?” “Zahra Abd al-Salam.” He sensed b o th defiance and superiority in her voice. So, this Abd al-Salam allowed his nubile daughter to leave the house and brazenly go to a boys’ school, sit dow n w ith them and mix with them? W hat father in the w orld could possibly allow that? He looked for her nam e on his attendance sheet. It was there, written in pen, added to the list, which had been typewritten.
Ibrahim al-Faqih
79
م ن ا ل ط ال بل ك ا ن م زق
ذ
ذ ل ك إئ م ،أو ج رمي ةيعا قبه عل ي ه ا ال ئ ^ ن, ،
ى ,،
ب
خ ث ي أن ي ك و ن الت ال ميذ ق د ال ح ظ وا ط أ ص ابه م ن ذ م و'رت إ ك ،ض) د نفس ه و شد ق ا ت ،و عقد ما يئن حا جبيه ،وخ ا ط به ابل ه ج ة ر
زن
ب
يجعل ه ا خال ية م ن أ ي أث ر لمايعت م ل م ص د ر ه م ن انف عا ال ت . “ق ي ا م •
وقف ت ٠إنه ايا للعار* ا مر أةقام ته ا م ح ج مق ا ت ،ص د ر ه ا م ،
وءم،ر ا
ط و ي ل أس و د يغ ط ي ال ك ت ض ،ا م ر أ ة نض ج تث م ا ر ه ا و ح ا ن أوا ن
؛ق
ا الخت ال ط مع ا لأو ال د ال ذي ن و ص ل وا ح ديثأ مح ن
يوغ م
بي ت الزو جية ال
م د رس ةث ان و ية• إ ذ ق ا أل م ر م ك ي د ة . -ا
وقب ل أن تفت ح خفتي ه ا أصرع الول د ال ذ ي ترك هل ا مق ع د ه و جل س م 7خ ر الف ص ل،
ط وع ا ل إل ج ا ب ة.
— ا س م ه ا زه ر ةي ا أ ش ا ذ . أغ ا ظ هت طف ل ه ذا ا لول د ال ذ ي ا كت ش ف ا لآن فق ط كي ف أنه مم سو خ الق ا م ة، وأنه ق م يء .مت س خ الثي ا ب ،ول ه أ من ا ن م تآ كل ة صف راء ،وأد ر ك أن ك ل ما ك ا ن يلق ا ه متن ا ثراف و ق أر ض ا ل ح ج ر ة ص أعق ا ب ا ل م ج ا ئر إنما د خن ه ا ه ذا ا لول د. أع ا د ا ل م ؤا ل بغي ظ ونف ا د صي ر ت جا ه أل ما قال ه ا لول د . -ا
د م
” زه ر ة عب د ا ل م ال م. أح ز
م ص و ت ه ا مرة حت ن وامحت ع الء ،أ ي عب د ا ل س ال م ه ذا ال ذ ييمسم ح
ال بنة م م ن ال ز وا ج ا ن ت خ ر ج م ن مح ته ا ،وت ا ت ي د و ن حي اء ؛ ل م ب ر م ة ل لأد ال د نجل ى م ع ه م و ت خ ل ط به م ،أ ي أ ب ز الدني ا ي م ح ب ذ ل ك ؟
ف ش عن ا س م ه ا م
س ج ل اخل ص و ر ،ك ا ن ا سمه ا هن ا ك م م ؛
م
أ ضي ف إض افة إ ل الق امث ة ال ي ك ب تبآا لل ة ال ك اتبة ،الب س ع ل ه ا ل أ م ،إذن
gQ
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
؛أ ا آ$ made the entire m atter even m ore obscure to him . So the school m anagem ent knew ab o u t this. There was no d o u b t that the girl was party to the scheme th at was being plotted against him. M r Abd al-Hafiz th o u g h t ab o u t all his enemies among the inspectors, who hated his frankness and tim e and again conspired against him , som etim es blocking his prom otion. They were also behind his having been transferred to another school, and now they could n o t find an y th in g to do to him except if they broke every law and decree in the land. They plotted against him by p u ttin g a girl in one o f the classes that he was teaching ؛indeed, this trap could n o t have been set for anyone except him . He had forgotten w hether he had finished his preparation, just as he no longer knew w hether he was supposed to teach Arabic or Religious E ducation th at day. W ith a trem bling hand, he picked u p the chalk and w ent to the blackboard in order to write som ething down. He w rote dow n the date and then stopped, as if he realized for the very first tim e that it was the Seventies now, and that he had started w orking as a teacher twenty years earlier. Suddenly he felt weak and exhausted, and sat down again in his chair, feeling totally w orn out. H e noticed that the girl was still standing, and so he m ade a gesture w ith his hand, n o t know ing him self w hether it m eant th at she should leave, sit down, disappear or die. However, she quietly sat down, raised her sm all head and looked at him , defiantly. At that m om ent, he decided th at he would hand in his resignation that day, w ith o u t any hesitati©n or regret. He sat dow n w ithout saying a w ord and buried his head in his hands, oblivious to the pro b in g eyes th a t surrounded him . He th o u g h t about this heresy ... this deviation ... this abom ination. He had lived his entire life in piety, com plying with the boundaries laid dow n by G od, believing that wom en are inviolable and m ust be protected, and th at th eir place is in the home, far ٢٢٥^ the gaze o f men. H e knew th at when a m an
ا8
Ibrahim al-Faqih
خ ا إل دارة عل ى ع لمبالموض و ع ،ل ص ال ه ك خ ريكت م الم ؤا م ة (ل م -دم ضده ،ف ك ر األ سان عب د الحفي ظ
د ا روا ي ك د و ن ل ه م ر ة وراء
jك ز أ عدائ ه م ن < ذ ي ن ك ر ه و ا ت ر ا
م
ي رق ل و ن أ حي ا نأ ت ر قيته ،ي جب و ن
م نقل ه م ن • درس ة إ ل أ خ ر ى ،و ه ا ه م الي و م ال ي ج د و ن محا يف علو نه به إ ال
ان ريختض' ك ل
ما
ز ال د ب م ن ب ن وثوان إن ،ويدن و ن عليه م نمل ض
الف ص و ل ال ت ي يق و م ي ت د ر ي ه ا بنتآ ،إنه م ال يق ع د و ن ب ه ذ ه الم ك ي د ة ا ح د أ محو ا ه. نس ي ما ق د أ م حت ضثره ،نس ي إن ك ا ن د ر س الي و م ز اللغة ا ل ع ربية آم م ال د ي ن ،أ م سم ك بي د م رتع ش ة إص م ع اخل س ،اقت ر ب م ن ا ل ل و ح ة ل ي ك ت ب غيث ا ،
كت ب الت ا ريخ ،و وق ف عنده ،كأنه ي كت شف ت لأول م ر ة أنه ا ا لآن ال م عينامحت،
وأن أك ر م ن عش رين ع ا م أ ق د انق ض ت م ن ع م ر ه م دن س ا ،أ ح زف ج ا ةب ال و س وا إلعي اء ،ف ج اء و ج ل س م ت ه ال ك أ عل ى ك ر ت ،ا كت ش ف أن ال ب ن ت ما زال ت واقف ة فأ خ ار ل ه ا بي د إ خ ا رة ال يعلم إن ك ا ن م عن ا ه ا أ ن ت خ ر ج أو نجلس أو
ت ختف ي أوتمو ت- ل ك ن ه ا ز هدوء جلس ت ورف ع ت رأمح ه ا الصغت ر تن ظ ر إليه ز عن ا د ،م■حئن ق ر ر ه و أن ي ق د م الي و م وب الت ر د د ودونما ن د م ل مقال ته ،ج ل س و لر يق ل شيئ ا ، دف ن رأمح ه ي ن يديه ،س ي العي و ن ال ت ي تحاصر ه .ف ك ر
م ه ذ ه ال بد عة ،هذه
الض ال ل ة ،ه ذ ه الن ا ر ،ل ق د ع ا ش ط و ا ل ع م ر ه ورعأض ر يفأ مستقي م أ يراعي ح د و د اف وي عر ف أن ل ل م ر أ ة ح ر م ةي ح ب أنت ص ا ن ،وأ ن م ك ا ن ه ا دا خ ل ال بي تب ع ي دا عن من ن ا ل ر ج ا ل ،وأنه ما ال ت ق ى ر ج ل وا م ر أة إ ال و ك ا ن ال شي ط ا ن ؛، ٦ ٧ ،
8ث
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
and a w om an are together, Satan is never far away. So, when a woman meets th irty men, or a th o u san d m en, there must be devils ev e^v h ere, enough to fill the universe ؛a catastrophe will befall this world, while Judgm ent Day will be nigh. Mr Abd al-Hafiz dictated a sentence the students had to parse, as he sat im m ersed in thought. As soon as he finished the lesson, he would go to the school m anagem ent and hand in his notice. This was the last tim e they w ould try to make him resign. This was exactly what they wanted. They had put this girl in fro n t o f him in a desperate attem p t to make him do it. But he would n o t resign. He was n o t going to allow them to win just like that. The wisest course o f action for him was not to rise to the bait and rem ain a th o rn in their side. W hen he finished the lesson, M r Abd al-H afiz angrily went to see the head teacher. It was clear th at he was going to feed him some story or other. As it turned out, the g irl’s father was a governm ent official who had recently been transferred to this remote part o f the city, where there was no o th er secondary school except this one. Lest the girl be prevented from getting an education, the school had been obliged to accept her. The M inistry had agreed, and the girl was placed in the school. So, it was clearly a legal m atter. However, he was n o t going to be deceived by this ruse, since he knew all the tricks o f these youngsters who all o f a sudden called the shots at the M inistry’s Centres for E ducational M anagem ent and C rien tatio n . He was going to fight them , by him self ؛he was going to show them the extent to which this entire business was crooked. The next day, he decided to ignore the girl. There was no doubt th at the best thing to do was to pretend to forget about her, to ignore her and to teach his class as though she was not there at all. M r Abd al-Hafiz m ade up his m ind that he would no t direct any question to her, n o r w ould he collect her copybook or refer to her presence or absence. He would disregard her and treat her w ith co n tem p t u n til either she or whoever brought her here became asham ed, and she returned whence she had come, hum iliated and defeated.
Ibrahim al-Faqih
83
ف اب ا ل ك ',إذا ال ف ت ا م ر أ ة وث ال ثو ن ر ج لآ٧ ، الث إ ء؛ينسي م لأون ال ك و ن ،وأ ن ك ا رثة
ت• د
تح ز ؛ ال-ن إ ،وأ ن ي وم
وثي ك. 1 أمل ى عل ى ا ل ط ال ب جمل ة ينشغ ل و ن ب إع ر ابه ا ،و م ر غ
م
٠
م تنت ه ي الح ن ة وس ذ ه ب إ ل ا إل دا رة ي ق د م منقال ته ،ه ا ه م إأل ذ م ن ه أ خت رأإلى
االستقال ة ،إن هذاب ا لخب ط ما يريدونه ،فه م م ا جاءوا ب هده ' ل~تمو و ضمه\ ل نء:ل ،و ه م
أمام ه إ ال لحم ي عل ى ا إلب ا ن بف ع لي ائ س ك ه ؛ا ،ل كن هل ن
أن م م ا رأ مجا نيأ ك ه ذا ،وأن الح ك م ة ك ز الح ك م ة ه ي أن ي ف ز ت عنيه م ذ م الف ر ص ة وأن يبق ى هل م كالش و ك ة م ا لحل ق. عن د ما أنت ه ت ا لح ص ة و ذ ه ب ا أل مت ان عب د ا ل حفي ظ
ح ا ن ق أ ياي ل مدي ر
الم د رس ة ،ك ا ن عل ى ثق ة م ن أنه سيل ف ي ح ك ا ية ما ،وك ا ن ت الح كاي ة هي أن لل ب ن ت أبأي ع م لب ال ح ك و م ة انتق ل ح د ي ث أ إ ل ه ذ ه الض ا ح ية الب ع ي د ة من ضوا حي الم دين ة ،و لأنه لي سيالف ا ح ية م د رس ةث ان و ية غير ه ذ ه الم د رس ة ،ول ك ي ال نحر م ال ب ن ت م نتعلي م ه ا ،ف إ ن الم د ر س ة ال جن د غض ا ضة ز قب ول ه ا ،وأن ا ل وزارة
وافق ت وأن و ضع ال بن ت م ا لم درسة ،و ضعق ان ويف و ال غب ا ر ع ليه. ل ن ين ط ل ي عل ي ه ا أل م ر فه و ي عر ف ك ز أ ح ايي ل ه ذا اب ل م ن ا أل طف ا ل ال ذ ي
قفز ب أ ة إ ل مر اكز ال تو جيه وا إل دارة م التعلي م ،وس د خ ل مع هم الصراع و ح ي دا ،و س م ريه م ك ي ف أ ن ا أل م ر مل يءب الغب ا ر. م ا ل ر م، ^ ١ت ر ر أ ن ي ج ا ه ل ال ب ن ت ،خ ال ش ك أن أ ا غ ر د م أ ن ب م س ا وأ ال ي س ل هل ا
كأن ه ا ي ت ه
ح ا يأ عل ى ا إل ط ال ق وأ ن ي ق د م د ر ت ض ش ا م
م م د دا ،
ن ا ك أ م لأ ،وص ن م ا لأش ا ذ عب د ا ل ح ف ي ظ بن ه و ي ن م س هانه
ل ن ي و ي ه ل ه ا س ؤا ال ول ني ل م س هل ا ك را م أ ول ن ي ؤ م عل ى ا س م ه ا
اد
—تءي س ذ الغي ا ب وأن يه مل ه ا وي حتق ر ه ا إ ل أن ت ت ح ي عل ى ن ف ه ا أوي به ا عل ى نف س ه وت ع و د ذليل ة ،م ه زو م ة ،م ن ح ي ث أت ت .
84
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
He entered the class, once again surprised at the strange silence he had th©ught exceptional the day before. Suddenly the disputes, fights and din had disappeared. The boys were like beings from another planet, one where there were no cattle pens, forests, monkeys or sand. The d irt had disappeared from their faces, which gleamed like lamps. They had m ade an effort with their appearance ؛their hair was com bed, while they were wearing elegant, clean clothes. The p o o r am ong them had suddenly become rich, their hum ble dwellings transform ed into castles, their ignorant peasant m others in to sophisticated, learned ladies. It was as though he was seeing them for the first time. A new spirit, one which he had never experienced in the whole o f his teaching career, pervaded this class that day ؛a perfum e he h ad n ’t smelled before was spreading through the air. It occurred to him that this was the first tim e th at everyone had actually been present. A nd when he asked for an answer to a question, he found that all o f them , w ith o u t exception, had a written reply. W hat had happened to them , and what miracle had brought about this dangerous revolution? D uring the lesson, M r Abd al-Hafiz gradually discovered the strange transform ation th at had taken place in those students. Whereas once m ost o f them had been apathetic, dim and distracted during lessons, they had now suddenly become hardworking, eager to reply. It was then th a t he had an epiphany, for that was really what it was ؛the fact th at answers appeared on their lips with the kind o f fluency and eloquence he had never witnessed in a class up un til th at m o m en t made him realize, for the very first time, the im portance o f his teaching. Students listened to his words as though w hat he was saying inform ed them about what was going on in the w orld, and held the mysteries o f existence. This was som ething he had never experienced before in his twenty years o f teaching. W ithout realizing, he found him self looking at the girl, taking in her cockiness and the diabolical power she was endow ed with. She
Ibrahim al-Faqih
أ8
د خ ل أ ل الف ص ل ،ل ت أن يرى مر ة أخ ر ى مهزا ا لهدوء ال ص صء ظ نه أ ص حال ة س ن ي ة ،ا ختف ىف ج أ ة اخل ص ا م وال رس والض جي ج' ،اآل م كائن ا ت م ن ك و ك ب آ خ ر ،ك و ك ب لي س فيه ز ر'ن ب ومحم غ ا؛ ا ت و ال ر ر
و ال ر ما ل ،ا ختف ت م نف وف و ج و هه م ا لأتربةف صا روا ت ألف و ن كا ك ايي ح، اعت و ا ب هن دام ه م و
س ف شع و ر ه م ،وا وت د وا م ال ص ن ظ يف ة ،أنيقة ،ئ ر
ص ارف ج أ ة غن ى ،وبي و ت ه م الق م يئ ة الملتص ق ةب ا لأرض صا ر ت فج أ ة نمورا،
وأم ه ا ته م الق رويا ت الجا ه ال ت صرن ف ج أ ة س ي دا ت عل م وذوق وثق اذة، ب ا ت يتأ مل ه م كأن ه ي راه م لأول م ر ة ،رو ح أ ج د ي د ة مي عر فه ا ط و ا ل حي اته م ا د د ر ص س م .ا ل و م ه ذ ا ا ك ص ل ،و ص ب يع ه د ه ص محل ت م
jالجو ،
وتنبه إ ل أن حض و ر ه م ك ا م ل لل مر ة ا لأو ل ،و عن د ما م ا ل ع ن ال وا ج ب و ج د آنه م جميعا وب د و ن ا ث اء ق د كتب و ا وا جب ا ت ه م ،ما ال ذ ي ح د ث م ال د ن وأ ي م ع ج زة ه ذ ه ال ت ي ج ا ء ت ب ه ذا ا النق ال ب ا ل خ ش؟ و عند م ا م ض ى م ع ال د ر س ك ا ن ا ألمحت ا ذ عب د ا ل ح ف ي ظ شيئآ فشيئ ا ي ك ت ث ف الت ح و ل ا ل ع جي ب ال ذ ي أ ص ا ب ه ؤ الء ا ل ط ل بة ،إ ن أ كث ره م خ م و ال وغب اء وس ر ح ان ا أثن اء ال د ر س ص ا رف ج أ ة يشت ع ل ح ما س أ ل إل ج ا بة،ف ال عبق رية هب ط ت عل يه ا لآن و ز ه ذ ه ا ل سا عة ،والغ ر ب أنه ا ح ق أ ك ذ ل ك ،فه ا ه ي ا إل جابة تأتي عل ى أ ل م ت ه م سهل ة مر نة يق و ل و نه ا بف ص ا ح ة وق د ر ة عل ى ا ل مت ر ميع ه د ه ا م ن م ل م ن نمو ل ال د را م ة قب ل ا لآن،ب ل إنه ه و ن س هي ح س ا لآن و لأول مرة بأ ه م ي ة ال د ر و س ال ت ي ي ق د م ه ا ،إنه م ينصت و ن إل يه ويت اب ع و ن ك ل م ا ته كأ ن ط ض رار ال ك و ن ،ح1ل ة م يق ول ه صا ر فج أ ة أ خ ط ر ما م الدني ا ،وأ ني ح و زته ك ز أ
يعر فه ا طيل ة الع شرين ع ا مأ م ال تد ر ص إ ال هذا ال يوم ،ودون أن يدر ي و فيس ز ق ا ل ط ر إل يه ا ،أ ي ط و ة تمل ك ه ا ،أ ي ق و ة جهن م ية ^ ،ت
ج
ب
86
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
was sitting innocently in her chair, as though this sorceress did not know the extent o f the power she wielded, as though what was happening had n othing to do w ith her. W hat dem onic land did she come from, that she was able to succeed where all the educational books and M inistries o f Education in the world had failed? However, it is n o t books and m inistries, n o r countries, organizations, equipm ent or fleets that fail to make students, but students themselves ؛they are inhabited by evil spirits, filling the world with unrest, tu m u lt and strife. Their greatest amusement is n o t to study, but to engage in fighting, resistance and disruptive activities. Rather than studying, their biggest joy is being annoying, stubborn and fractious. Then, she came and brought Satan’s tric k e ^ to m ankind. It was this trickery that turned their poverty into wealth, their stupidity in to intelligence, their ugliness into handsomeness. M r Abd al-Hafiz was certain that she was able to wave a magic wand over the Earth and make it come alive, or conjure up a flock o f pigeons or a colony of rabbits from her sleeve. She could produce any miracle if she wanted. There was som ething strange and terrifying in all o f this which he, as a mere m ortal, was incapable o f fathom ing. Once again he glanced over at her, and noticed something in her features that shed light on what had baffled him; it was that everything about her was norm al. It was clear from the very first time he had laid eyes on her that she could n o t have been anything but Libyan. There was som ething deep-rooted in her “Libyan-ness” that was reflected in her features. H e saw it in the slight yellowness that the signs o f wealth and prosperity could not conceal. In spite o f the yellowness, beauty em anated from her face, the kind o f beauty o f oases filled w ith date palms, quiet and unassuming. He did not see anything in her features that was extraordinary, that betrayed the power she held. Yet M r Abd al-Hafiz kept thinking she was a devilish being that belonged to ه world other than our own ...
Ibrahim al-Faqih
7ء
؛ع ه ا ،إنه ا نجلس مب راءة إ ل ث ر د عا ،ك أ ن م ذم ا د م ؛ التعل م .ءد ى م ؛ ال ت يب ح وزته ا ،كأ ن ما ي ح د ث ي ح د ث •ممعز ل عنه إ و ال ب خ ر ه ز م، أ يبل د م نب ال د الجا ن جا ء ت لتف ل ح في ما فش ل ت ك ز كت ب م ي ة
م
ووزر
ف ال مأ م ؟ ا س م ي ل
ب الكت ب مو ه ذا را ت و؛ئ
لر تف ل ح م أن
م ل د ل و أ ن ى وأ جهزة وأس اط
ل
م الطل ة ،ن ي أنه م طل ه ،ت ك ن ه م روح هرم؛ ذ مأ م ن
ال دني ا خغ ا وض جي ج ا وع راك ا ،ت ل يت ه م ال ب ر ىل ي ت ال د را س ةمب د ر ئ ي ي ه ذ ه المن ا ك ف ة وا ل عن ا د وأع م ا ل ال ش غ ب ،فتأت ي ه ي لت حيل ه م م ن د إ ,ل ين ا لى
أوادم ،و نحل فق ر ه م إ ل غنى وغب ا ءه م إ ل نب و غ ،وقب ح ه م إ ل و
ص .ت ص
ل د ى ا لأمت ان عب د ا ل حفي ظ أنه ا ت ت ط ح أنت ر م يف و ق ا لأرمحض عهم ا وةياد لهإ ح يةت س ع ى ،وأ ن ت خ ر ج ع ن ك ن ه ا أس رايأ م ن ا ل ح م ا م أو ق ط ع ا نأ م ن ا لأران ب. وتأت ي بأ ي م ع ج زة ل و أ را د ت ،وأ ن
م ا ل أ م ش ئ أ م هآو ل
عم ا
م ال ش ك
أع جز وأص غ ر م ن أني عر ف ل ه ض رأ ،أو تف س را. ع ا د م ن ج د ي د س ت ر ق الن ظ ر إل ي ه ا عل ه ي ج د شيثأ ز مالم ح ه ا ي ف ي ء ما راعت اه م ن ح ترة و ذ ه و ل ،ك ا ن ك ز ق ي ء فيه ا ع ا ديأ ،بن ت تحس م ن ذ الن ظرة
ا لأو ل أنه ا المي ك ن إ ال أن ت ك و نليبية ،خيء موغ ل مليبيته تن ط ق به ماطتع و ج هه ا وتراه ا ل ر خ اء وا ل ع م ة
م ه ذ ه الصف ر ة ا لخفيفة ال ت ي م تف ل ح
تل م إخف ا ئ ها ك ل د ال
م م الم ح ه ا ،ول ك ن ب رغ م الصف ر ة ف إ ن ج م ا ال يفي ض
أل
و ج هه ا ،أج م ا ل ك ج م ا ل وا ح ا ت النخي ل ل ص فيه إث ا رة ،ولي س ل ه ص ا ب أو س ج ،مير م م المح ها ش قأ خ ارق ا ص ب هذه الق و ة محي تمل ك ه ا ،و م ع ذالث فإ ن ا أل سا ن عبد ال حفي ظ ما زا ل ي عت ق د بأنها شيء عالمن ا .
^ ي ت ب إل ط م ض
88
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
Suddenly, all his suspici©ns were confirm ed when he glanccd at the bottom o fh e r chair and saw that her feet were like donkey’s hooves. He nearly uttered a shriek loud enough to shatter all the walls o f the school, bu t then he realized that it was simply the heels o fh e r shoes. He was afraid she could now read his thoughts, become angry with him and decide to use her tricks to transform him on the spot into a pillar, a tree, a frog or a m eowing cat. The thought o f this danger sent shivers th ro u g h o u t his body - God protect us from Satan! Then, he closed the religion book and left the class before the lesson had ended. W hen he got hom e, M r Abd al-Hafiz was still shaking. He felt an overwhelm ing fear, as though he had com m itted some crime, and some terrifying p u n ish m en t w ould inevitably befall him. He im agined her follow ing him everywhere with her donkey’s hooves. Sometim es she w ould be sp o rtin g two scary wings like those o f a bat, or she would be a dragon, fearsome flames spewing forth from its m outh. O th e r times, he imagined her with claws like those o f a m ythical anim al, or she would appear to him as Satan, chasing him wherever he went. He had to force him self m ore than once n o t to repeat her name in a loud voice, ou t o f sheer fear and terror. After his m o rning
prayers he discovered
one o f her
notebooks. He had forgotten his prom ise n o t to take it together with the other students’ copybooks. He sat dow n, tu rn in g it over with trem bling fingers. However, contrary to w hat he thought, there was n o th in g strange or bizarre about the copybook ؛it did n ot contain any magical words or riddles such as those found in the Book o f the Dead. Everything was norm al, just as in all the other copybooks, except th at her han d w ritin g was better and more beautiful. He made up his m in d ؛w ith the obstinacy o f a child, he grabbed hold o f his pen and gave her a low mark despite the fact that all her answers were correct. He would engage her in battle. He would n o t flinch before the oppressive kings that serced her.
Ib ra h im al-Faqth
و8
وتأكد تف جأة ك ل ملونه عندما ال ت ف ي إ ل أ مب ل المفع د ^ ١١
م
فيهفر أ ى أن ق د م ي ه ا كأن ه م ا حافرا ح ما ر وك ا د أن يطل ق صر خة تهر .ىررا ن
الم د رس ة كب ه ا ل و ال أن تنبه إ ل أن ه ذي ن ه م ا ك م ا ح ذان ه ، 1و خ ث م أ د'ئ ؤ و .
ا لآن ق دقر أ ت ^٥^ ^ ٢وغ ص ت م نه ،وقر ر ت أنحتيل ه ع ر ا م ر ؛ د إ ل ع م و د أو ث ج ر ة ،أو ضفد عة ،أو ق ط ةتموء ،أ ح سبر ع ث ة نمر ي م
^ م
ل اطر ،تعو ذب ا ف م ن الغي طا ن ،وأقف ل كت ا ب اد م ح ،و ر ج س بدنه لهذا ا خ اك ل؛ ل ا ن
صا
سم
اكتشف ا لأشا ذ عبد الحفي ظ وه و بمل إ ل ال بي ت أنه ٠ازال ر ض، ي ة ما ،وأن عق ا يأ اقت ف جر م وأن خ و فأ غ ر يبأ س ط ر عل ى ك ز مش اع ر ه ،كأنه ر م روع ا م ه و لأ م و ف ي ح ل به ال محال ة ،ورأ ى أن صو رته ا وهيب ح ا ر ي
ا لحمار ت ال ح قه يف ك ز م كا ن ،أ حي ا نأ تر ت د ي جن ا ح نن مخيفين كجن ا حي حق ا ش وأ حي ا نأ يراه ا كال تنن ن ت ق ذ فل هبأ ه ائ ال م نف م ه ا .
وأ حيا نأل ه ا محلب ك و ح ش -خرافي ،نجس د تل ه شي طان ايطا رده أين ما ذ ه ب، وضب طن س ه أك ر م ن مر ةير ذ د ا صم ه اب صو ت ع ا ل ز خ و ف ورع ب .
وعند ما اكت ش فبع د صالة الف ج ر أنل ه ا كراس أ ق دنس ي وعده وأ حضره مع كرار ص الطل بة ،ج ل ن إل يه يقل به ا صا ب ع مرتع شة وبع ك س ما كا نيظ ن ل؛ ي ج د
م ال ك را س شيثأ غ ر يبأ أو ع ج م ا و م ج د ه اتست عمل م ال كابة
ط ال سم أو أ حا ج ي ك ما يفر كت ا ب المو ت ى ،ك ا ن ك ل شيء فيه ع اديا كن يم س ال كراري س ،عدا أن خ ط ه ا أك ر تنس ي قأ و ج ما ال .قر ر ش ذهنه شيئ ا ،و .ط د
كعن ا د األطف ا ل أ س ك الق ل م و كت ب ي ا در ج ة ضع يفةبرغ م صح ة بما“ ي، س د خ ل الص را ع مع ه ا ول ن ي خ ش ى ك ل الملو ك المس خر ي ن لخد ب .
90
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
In class he awaited her reaction, expecting to he turned into a mouse, cat or frog. He would neither yield n o r scold, as the question was one o f principle and dignity, life or death. He saw that she was distressed as she com pared her copybook with her neighbour’s. She was about to say som ething when he peevishly silenced her so she would cry, com m it suicide or throw herself out o f the window. He would not be fooled by her wiliness and cunning ؛he would fight this black magic th at she had brought with her until his dying breath. Lesson after lesson went by, and he continued to provoke her, taking every o p p o rtu n ity to rebuke her ؛despite her zeal, he consistently gave her the lowest mark. As for her, it was as though she was n o t party to the fight; she sat calmly in her chair, while her w arm fragrance spread th ro u g h o u t the classroom . She took a strange interest in her lessons, as if the entire thing did n o t concern her. There was no d oubt that this calm was entirely feigned, and this com posure artificial; no d o u b t she was preparing som ething dreadful for him . Every day he im agined th at this dreadful th in g would take place; he w ould find the school turned in to a pile o f ashes or the students transm ogrified in to m onkeys. H e imagined waking up one day and finding th at he had becom e a rabbit, a hedgehog or a pig. O ne day after another passed as he awaited the catastrophe th at lay in store for him - an earthquake or the arrival o f Ju dgm ent Day. But neither the earthquake nor Judgm ent Day came. I f som ething was going to happen, it would no d o u b t become clear to him very soon. W hen one day he entered the classroom and did n o t find her there, he felt as though the thing on w hich he had built his life had suddenly collapsed. The magic th at had filled the classroom had vanished, as had the perfum e. H e was once again faced with the boys’ ugliness, poverty and stu p id ity as they all reverted to their previous despicable state. The classroom had become darker and gloom ier; the sun that had risen along the ceiling o f the room was extinguished that day.
Ibrahim al-Faqih
ووق ف عندما جاء إ ل ال د ر س ينت ظ ر ردفعل ه ا ل م ط ه خأرآ أوت ط أ او ضفد عة ،فه و ل ن يس ت ل م أو ينه ا رفالمس أل ة م ا ل ة مب دأ وك ر ا م ة ■ ،حي ا ة آو
مو ت ،رآه ا وهي م ه م و م ة تق ا رن ك ر ا سه ا مع ك ر ا س زميهل ا م المقع د .م ت بأن تق و ل شيئ ا فأمح ك ت ه ا بشرامح ة ،لتب لث أو تنت ح ر أوت ر م نف ب م ن الث جا ك، فل ني ط ل ي عل ي ه م ك ر ه ا و د ه ا ؤ ه ا ،وسي ح ا ر ب إ ل آ خ ر ر م ق فيه ه ذا ا ل م م ص ول ال ذ ي جا ء ت به مع ه ا ،م ض حص ة وراء ا لأخ ر ى يت ح ر ش به ا ،ي م م ن ا لأ الف ر ص ة لتق ريع ه ا ،مين ح ه اب رغ م ا ج ت ه ا د ه ا أق ل ال د ر ج ا ت شأنأ وقي م ة . وه ي كأن ه ا
ل ه ت طر فأ
ز الص را ع ،تجلس ه ا دئة إ ل مقع د ه ا وتنث ر
دا خ ل الف ص ل ع ط ر ه ا الداف ئ ،وتهت م اهت ما م أ غ ريي ا يد ر م ه ا كأ ن ا لأم ر كل ه اليع نيه ا ،إنه اب ال ش ك ت ط ع ه ذا ال ه د و ء و ه ذ ه المس ك ن ةت صن ع أ ،وأنه ا تبن ت ل ه أم را ففليع أ ،وت ص و ر ك ز ي وم أن ي ر ى ذ ل ك ا أل م ر الفف ل حي حد ث .أن يأتي في ج د الم د رس ة ق د صا ر ت ك و م ر ما د ،أ وأ ن ط ال به ت حولواف ج أ ة إ ل ق ر و د .او أنه ص ح ا س الن و مف و ج د نف س ه ق د صا ر أرنبأ أو ق ن ف ذ أ أو خنزيرأ ،م ضى يوم وراء ا لآخ ر و ه وي ط ر ح د و ث ال ك ا رثة ،أو ق د و م ال زل زا ل أو مج يء يوم القيام ة ل ك ز ال زل زا ل ال يأت ي ،والقي ا م ة ال تق و م وإ ن في ا أل م ر شيئ ا سيف ص ح ع ن نف س ه ق ريب ا د و ن ر ب . و عند ما ج اء يو م أ إ ل الف ص ل و لر ي ج د ه ا هن ا ك أ ح س كأ ن ال ش ي ء ال ذ ي بنى عل يه حي ا تهف ج أ ة ينه ار .ا ختف ى ا ل م ح ر ال ذ ي ك ا ن أ يمل الف ص ل موا -خ ت ن ال م ر ،ع ا د إ ل ا لأو ال د قب ح ه م وفق ر ه م وغب ا ؤ ه م ور ج ع و ا مر ة أ خ ر ى أن ذا ال
ك م ا ك ان و ا ،صا ر الف ص ل أ م مني م أ وإ ظ ال م أ ،ف ا لش م س ال ت ي ك ا ن ت تث ر ق م س ق ف ا ل ح ج ر ة ان طف ا ت الي و م.
2و
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
He always im agined th at the girl’s disappearance from school w ould con stitute a victory for him , and fill his heart with joy and pride. He felt that he had lived on the edge o f his nerves these past days; he had fought her m agic to get this result. However, this was n o t a sweet victory. Instead, he felt that a strange sense o f g rief had gripped his heart, while his thro at was as dry as tinder. He felt he had lost som ething very precious that had filled his heart every m o rn in g - a driving force and a challenge. For the first tim e, he began to reflect on the entire episode, and was left w ith a feeling o f remorse. Spiders were weaving their webs inside his chest. H e had been mean in his treatm ent o f her. He had been u n fa ir to imagine her as Satan, a dem on or a dragon, when in fact she was only a small, innocent child. If he had m arried young, he could have had a daughter her age. He stared in to the classroom , which looked as deserted as a ruin, inhabited by the diabolical boys. He seriously th o u g h t o f going to look for her to ask for her forgiveness. He w ould talk to her father, h u m b ly requesting the latter to send his daughter back to school, where he w ould treat her like a princess or a queen. He resolved to do this at the earliest o p p o rtu n ity; but then the next day she was back, and returned the stu d ents’ wealth and handsom eness to them as her warm perfum e once again wafted th ro u g h the classroom . The sun once m ore shone in class, and M r Abd al-Hafiz noticed with joy th at a flock o f sparrows now rested in his heart. The tree stretched its branches and blossom ed inside his chest. For the first time, teaching was the m ost beautiful profession in the world. It was no longer a h e a ^ chore to com e to class; rather, it was a feast that was repeated each day. The girl was no rebel, foreigner or dragon; she was a pretty little girl, who radiated, and to w hom he showed love and affection. He was generous in his marks for her. He w ould grow w orried if she was only one m inute late. He missed her fto m the m o m en t he left the classroom u ntil he returned the next day.
Ibrahim al-Faqih
93
ب دت ص ور دانم أ أن اختف اء ال بن ت من الم د رس ةس ي ك و ن _ ^ ^ ١ىمةى ف ر ح أ و زه و أ ،و أ م ع ا ش عل ى أع ص ا به ك ذ ا لأيا م الماص ي ة و كا غ " م م ى
ون ا ضل م د ه ا من أ ج ي ه ذه النتي ج ة ،ل كن ه ال بمج دل ه ذا ا النت م ار م ءاى ا ب د ص ذ وأن حي اته ف ق د ت
ك
ئ ،ر
م ؛ كآ ؛ ة ءرمح ة من صقل به ،ور ما دأ.ممال
ه
شيثأ ج و ه ر يأ ك ا ن يأملقلبه ك ز صجا ححنغزآ وغد^ ،وب؛ول
مر ة ب دأ يرا ج ع ن ف ه وي ح س يتأن ب ال ض ي ر ،عن إ ك ب ت س ج ئ إ ك ها دا ي ل
مح د ر و ،ل ق د بما ن خ ر م ا م معا م ل ت ه ا ،وأنه ك ا ن ظالم أ عند م ا من و ره اش,ي ط از ا أو
ي ه
عف ر يتأ أو جت أ م ح نن ك ا ب ت م ي مج رد طفل ة صغترةب ريئة ،كا ن م ن ل أ ن ب بنتأ لو ت ز و ج مب ك رأ ج
م ش ه ا ،وتأ م ل ال نمل و ق د صا ر م و ح ث أ كأنه
خرابة وا أل و ال د كأ ن ه م ش ي ا ي ن ت س ك ن ه ذ ه الخرابة. وف ك ر ج د ي أ
م أ ن ي ذ ه ب لل ب
ث عنه ا يس أ هل ا الصف ح والغف ران،
سي ست ج د ي وال د ه ا صا غ ر أ أنيع ي د ه ا إ ل الم د رس ة و ي عامل ه ا كأ م ر ة أو م ل ك ة. فر أ و لفرص ة ،ل و ال أنه ا ي ال ي و م اكالي جا ء ت، وص ن م عل ى أن يف ع ل ذللث ي تع ي د إ ل الت ال مي ذ ال غنى وا ل و م حام ة و ت ن م ع ط ر ه ا الداف ئ دا خ ل ا ل ح ج ر ة. وت زر ع الش م س م ر ة أ خ ر ى ي ق ل ب ال ن م ل و رأ ى الف ر ح ة صريأ م ن ا ل ع ص ا فير تحط ا لآن م قل به ،وخ ج ر ة ي ب ت أغ ص ا ن ه ا ١تخ ضو ضر وتزهر ا لآن م ص د ر ه ،و لأول مر ة ص ا ر ت م هنة ال ت د ر ص أ ج م ل م هن ة م الدني ا ،والمجيء إ ل ال ن مل لي س وا ج بأ ثقي آل وإنما عيد يت ج د د ك ز يوم ،وال ب ن ت ل م ت م ا ردا و ال ج نية و ال ت ي ن أ ،وإنما أنث ى ص م ر ة جميل ة ،م ضيئة ،و ه و يت و ذ د إل يه ا ،ب م ب
ال د ر ج ا تبس خ اء ،يقل ق إذا تأ خ ر ت ع ن المجيء دقيقة وا ح د ة وي شده ا م ح أ
إل يه ا م ن ذ أن يغ ا در الف ص ل و ح تىي عو د م ال ي وم اكالي>
94
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
T hroughout all this, M r Abd al-Hafiz did n o t realize that he was increasingly paying attention to his appearance. He started wearing the suit he used to save for Eidy every day. He started to shave every m orning and pu t cologne on, whereas previously he would forget to shave once or twice a week. For the first time, he reflected on his past life. He realized that he had prematurely entered a phase in his life, believing, wrongfully, that he was nearing the age o f retirem ent when in reality he was only forty-, five or forty-six. Despite the fact that he had a wife, whose body had withered, and children who milled about like ants inside the house, he was still in the prim e o f life. M ost o f life’s goodness and sweetness still lay ahead o f him . He would be unjust to himself, to his age and youth, if he were to think o fh im se lfa s an old man. Did he not have a grandfather who m arried his eighth or ninth wife while he was in his seventies? He again felt like a boy, the same age as his students, new blood rushing through his veins. He saw a beautiful carpet on which boats, gardens, birds and butterflies were painted, and which stretched b e ^ e e n his house and the school ؛every m orning he walked u p o n this carpet. No sooner did he see the girl sitting calmly in her seat, spreading her light like a lamp, than his body would be im m ersed in a delicious daze. He knew that the rem it o fh e r magic had increased and that he, like the students, had fallen under her spell. He would get through the lesson feeling happy, finishing u p very quickly. He would be seized by a passion for her and wait im patiently until he saw her again the next day. M r Abd al-Hafiz did n o t know why, afterwards, he came to hate staying indoors, as if there was som ething inside him that was restricted by the houses, room s and places th at had ceilings, walls and doors. So he began to increase the frequency o f his walks outside, in squares and public gardens. H e w ould look at the sea, addicted to thinking about this girl w ho had suddenly entered his life just as she had entered his classroom , o ut o f the blue. Over tim e he began to experience a strange feeling
Ib ra h im al-Faqih
95
و م أثن اء ذ ل ك مم ب ه ا لأت ان عيد الحفي ظ إ ل أنم صا ر مبن ي.ممظ هرم
م
س ذ ي ذ ل ،وأن ال بدل ة ما ه كا ن-ذخرء ا ص * ب ن م م ل م د د ب ر ممم ه بد كل يوم ،وأنه م ار يهت مب ح النة و جهه ووضع ال ك ولون إ فوتهك ل ي م أن كا ن يه م د حالقته إ ال م ة وا ح د ة أد م "ي ن م ا ل أم و ع ،و لأود ر ؛مب م م هذه ا لأع وام التي إنقضت م ن ع مرم ويدرك أنه د خ ل مجا ل اخل إة
<ل^\
حتى ظ ن زور' وبهتان ا أنه قدراقت ب ص م ذ التق ا عد م حن أنه 1؛ ي جا وز
^ ^ ١إ ال يخ م ة أو ستة أع وام ،وأنهبرغ م الزو ج ة التي ض ءو دء ا ل طف ا ل ال ذ ي ن تنتث ر ون كا ب ل د ا خ ل مح ت ما زال وا أ
م نف ج ر ج و ك
وعنف وانه ا وأن ا لخيا ة ما زال ت أ مام ه عريضة بك لل ذ ا ن ذ ه ا وطيب ا تها ،وأنه كان ي ظلم شس ه وي ظلم ع م ر ه وي ظلم شب ابه عند ما يت صور أنه صار ع جوزأ وثممى أنل ه ج د ا ت ز و ج ا مر أته الث ام نة أو التامحع ة و ه و م سن ال ب ين ،ف حس كأنه ع ا د ول د ا صغثرا م ع م رت الم ي ذ ه وأن د ماء ج د ي د ة نجر ي كالنسغ م عر وقه، وير ى سا طا ج مي ال نق ش تف و قه ق و ا ر ب و ح دائ ق وع صافير وفراش ا ت قد امتد ي ن بيته والم د ر سة في م ضي ك ز سما حف و قه ،و ما إن يراه ا نجلس ني هدوء إ ل مقع د ه ا وتنشر كال قندي لض و ءه ا ،ح ت ى يغ م ر ج س م ه خد رل ذ ي ذ فيدرك أن
دائر ة سحر ه ا ق د زاد ت ات ساع ا وشمل ته ك ماش م ل ت الطلبة،موي ضي م ع درت سع ي دا ،ويت ه ي ا ل و ق ت سريع أ ،فيعا و د ه الش و ق إل يه ا وي ط ر بف ا ر غ الص إر ان ف م م ا ص. محس ي
و ال يدري ا لأشا ذ عبد الح في ظ لماذ ا -بع د ذ ل ك -صار يكره المبء م ال بي ت كأ ن
م ص د ر ه شيثأ تضيق به ال بي و ت وا ل ح ج را ت وا لأم ا ك ن ادي ٧
ث ف و ج د را ن وأب و ا ب
ل الء ،والما د س ار ب نما ر ي ك تر ال ذ ه ا ب إ ل ا خ
ال ف ب ح ة ،والح دائ ق ا لعام ة ،وتأم ل الب ح ر وإد ما ن اأ-تفكثر
م ط ء ا*.-م ا
ال ت ي د خل تف ج أة حي ا ته ك ما د خل تف ج أة ح ج رة ل رص ه .و صار
وراء
ا لآخري ح س بشيء غ ر ب ن ح و ه ا ،خيء ي ك ر ه ويخث ا ه وي خ ا فه و-ك لأ ي
6و
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
towards her, which filled his heart with fear. It was a sensation he did not want to express or acknowledge, except to himself. It was a strange creature that reared its head from under the ice m ounts and appeared detached from the m ind and will, defying all the rules and laws o f one’s being, challenging all the customs and traditions in which he believed, all the high ideals to which he had devoted himself. He refused to recognize or believe this, since to do so would bring about the disaster he was expecting. Every m orning he saw her sitting in her seat, innocently and meekly as though she was unaware o f the odious struggle raging inside o f him, which em itted a terrible deafening noise. While these light, unknow n threads tied him so strongly to her, he resisted and fought as though allowing his heart to give in would result in his falling into a dark, bottom less abyss. If he gave his thought free expression it would hover around her and give rise to a frightful, massive shock that w ould cause all the buildings in the world to come crashing down on him . The blaze burned his heart; it was the first tim e in his life that he had felt this kind o f inflamed passion, as though it had always been there, covered by a huge pile o f ashes, until the arrival o f this girl rekindled the cinders and they grew into a blazing inferno raging w ithin him. The biggest tragedy was that she had begun to com e to him in a dream. It was n o t a dragon spewing fire, or a m ythical creature with batwings ؛it was a beautiful young girl with an inviting glow who came to him in his sleep. He would meet her in a wide, open space, as though they were Adam and Eve suddenly fallen down to Earth, meeting up after having lost each other for m any years. However, the meeting was a shock - a terrifying, sweet, horrible, beautiful and loathsom e clash. M r Abd al-Hafiz w ould awake from his sleep in a panic, begging G od for forgiveness. He would stumble along to school, ashamed and confused. He did n o t have the strength to look at her, or at anyone else for that matter, as though anyone looking in to his eyes would im m ediately discover a loathsom e deed.
Ib ra h im al-Faqih
97
رءبأ ،ل ي ،ال ض -د أن -
ص أ
و
م ذ ا به ح ش محنه ومح ن ن ف ه ،ى.
ت م و' إل راة < بمضتي صحت ت أكداس الجل يد ر ي و جل ل•سؤل عن 1ح مت ح د ي ا ك ل س ن ال ك و ن وت واس نه ،مت حديا ك ل التقال ي د وا ل آعراز ا د ي آ
به ا ،وك ل الث ل العليا التي كن س ن ف ه لخدم ته ا ،و م ير ض أن مب رز س لص لمر ه واعتر ف به أوص د ق ه خ ب د ن ه ،لأنه لو ان صا ع أ أو م
ك ا م ،ة اا
بوقع ه ا . كا ن م إنه يراه ا ك ل صا ح نجل س مبراءة ووداعة إ ل مقع د م ا كأنه ا ال
م
بهذا الصراع البغيض ال ذ ي يدور ش ن ف ه موب د ر دويأ م انألي م م أذب، و ه ذه ا لخي و ط ا لخفية المج هول ة ال ت ي ت ش ده بق و ة ؛ل يه ا و م يرفض ويىو،ا ك ال4
لو طا و عقل به ل و ج د نضمهيسق ط ز ه ا وية م ظلم ة ع م يق ة مح يفة ل س لها زار
ولو سمحل ف كر ه أنميضي حرأ طل يقأي حوم حول ه ا ويل تقي به ا أل ح د ث ذل ك اللق اءص د ا م أ ه ائ آل مروع اتسق ط ل ه ك ز ا لأبنية م الدني ا ،وا لو ه ج يحرق قلبه ،شعور مل ت ه ب ي ح س به لأول مر ة ز حي اته ،كأنه كا ن دائ ما هن اك، تغ طيه أكدا س ه ائل ة م ن الرما د إ ل أن جا ء ت هذه الصغيرة تنف خ عنه الرما د ح تى صار ج حي ماي حر ق صد ره. والمص يبة ال ك ر ى أنه ا صا ر ت تأتيه م ا ل حل م ،ليس ت تنينأ ي ق ذ ف ا ل له ب، أو ك ا ئنأ أم ط و ريأ ي رتد ي أ جن ح ة خف ا ش ،ك ا ن ت تأتيه م الن و م أ شصغإرة، ج ميل ة ،م ضيئة شهية ،ليل تق ي به ا
م أر ض خ الء كأن ه م ا آ د م و حواء م ءال
ف ج أة إ ل ا لأرض ،وتا ه ا عنبع ضه م ا س نينآ ،ئ م جاء اللق اء ،عل ى ح نن ء*إة جاء اللق اء،ب ل ه و الص د ا م ،ص د ا م مر و ع ه ائ ل ل ذ ي ذ بغي ض م ل م يه، فيستيق ظ ا لأمت ان عبد الحفي ظ م نن وم ه م ذ ع و رأ ،ويس تغفر اف محرا ،و؛ه ب ل ط ى ،ال يق و ى عل ى ر غ بمره ؛ ،٧ إ ل الم د رس ة خ ج و ال مر تب ك ا ،متعثر ا خ أو ب ل أ ح د
ب ،كأ ن أ ح د أ لو رأى عينيه ال كت ش ف فيه م ا عل ى ا م ر ئ
98
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
As the days went by, he became increasingly convinced ٠٢ the fact that he was the victim o f a secretly hatched conspiracy, and that he had been right from the start in seeing something diabolical in this scheming girl. She had begun to deceive him with her innocent and meek appearance, and she had caught him in her net. She had cast her black magic on him and masterfully ensnared him , and he now saw him self stumbling like a blind man towards a terrifying quagm ire filled with turpitude, debauchery, godlessness and filth. He had become the victim o f Satanic, dem onic or magic designs and actions. This feeling grew like a Satanic flower w ithin him , against all intelligence, logic and will. It grabbed hold o f him , mocking ideals, traditions, m orals and virtue. This feeling could not have come to him out o f the blue ؛it had to be by design or as a result o f some magical power. From the outset, he had imagined that som ething dreadful would com e to pass. If it was an earthquake or Judgm ent Day, it did n o t happen. Instead, som ething m ore dreadful and terrifying happened. It had brought him to this chasm and m ade h im - a teacher and educator - think about this girl in this sham eful and terrifying way, which was devoid o f m orals, dignity and virtue. She was the age his daughter would be if he had one, and he would be her Religious E ducation teacher. The only way to resist her spell would be to fight magic with magic. And so M r Abd al-Hafiz began to delve into old, yellowstained books with a frenzy that bordered on hysteria, in the hope of finding som ething that would counteract the effect of her book, which she had brought from the world o f the dead and ghosts. Much to the surprise o f his wife and children, he turned the house upside down searching for a trace o f this magic. He began to dig up the threshold to the house w ith a pickaxe, given to the illusion that they had buried som ething for him there. He ripped the covers o f the copybooks and schoolbooks in search of something the size o f a safety pin hidden in one o f them . He did
Ibrahim al-Faqih
وو
بن
ويو م أ وراء ا ال خ ر نما م ذهنه
ك ا م ل بأنه ض حية م ؤا م ة د ر ن
ف اء ،وأنه ك ا ن عل ى حب عن د ما رأ ى ا لخ
ز ه ذ ه ال ب ن ت م ذ أ و د م
ي م
خي ط اني ا م د محوض ا عل يه د ن ا ،إذ م ض ت ت خ د ع ه •ممف هل رهب ا ا ل و د ع الر وت رم ي قجا ك ه ا ح ول ه ،و ن ف ث ,س حر م إ ا لأج و د
م ضل و عه،
ر م ز
غ و ايته ،ح ت ى وأ ى ن ف هم ب ش ي ك ا لأعمىل ي ق ع ز ي م * ظل م ة مخيفة ص ق ج
وف ج ورا وإلحا دا ور ج ا ،وأنه ا لآن نححية ع م ل شي طا ز من أعم ا ل أو ا ل حر ة ،ف ه ذا الث ع و ر ال ذ ي نما كالنب ا ت ال ث ي ط ا ي
م
م ص دروى ارزل م م
العق ل والمن ط ق وا إل رادة ،وأ خ ر ج م نحت ت الجل ي د رأمه ه ازئ و سا خ ر أ م
الث ل والتقال ي د وا لأخ ال ق والفضيل ة ،المي ك ن أن يأتي عف وا وبوئ ت ر م؛ و ع م ل م ن أع م ا ل ال س ح ر . ل ق دت ص و ر م ن ذ ال ب داي ة أن شيئأف ظيع أ م و ف ي ح د ث ،وإذا ك ا ن الزلز ل لر يأ ت ،والقي ام ة لر تق م ،ف إ ن شيثأ أ م ف ظا عة وه و لأ ه ذا ال ذ ي يجم رث ا لآن ،وي ج ر ه إ ل ه ذ ه ال ه ا وية ويجعل ه و ه و األست ا ذ والمر ئ ي يف ك ر م بنت ب ح ج م ابنته ل و ك ا ن ت ل ه ابنة ،وتتل ق ى د ر و س ال د ي ن عل ى يديه ،ب ه ذه ا ل ص ورة الم خجل ة المر عبة المجر د ة م ن اخلل ق وال ش ر ف وا س ل ة ،وأن ال خ ال صل ه إ الب س ح ر يق ا و م س حر ه ا ،ف ب دأ األست ا ذ عب د الحفي ظ م نف و ره يث بب ح ما س أ شبهبها لستري ا ز المجل د ا ت ال ت ي اص ف ر ل و ن ه ا عل هيع م عن د ه ا عل ى حلمحطل
مف ع و ل كت ا ب ه ا ال ذ ي ج ا ء ت به م ن ع ا لر ا لمو ت وا لأشب ا ح ،و م ضى أم د هقمة
ال زو ج ة وا أل طف ا ل يق ل ب ا لهت رأ سا عل ى عق ب عل هي ج د اثرأ لهذا ا ل م ،م . و يأ خ ذ فأ سا وي حف ر عن د عتبة الب ا ب ع هل م دفن و ا ل ه شيثأ هن ا ك .موي ز ق ا ءإذآ
ال ك را ر ص وال ك ت ب الم د ر ب ع ل خ طب ح ج م الدب و س م د سو سا م أ حدها،
loo
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
not hesitate to cut off all the hair on his head, since he thought that an alien body the size o f a grain o f dust had insinuated itself in his hair. He was convinced that all around him people were looking at him and whispering. He saw the school head threatening to dismiss him . He saw his wife take her children and leave for her family’s home. He saw his students laughing disdainfully and rudely when he arrived. All his suspicions had been confirmed. He had uncovered all their tricks. He knew that they were all plotting against him and using this girl to destroy his life. He was also convinced o f the fact th at his wife, students, the school head and teachers, the inspector from the Ministry and its directors, were all part o f this conspiracy. N othing could quench his thirst for revenge except to set fire to his home, the school and the M inistry w ithout further ado. M r Abd al-Hafiz resolutely proceeded to carry out this plan.
Ibrahim al-Faqih
lOl
س ا ظ ن أن جس مأ غ ري إ
بمجم ذ ؛
^ ٠م ب ع رم ،و ت أ ك د ت ك ل ظن و ن األ سان
ي ان ى ر إ
و )،م ذ د ب ح ال تة ق ع ر ر ل كل ه ا لذ ا ر ذ د
^٠
^
ى رآء مم ب ا ع م س و ن
م
م
ص ص
ج ،و رأ ى م د م الم د رس ة ئ
ل ه إنذارآ ;ف م ل ه ص ا لعم ل ،ورأى زو جته تأ خ ذ أطفال ي و د أ مي ه ا ،و رأ ى الت ال م ي ذ ي ذ -ح ك ي ن ك ز ظ ن ون ه و ا ك ^ ت أم ا مه
ب
الى
م حض و رهبامحتهت ا ر ونلت أ د ب ،آلىل ن
م أ ال ء ء ء م وأد ر ك أ ن ه م ج ب أ ن د ذآم ر وا ض
ست ع ملو ا ت ل ك الص ب ي ة ل ت دسمر حي ا ته ،وأ ن زو ج ته و ط اليه و م د م ^ ^ ١ وا
و م د ر ب ه ا وم فت ش ي ا ل وزارة وم د رائه ا ك ب ه م شرك ا ء م ه ذه المؤام ر ة ،وان مم ف ي ء ي ث ن ي غليل ه إ ال أن ي ح م ل ا لآن ن ا را و ي ذ ه ب ليث ع ل ا ل ح ر ائ ق م والم د رس ة وا ل و زارة• ف ض ى ا لأست ا ذ عب د ا لخفيظ س ف و ره ين ف ذ ه ذ ه ا ل ر ب ب ح زم وت
ص م.
102
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
Language Notes
1.
ال هزار: interes،tingly enough, this is primarily used in ECA; MSA ن ز ح, ث كت ة. N ote that in the t ؟xt, the phrase ا لهزار ال نجل refers to a bad joke, whereby ثقي لdoes n ot have its usual meaning o f “h e a ^ ” ؛rather, in this context it refers to “difficult to laugh wi t h”, !n this context, one may refer to the Arabic expression د م ثقي ل, meaning “very serious” (of a pe؟son), as opposed to د م ح ف ي ف, “light-hearted”. 2 .ف د قيد أبل ة: = ف ن ز ة. 3 ؛نعلم نما م العلم مthis expression, w hich consists o f a finite verb followed by “( تما مcom plete”) + ن ن د رo f the same verb indicates th at som ething is done to the fullest extent. Note, however, th at this co n stru ctio n only occurs w ith verbs of realization and knowledge such as ع ر فand أ ذ ن ك. 4 عف ر ي ت م: (also عف ر ي ت, pi. )عف ا ري ت: this refers to a class of fantastic beings from the netheiTvorld, know n for their power and cunning. In co n tem p o rary folklore, they are regarded as a type o f ( ج نsee ) ح ك اية ال قند ي لor demon (while in Egypt it can also denote the ghost o f a deceased person). The word عف ر ي تis also co m m o n ly used to denote naughtiness, e.g. أن ت عف ر ي ت, “you little devil” (e. g. to a child). 5.
ي ا سا ر: lit. “oh, the sham e” (< ع ا ر, “sham e”, “d ish o n o u r”). This expression is co m m o n ly used w ith reference to acts th at are considered sham eful. Also n o te the لafter the vocative patical ي اis pro n o u n c ed ل. T his construction (which is highly classical) can also be used w ith a proper noun: e. g. (ي ا ل م ح م دm eaning “com e and help M u h am m ad ”)
6.
ا لئب ط ا ن ث ا ف ه م ا: this is part o f a co m m o n saying ( ا م ح ن ع ) ز ي ل وإن ر أة إ ال وك ا ن الغي ط ا ن ئامح ه م ا, according to w hich the Devil is always the th ird person present (a m etap h o r for tem p tatio n and evil) when a m an and a w om an are alone
Ibrahim al-Faqih
10و
together. The saying is based on the fam ous hadith (saying o fth e P rophet M uham m ad): ما غ ال ز ي لب ا ن زأة إ ال وك ا ن ا م ح ط ا ن ما *ب ا ل ك.: no te that this expression can also (m ore rarely) mean: “W h^t do you think?” . عيد: pi . ؛ م ا دth o u g h strictly m eaning any “feast day”, it is often used to refer to the m ost im p o rtan t M uslim feast, the عند ا ل أ ن خ ىo r “Feast o f ^ m o l a t i o n ”, which takes place at the end o f the^ pilgrim age (Hajj), on the tenth day o f the m o n th .ذ و ا ل ح ج ة ) ش ث ( م ح ر ه ا. (u,i): the use o f th e word (lit. “to spit”) here is a reference to the نف ا ثة, a sorceress who ties knots in a cord and then spits on them while uttering a curse (cf. Q u r’an, sura 113:4).
Najib Mahfuz
Najib
M ahfuz
(Naguib
M ahfouz)
(1911-2006),
is widely
considered one o f the m ost prolific and accom plished Arab writers o f the tw entieth century. H e was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988 and w rote a total o f thirty-five novels, fourteen collections o f short stories and plays, as well as three collections o fjo u rn alism . M ahfuz was born in the working-class d istrict o f Al-Jamali^ra in Cairo where he lived until the age o f twelve, w hen his family moved to the ‘A b b a si^ a suburb. Both districts provided the background for m uch o f his w riting. After studying philosophy at C airo U niversity, he worked as a civil servant for m any years alongside his journalistic activity, which included contrib u tio n s to m any Egyptian publications (e. g. a l-R isd la , a l- H ila l and al-Ahrdm ). Thoroughly grounded in b o th classical and m odern Arabic literature, M ahfuz was also very fam iliar w ith, and influenced by, European authors such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Maupassant, Chekhov and the French philosopher H enri Bergson. Critics traditionally classify M ahfuz’s work in to four * * • * phases: historical, realistic, m odernist and traditional. M ahfuz’s literary career began with sh o rt stories, which he initially published in literary E ^ p tia n m agazines and then later as a collection o f stories entitled ( ن ن س ايث و نThe Whispers
N a jib M ahfuz
105
of Madness, 1938). Despite his great literary suceess, Mahfuz continued to work as a €؛٧ ؛؛sei^ant in various government departments until his retirement in 1971. After his early “ historical” period, which included the novels ( لغية ا لأقدارThe Game o f Fate, ا9 و9(, ( رادومحس.Rhodopis, 1943) and ( كف ا ح طيبةThe Struggle o f Thebes, 1944), Mahfuz’s interest in the 1950s shifted to the situation o f the modern £gyptians and the impact social changes were having on the lives o f ordinary people. His main work o f this period is undoubtedly the socalled “ Cairo ^rilogy” , which consists o f { ص ا ضني نPalace Walk, 1956), ( هصر ال ن ؤ ق.Palace o f Desire, 1957) and كبثة-( ال ئSugar Street, 1957). A ll three are set in the Cairo o f Mahfuz’s youth and depict the vicissitudes o f the family o f al-Sa^rid Al^mad ‘Abd al-Jawadl over three generations, between World War 1 and ل95 ه. This work is regarded by many critics as the pinnacle of the author’s realistic period. After p؟esident Nasser’s death in 1970, Mahfuz wrote the novel ، ^ ^ ١ (Karnak, 1974), in which he attacked the police state and its nefarious effects on the population. Among Mahfuz’s other works one may mention ( أؤ ال د حارب اThe Children ofGebelawi, 1967) ( ال ك ز وال يمال ب ؛The Thiefand the Dog, 1961)يام ار ؛ ) م ر٠Miramar, 1967); and ( وحل ة ابنف طو ن ةThe fourney of Ibn Fattouma, 1983). His creative imagination أ؛most vivid in لر افي ش ( مل ح م ة ا خThe Harafish, 1977) and ( لي ا ل أ ف نيل ةArabian Nights and Days, 1982). Despite being Egypt’s most popular writer and a national institution, Mal^faz’s views did not meet with everyone’s approval, and in 1994 he narrowly su^ived an attempt on his life when he was stabbed by an unidentified attacker, thought to be a religious fundamentalist. The attack had a huge impact on his health and all but ended his writing career. Thanks to the Nobel Prize, Mahfuz was the first Arab author to gain popularity in the West, and nearly all his books have been translated into many languages.
106
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
The current story is taken from the collection رآي ث فت م ا (ث ر ى الن ائ م/ Saw, in a Dream , 1982) and is a typical example o f M ahfuz’s fascination w ith magical realism. A tale o f conjoined Siamese twins is turned alm ost in to a kind o f tragic comedy. The descriptions o f each twin, their preoccupations and m oods, hear witness to M ahfuz’s vivid im agination and creative prowess. In m ore ways than one the story may also he regarded as an allegory o fth e relationship between individuals whose lives are inextricably (literally, in this case) linked w ith one another, and the contradictions and struggles th at ensue from th at bond.
ض
Qismati and Nasibi
io8
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
God had given M ohsen Khalil, the spice seller, everything his heart desired, except, th at is, children. M any years went by, and still there were no children. Yet M ohsen K halil tried very hard to be satisfied with what God had chosen to bestow u p o n him. He was o f m edium height, w hich was fittin g for one who believed in m oderation in all things. He was overweight, but m aintained th at this was an attractive feature in b o th men and women, as well as a sign o f prosperity. He was pro u d o f his huge nose, his strong jawline and the m utual love th at existed between him and other people. Fate had smiled upo n him by granting him Sitt Anabaya. In addition to being an excellent housewife, she was a buxom, fresh-looking beauty with luscious, rosy skin. Chickens, geese and rabbits roam ed freely atop their onestorey house. Devotees o f Sitt Anabaya’s cooking never ceased to wax lyrical about her splendid dishes and pastries made with lashings o f traditional butter. Life had been good to the couple in every respect, except in stubbornly denying them the joy o f offspring. They had tried everything, but to no avail. Sitt Anabaya had sought the advice o f loved ones as well as fortune-tellers, soothsayers and the like. She even visited shrines. Eventually, she w ent to see medical doctors. U nfortunately, their verdict was n o t encouraging in that the problem lay w ith both husband and wife. They added that there was hardly any hope left for them . A nd so, a dark cloud o f sadness settled above the couple. But just as M ohsen approached his forty-fifth birthday and Sitt Anabaya turned forty, their prayers were finally answered. W hen Sitt Anabaya was certain she was pregnant, she cried out: “T hank God and Sidi al-Kurdi, I’m pregnant!” M ohsen was overjoyed and full o f gratitude. The news soon circulated th ro u g h out al-Wayliya, the area near the A b b a si^a district where the couple lived and where M ohsen had his shop.
Najib Mahfuz
109
٢ ٣محس ن خ ل ل ا الرآم■ د م‘
ط و -ل
ا لعطار"'
أ جزب
اف ل ه ا ل ع طاء في م ا مب ب و ص ،ئ م ع مجا ه د ة
ض دون أن
للنف م
د ق م
و ه ب اف و .ء ا م ع /
ك ا ن مت و س ط الق ا م ة مم ن يؤمن و ن بأن ا لخثر أن ال ب دا ن ة لل ر ج ل ك ما لل مر أ ة زينة و؟ئهة ر
م ا ل و ط .ص يدي إ
ص
وك ا ن ي ز م بأنف ه ا ك ^ م وؤطرزه
الق و ي ن وب ا ل ح ب ا لتب ا د ل بينه و ي ن ا لما س. و حب ا ه ا ل ح ظ ؟ س ت ١٠عنب ا ية ذا ت ا ل ح ن والض ا رة وا ل طي ا ت ا الرا ى م ن ا لل ح م ا ل و ر د ي الن ا ع م ،إ ل ك و ن ه ا '١س ت بي ت ممت ا زة.
يخي
ط
ح محته ا الم ك و ن م ن دور وا ح د بال د ج ا ج وا إل وز وا لأران ب،
ويل ه ج عش ا ق ما ئ د ت ه ا د ط وا ج ن ه ا أ ا ا ل م ع م ر ة وف ط ائ ر ه ا ^ ا ل س ايمح هء١
م
ا ل م س ن ال ه ي م ' م دني ا مقبل ة ق ك ل خ يء ول ك ن ه ا ضن ت بن ع م ة ا إل نجا ب ز عن ا د تطاير ت د ونه ا لخي ل .ن ش د ت ش و ر ى‘ ١ا أل ح بة ،و ل ج أ ت إ ل أ ه ل ا ف ^ م ن ا ل عا رض
وا ل و ا ض ^ ،و ط ا ن تب ا لأضر
ا ' المب ا ركة،
ب اء زارته م و ص م ح ى ا أل ط
أص د ر وا فت و ى غير م ب شرةش م ل ت ال ز و ح ن مع أ ع م محس ن وس ت عنب اية وقالوا إن ا أل م ل الب ا ق ي أض ع ف م ن أ ن يذ ك ر .و و ق ف ت م صماء الن ع م ا ل صا فية غ مام ة ح زن مترعةب ال ح س ر ة الت ر ي د أن تتز ح ز ح. ولما خ ا ر ف ع م محس ن اخل ام س ة وا لأر.د ع ي ن وس ت عنب ا ية ا لأر.د ع ي نتلقي ا س اف ر ح م ة .ه ت ف ت س ت عنب ا يةب ع د ت دقي ق وعن ا ية رري ا أ ل ط ا ف اف*أ ا إني ،ح ا ل و ح ق ^ م ي د ي ال ك ر د ي ^ ! ) ). ك ا ن ع م محس ن أ و ل م ن طر ب و خ ك رم وت ردد ا لخي ر ز ح د و د ا ل عبا س ية؛ ٢ح ي ث يو ج د بي ت ا ألسرة و م ح ل ا ل ع ط ا رة.
ض
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
110
The w ondrous nine m o n th s o f w aiting finally passed, and then came the h o u r o f c h ild b irth , w ith the cries o f labour tu rn in g in to a ch ant o f joy for the couple. As soon as the m idwife picked up the baby, she stared at the in fan t in astonishm ent and bew ilderm ent, and began to intone the trad itio n al religious form ulae. She hu rried to the luxurious east wing o f the clinic to look for M ohsen. W hen he saw the anxious look on the m idw ife’s face; he m u rm u red in a worried tone: “May God have mercy on us! W h a t’s happened?” She hesitated, and whispered: “It’s a strange creature, Mr M ohsen.” “W hat do you m ean?” “The lower body is joined, but the upper h a lf is split!” “N o!” “C om e and see for yourself.” “How is Sitt Anabaya doing?” “She is fine, bu t unaw are o f what is going on aro u n d her.” Filled with anxiety and d isap p o in tm en t, M ohsen rushed towards the baby. He stared at the strange creature, the bottom h a lfo fw h ic h was indeed joined, w ith two legs and an abdom en, whereas the top h a lf consisted o f two parts, each w ith its own chest, neck, head and face. The twins were scream ing together, as if each o f them was protesting against his situation or dem anding com plete independence and freedom . Mohsen was oveiwhelm ed by a variety o f em otions — confusion, bewilderm ent, em barrassm ent, a sense o f foreboding about the problem s that lay in store - all o f w hich gathered aro u n d him like dark, h e a ^ clouds. Inwardly, he began to repeat the trad itio n al phrase that he norm ally used in business after a failed deal: “May G od grant me profit!” Indeed, he wished it were possible to get rid o f this defect, so th at he could have peace o f m ind. G oing ab o u t her routine
Najib Mahfuz
Ill
سال أ م ا د ذ ما
وا
م
بهي ج ،و ج اء الم خ ا ض ^ يم.
،.,
ب. ولما تل ف ت ا لخكي م ةامآ ا لول ي د ح م ل ق ت فيه م ذ ه و لة
^ ^ ٢٧جون و شم و م ء ث إ ل ا
و١
س ال م ق ت ة ا ل وثترةف و قف ت أ،ا م
م ح ن مض ط ر بة ح ت ىمتت م ا ل ر ج ل خ ا ف ق الق ل ب: ربن اي ل ط ف بن ا م ما ذا وراءك؟ه م س تبع دت ر د د : ” محلو ق ع جي بي ا ع م م ح ن• — كي ف ؟
” أسمفل ه م و ح د وأع اله يتف ر ع إ ل -لا
أ
!
”تعا ل ان ظ ر بنف س ك . ” و كي ف ح ا ل ا ل س ت ؟ — ي خ ر ول ك ن ه ا غ ا ئبة ع م ا هح و ل ا ! و ذ ه ب ز أثره ا مض ط ر بأ خ ا ئ ب ا ل ر جاء .و حم ل ق ش الم خ ل و ق ا ل ع جي ب . رأ ى أ
ط ه مو خ د أ ذا ر جل ن وب ط ن وا ح د ،ئ م يتف ر عبع د ذ ل ك إ ل امح نل ك ل
م ن ه م ا ص د ر ه و عنقه ورأ س ه وو ج هه .وك ان ا إ؛ م ب ر خ ا ن مع أ وكأ ن ك آل م نه م ا ي حت ج عل ى وض ع ه أو ي طا ل ب بامحتق ال ل ه ال ك ا م ل و ح ر يته ال ي ر عي ة .هي م ن
عل ى ا ل ر ج لش عورب ا الرتب ا ك والحيرة واخل ج ل و ح د س الت ا ع ب ت جم ع
فوص
ك ا ل م ح ب المل يئةبالغب ا ر. وت ر د د ت
م دا خل ه العب ا رة الت ج ا رية التقل ي د ي ة ال ت ي ي ح م به ا الم وت ف
عن د فث ل ص ف ق ة م ن ص ف ق ا ت ا ل ع طا رة و ه ي رريفت ح اف)) آ /أ ج ل ون م ز ا إل م ك ا ن ال ت خ ل ح ن م ن ه ذ ه ا ل ع ا ه ة* ٣التي ل ن ي ذ و ق مع ه ا را ح ة الب ا ل• و ^ ل
112
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
duties, the m idwife said: “The baby’s in good health. All vital functions are totally norm al.” M ohsen retorted: “Both o f them ?” C onfused, the m idwife said: “They are n o t tw ins ؛this is one baby!” M ohsen wiped the sweat that had appeared on his face and forehead as a result o f his inner tu rm o il as well as the summer heat, and asked: “W hy can’t we consider them two babies?” “How can there be two o f them when it is im possible to separate one from the other!” “It is indeed a problem . I wish it had never been b orn.” The midwife said, in a preaching tone: “W hatever the case may be, it is G od’s gift, and it is unwise to question His wisdom .” M ohsen sought forgiveness from G od. The midwife continued: “I will register the baby as one person.” M ohsen sighed, and said: “We will becom e a laughing stoc^ and the talk o f th e tow n!” “Patience is a virtue!” “But w ou ld n ’t it be better to consider the child as twO; with a single abdom en?”
“He can’t deal with life except as a single person.” They stood in silence, exchanging glances, u n til she asked him: “W hat do you want to call him ?” As he kept silent, she said: “M uham m adayn! D o you think this is a suitable name?” He did n o t u tter a w ord, shaking his head in resignation. Sitt Anabaya was shocked when she realized w hat was going on. She wept for m any hours u n til her beautiful eyes were all red. She felt just like her husband. However, this situation did
N a jib M ahfuz
و11
الحكي م ة وهي مستغرقة م عمل ه ا الروتيني؛ ” صح ة ج يدة ،كأن ك ز قيء طبيصتمامأ ٠. . فت سا ءل ع م محس ن خلي ل: ٢^ ^ ١فقال ت الح كي م ةب حيرة ؛ ”لي سات و أ م ينم
٠ ٠ ٠
هذا ول ي د وا ح د أ
ف ج ف ف الر ج ل مرق و جهه و ج منه ا لم ص ب م ن داخل ه وس ج و
ص
" -ء و ر؛ ال س م س آ م ح؟ — ك ف يكون ا ن ^١؟^ عل ى حنن أن انف صا ل جزء عن اب ز ) ،لآخ ر مست حي ل! “ إنه ا م ش كل ة ،ل يته ا م ت ك ن أ ص ال أ فقال ت الح كي م ةبل ه ج ة وع ظ ية: ” إنه من ح ة م ن اف عل ى أ ي حا ل و الي ج وز ا العتر ا ض عل ى ح ك م ته...
فامحتغفر ا ل ر ج ل ربهف واصل ت الحكي مة : ” مامحم حل هب اعتب ا ره وا ح دأ . فتنهد ع م مح شق ائ لأ:
“محنصب ح أ ح د وث ة ون اد رة! — ا ل ص ر ج مي ل! ” أ اليست ح س ن اعتب ا ره اثنينم ذ و يب ط ن وا ح د؟ ي ك ن أن يت عامل م ع الحي ا ة إ ال ك ش خ ص وا ح د . — ال م وب ا د ال ا ل ط ر صا ت ن ح ت ى س أل ته: ” ما ذات س م يه؟ ولما ال زم ا ل صم ت س اءل ت :
“ محم دي ن ٠.٠! ٣١ما رأي ك م هذا ا ال سم المن ا س ب؟ فهز رأمح ه مست سل م أ دون أن ت س أم .ولما انتبه ت سم ت
^ ح
صع ق ت ،وب ك ت طويأل ح تى ا ح م ز ت عين ا ه ا ا لجميلت ا ن .وش ارء ئ تم زو
114
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
n o t last long, as b o th Sitt Anabaya and her h usb an d responded to their parental instincts. She started breastfeeding the baby on the right, and when the crying stopped, she fed the one on the left. Instinctively, she started calling the baby on the right “Q ism ati” and the one on the left “N asibi”, as these were the two nam es by w hich the new born had been called since the first week. Each child had his own individual p ersonality ؛Qism ati w ould be asleep while N asibi rem ained awake, babbling, crying or suckling. As tim e went by, the asto n ish m en t waned, except outside the hom e. W hat was once odd and weird soon became familiar. Both Q ism ati and N asibi received their fair share o f care, love and tenderness. W hen family m em bers came to visit, the m o th er w ould say: “No m atter what, he is m y son,” or, “They are m y sons.” As for M ohsen, he began to reiterate the phrase: “O urs is n ot to question the w isdom o f G od!” Realizing th at child h o o d does n o t last long, he thought about the future w ith w orry and trepidation. Sitt Anabaya, for her part, was com pletely absorbed by her tw in burden, as she had to breastfeed, change and raise n o t one b u t two children. She had to co n trol her nerves when one o f them slept and needed silence, while the o ther w ould wake up w anting to play. T hank God, they had different features ؛Q ؛sm ati had a deep brow n com plexion, with soft lineam ents and hazel eyes, while Nasibi had a w hite com plexion w ith black eyes and a large nose. The twins began to crawl about on their two feet and four hands, uttering one word after another, and trying to walk. It became clear th at ^ s m a t i learned to speak m ore quickly, but had to yield to Nasibi when it came to crawling and walking, or playing with things and destroying them . Nasibi rem ained the d o m in an t one in their early years,
Najib Mahfuz
115
ع و ا ط ف ه .غير أن ذ ل ك لر يست م ر ط وي آلف ا ش ج ا ب ت س ت عن إ ية
م ال-ه اية
ب و ة• ورا ح ت ت ر ض ع ا ملأي ن ذم1 إ ل ع ا ط ف ة ا أل موم ة وع م م ح ن ل لأ ال ب ك اء ح ت ى أرض ع ت ا لأيسر .وبعف و ية جعل ت تن ا د ي ا ملأي ن بقسم ت ي وا ل أ م بنص يب يف م ن ذ ا أل مب و ع ا لأول ع ر ف الول ي د ر اامم م ي ن .
موتيز ك ز بف ر ديةف ربما ن ا م سم ت ي و ظ لنص ي ي ص ا ح يأ يتن ا غى أو ي ك ي أو ير ضع .و م ع ال زم ن خ ف ت ال د ه ش ة وإ ن م ت خ ف أص د ا ؤ ه ا
م ا لخارج،
وأل ف ت الغ ر ابة ،وزال ت ا ل و ح شة.
ون ا ل قسم ت ي ونص ي ي حفهل م ا ال ك ام ل م ن ا ل رع اية وا ل ح ب وا ل حا د . و م ض ت ا لأم تق و ل للزائ ر ا ت م ن أ هل ه ا : — ل ي ك ن م ن أ م ر ه ما ي ك و ن فه و ابن ي ،أو ه م ا ابن ا ي . واعت ا د الحا ج مح ش “ ف ق د أ د ى الف ر ي ض ة ^بع د الت ج ر ي ف أن يق و ل:
— ل ذ ح ك مته ا وع ل م بف ط ر ته أن ا ل طف ول ة ش م ر كد ع ا بة ول ك ن ه ف ك ر
واختن ا ق .أ ما
م ا ل مقب ل بقل ق
ت عنب ا ية ف ا مت غ ر قت ه ا مت ا عبه ا المض ا عف ة .ك ا ن عل يه ا أن
تر ضع ا ض ،وأ ن تن ظ ف ا س ،وأ ن تربي ا م ن .وأ ن ت م ل ك أع ص ا به ا إذا ن ا م أ ح د ه م ا وا حت ا ج لل ه د و ء و ص ح ا ا لآخ ر و ر غ ب
م ا ل م ال عبة .واختل ف ت
بق د ر ةف ا د ر ؛ م ص ورت ا ه م ا ،فب دا ق سم ت ي ع م ي ق ا ل م ر ة رقي ق ا ل م ال م ح عسل ي
العينيمن ،أ ما نص ي ي ف ك ا ن ذا بشرة ق م ح ية و عنب ن س و دا وي ن وأن ف يئذر بال ض خام ة .وأ خ ذ الول ي د ي حب و عل ى ال ق د ب ن وأر ح أي د ،وين ط ق كلم ةبع د أ خ ر ى ،وي ح ا و ل ا ل ق ي .و ل و ح ظ أ ن قسم ت ي ك ا ن ر ع زتعلم الن ط ق ول ك ن ه ك ا ن ي ذ ع ن لم شيئ ة ن ص م
ب و والم ش ي ،و م ا ل ج ثب ا لأشي اء ونحطي م ه ا• م ا لخ
ت ة الم ب ك ر ة بي د ي نص م م وات س م ت ال عف رتة ل ب ث ت القي ا د ة طيل ة ت ل ك ال ف ر
116
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
which were m arked by naughtiness, destructi© n, the chasing o f chickens and the to rtu rin g o f cats. T hanks to Q ism ati’s submissiveness to N asibi, the boys did n o t quarrel, except on those rare occasions when Q ism ati w ould w ant to rest and Nasibi w ould prod him w ith his elbow, m aking Q ؛sm ati cry continuously. W hen they turned four, or just afterwards, they began looking o ut the w indow at the children outside. They would raise their eyes towards the sky from the ro o fto p and ask a m u ltitude o f questions: “W hy does each boy have only one head?” C onfused, Sitt Anabaya answered: “C od creates people the way He sees fit.” “Always God ... G od ... W here is He, this G od?” M ohsen answered: “He sees us, b u t we do n o t see H im . He can do anything, and woe u n to those w ho disobey H im !” He told them what they needed to do in order to gain H is approval. Q ؛sm ati grew w orried and told Nasibi: “Listen to me, or I will h it you . . . ” They w ould watch the m oon during the sum m er nights, and extend their arms tow ards it. W hile ^ s m a t i sighed with resignation, Nasibi w ould erupt w ith anger. This prom pted M ohsen Khalil to ask: “٥ © we im prison them in the house forever?” Sitt Anabaya said: “ لam w orried they’ll be bullied by other children . .. ” Hajj M ohsen decided to carry o u t an experim ent. He sat on the doorstep o f the house in a wicker chair, and placed his children in an other chair beside him . C h ild ren o f all ages soon gathered aro und them to take a closer look at the strange creature, and no m anner o f rebuke or reprim and could stop them . The father had no alternative b u t to pick them up and carry them back in to the house, w hispering w ith grief: “The problem s have started.”
Najib M ahfuz
117
وال تد مي ر و م ط ا ر دة ال د ج ا ج وإيذاء الق ط ط ،غي ر أن خض و ع س م ت ي ل ص م أعف ا ه ا م ن الش ج ا ر ع دا ا لأريق ا ت ^ الن ا د ر ة ا م ك ا ن بمل ف ي ه م ت م ' ذ ذآا ل آل و ر ع ذ ص ء ي ص ل ك ز ة ٧ ^ .
ض
م
ء
ل ز ا ل ك اء .ولماب ك
ا ل رابع ة ص ا نمر و ج ا و زا ه ا ،أ خ ذا يت ظ ر ا ن إ ل ا ل ط ر ش
م الن ا ف د ة و؛ث ا ء دا ن
األ طف ا ل ،ويرف عا ن أ عينه م ا ن ح و ا ل م اء م نف و ق ا ل ط حف ا ن ه م ت ا لأسء ل»
م
ء
ح
ع
م
ل
س
س
فت جي ب س ت عنب ا ية م ر ت ب ك ة \
” ربن ا ي خل ق الن ا س ك م ا يش اء.
٠ ٠
“ دائ م أ ربن ا• ربن ا .أي ن ه و ؟ في جيم ب ع م محس ن؛
” م يران ا ون ح ن ال نراه وه و ق ا در عل ى ك ز ق يء ،وا ل وي ل™ لم نيعم يه أ وي ح ذ ث ه م ا ا ل ر ج ل ع م ا ي ج ب لي ح و زا رض ا ه ف ي خ ا ف ق س م ت ي ويق و ل ن صس ي لق س ع م ت ي : ” ا س م ع ك ال م أن ا وإ ال ضربت ك ٠. . ويري ا ن الق م ر
ز لي ا ل الص ي ف في م دا ن ن ح و ه أيديه م ا .يتنهد ق س م ت ي
مغ ل و بأ عل ى ا م ر ه ويث و رنص ي ي غ اض ا .ويت س ا ءل ا ل حا ج : ه ل ن ح ب في ال ه ت إ ل ما شاء افالم ؟فتق و ل س ت عنب ا ية: -أ خا ف
س ا
ب ا أل طف ا ل . .م
وقزر الحا ج أن يق و م بت ج ربةف جل س أ ما م ا لهت عل ى كرس ي خيزرا ن آ وأجلس ه م ا إ ل جا نبه عل ى كرمح ي آ خ ر .ص رع ا ن ما نجم ع الص غ ا ر م ن محت ا ف ا لأع م ا ر ليتف ر ج و ا عل ى الم خ ل و ق ا لع ج م ب و م ي ن ف ع مع ه م ز جر أو نه ر م خ، اض ط ر ا ل ر ج ل أن ين س ح ب م ن مجلس ه و ه و يحمل ه م ا عل ى ذراعه ،وتحم م
أ ب — ب دأ ت المت ا ع ب.
11g
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
However, an idea came to Sitt Anabaya by divine inspiration. She suggested that she could convince her n eig h b o u r to send her son Tariq and daughter Sam iha to play w ith M uham m adayn. The neighbour, M ashkura, agreed. So Tariq and Sam iha came over ؛Tariq was a year older than M uham m adayn, whereas Samiha was the same age. At first, they panicked and did n o t w ant to becom e friends with M uham m adayn. Sitt Anabaya bribed them w ith presents until they became used to them . The n eig h b o u r’s children were also led by their curiosity and sense o f adventure. In the end, Q ism ati and Nasibi were pleased w ith their new playmates, b u t the fact that they greatly loved having them around did n o t mean th at their love was returned. They talked about m any things, played various games and invented lots o f stories. A nd so, they fo u n d others to whom they could throw their football and w ith w hom they could play tug-of-war. Samiha became the object o f their desire, w ith each o f them w anting to keep her for him self. W hen they w atched television, they would argue about w ho w ould sit next to her. It was because o fS am ih a that they had th eir first real fight in front o f their family, w hich led to a bloody lip for Q ism ati and black eyes for Nasibi. This incident m arked Q ism ati’s freedom from N asibi ؛thenceforth, he felt an individual in his own right. From that m om ent on, b o th o f them could agree and disagree. O ne day, Hajj M ohsen said: “They are now at an age that they should go to school.” Sitt Anabaya frow ned, her face showing the guilt she felt inside. Then he said: “This is no t open to discussion!” After th in k in g for a long tim e, he added: “I will bring them teachers. They should at least learn to count so that they can take my place in the shop.” Teachers came and instructed the boys in the basics o f religion, language and m athem atics. Q ism ati’s response to learning was very encouraging. N asibi, on the o th er h and, had
و11
Najib M ahfuz
ول ك ن اف فت ح عل ى
ت عنب ا ية بف ك ر ةف ا ئ ت ر ح ت أن ش ع ج 1رته اي إرضا ل
ابنه ا طا رق وبنته ا س مي ح ة ل ل ع ب مع محمدي ن• و وافق ت ا ل جا رة طا ر ق و س مي ح ة ،وك ا ن طا ر ق أ م م ن محم د ي نب عا م أ م ا
م ؛ قجاء
س ب ح ة مح ك ا
و ق د فزع ا أ و ل ا أل م ر ونف ر ا م ن ا ل ص ح بة غير أ ن س ت عتب ا ه اث ز ضت ه م ا
ض ط ال ع والمغ ا م ر ة . ب ا لهداي ا ح ت ى زايلت هما ا ل و ح ش ة و ج ر ف ه م ا ح ب ا ال م ص و ل د ق س ت ي و ن ص يب ا ل ر في ض ا ل ج د ي د ي ن ،وأ حب ا حض و ر هم ا جا
ك ل تقدير ،رغ م أنه م يفزب ح ب
م مث ل قوته• وتن و ع ا ل ح دي ث وا ل ل عب
بل وابت ك ر ت ا ل ح ك اي ا ت .و ج د ت ال ك ر ة ا ل ح م رة م ن بتب ا د ل ر م ي ه ا ،وو ج د ا لخ
م ن يت صا ر ع عل ى خ ذ ه ،وب ا ك س مي ح ة هدف ا و رديأ ك ز ي ر غ ب م ا ال ست ح و اذ
عليه ،وك ل يدع و ه ا إ ل اخل ل وص إ ل ج انبه إذا ج م ع ه م التلفزيون .وب س مي ح ة نش ج ت بينه م ا أ و ل م ع ر ك ة ح قي ق ي ة عل ى أم ل م ن
شفةنص م و و ر ت محط
،)٣و ه رر
س ب
ا ألسرة ،ف دص ت
^ س اأذو .ا ن منصيبي
وأ خ د يش ع ر بأنهف ر دب إ زا ءآ خ ر فتب ا د ال م ن ا لآن
نما ع دا الت و اف ق ك م ا تب ا د ال
التن اف ر .وق ا ل ا ل حا ج ذا ت يوم: ” ج ا ء ت ال س ن المن ا ب ة ل ل م د رمح ة . فت ح ه م و ج ه عنب اية وارت س م م أمحا ريرم الش عو ربال ذ ن ب فق ا ل الحا ج؛
” إنهب ا ب مغلق' ٤أ أ * م أ ج ي م أ لهه ا د الم ع 1م ي ن ،م ب ب أن
^ ١عل ى ا لأق ل لي ح ال محل ي
م
ال د ك ا ن. .. و ج اء ا ل م عل م و ن ،ولقن و ه م ا مب ا د ئ ال د ي ن واللغة وا ل ح ا ب .وا ش ج ا ب ق س م ت ي للت ع ل م بد ر ج ة م ش ج ع ة أم انص يب ي فب دا راغبأ ع ن ا ل ع ل م متعثرا
م ال م ه م
120
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
no desire to learn, and hence was slower in his understanding. As a result, he resented his b ro th er and disturbed classes by singing, playing and childish teasing. The difference was especially irritating during the religious education classes, which Q ism ati took to w ith enthusiasm while Nasibi displayed total indifference. The teacher was doubly annoyed by Nasibi’s stubbornness. M ohsen reprim anded Nasibi on m any occasions, but could n o t bring him self to h it him . At the age o f eight, Q ism ati w anted to pray and fast, and despite the fact th at N asibi was n o t interested, the latter found him self participating in the ablutions to a great extent, while being more or less forced to bow and prostrate. Realizing the weakness o f his position, he had no choice b u t to resign himself to the facts. At the same time, he became consum ed w ith anger. Nasibi was ordered by his father to fast, b u t he tried to break his fast in secrecy in order to allay his hunger. Q ؛sm ati, however, was quick to protest, saying: “D o n ’t forget that we share one abdom en. If you take a single m orsel. I’ll tell Father.” Nasibi was patient on th at occasion, bu t it did n o t last, and he started to cry. His m other took pity on him , and told her husband: “‘God only dem ands o f a soul w hat it can bear.’ Let the boy be until he’s one or two years older.” Confused, the father replied: “If he breaks his fast, he will break the fast o f th e other as well!” The problem was only solved by the Im am o fth e Sidi al-Kurdi mosque, who claimed that it was the in ten tio n that counted. So Q ism ati’s fast was lawful even if it was broken by Nasibi. And so Qismati continued to fast even if Nasibi did not. Each o f them had now developed his own personality. They increasingly grew to dislike one another, and the m om ents in which they got on became few and far between. Tearfully, their m other said: “My G od, they can n o t stand each other, yet neither can live w ithout the other. H ow can they go through lifelike this?"
N ajib M ahfuz
121
طم-م
وا ال ش م ا ب ،و س أ ج ل ذ ل ك حنق عل ى ا الخر ،وكدر
ي ال ع ث والغن اء والمعا ك ا ت ا سب انية ،وبدا اخل ال ف مزع ج ا م ت؛ل ل ا م مم
ال دينتة التي أق ل عليه ا ف ^ ا .ت ب * م تو ح عل ى حئن
نص ون ف نيه ا ’
؛ و ق ف ا ل المب ا ال ة .وض ا ع ف ز جر ا ل ع ل م ص عن ا ده ،ونهره أ م ،م ر أ و ل ى
'شف ق م نضر به• وعندب ل و غ الث ام نة أرادث س ت ي أن بمل ي وي صوم• و م ع أننص م م بم د
ف يش ا رك بقدر ال س ه ا ن به" م١
إ ل ذ ل ك إ ال أنه و ج د
^ ،٠وأنه
يرغ م تق ري ا ع ل ى ا ل ر ؛ و ع ^ وا ل م ج و د “ .ولش ع و ره بض ع ف مركزه أن ص
لل و اق ع وه و بملئ حنق ا وغي ظا• وأمر ه أب و هبالصي ا م ،و حا و ل أن ش ع ف اء ول ك ز ن م ت ي ا حت جق ائ الت م ا لخ — ال تن س أنب طنن ا وا ح د ،وإذا تن ا ول تلق م ة وا ح د ة أخير ت أبي٠٠. وصبري وم ه ح ت ى نف د صبر ه فب ك ىفر ه تل ه أ م ه وقال ت لل حا ج؛ — اف ال ي كت ف ش أ إ ال و سم ه ام * ،دعه ح تى يك ر ع ام أ أو ع ام ين. فق ا ل ا لأب ض
ب:
— ول ك ن ه إذا أف ط رأف ط ر ا لآخ ر!
وهي م ش كل ة م يحل ه ا إ ال إ ما م س ي د ي ال ك ر د ي فق ا ل إن ا لع ر ةب ا لي ة وأنص م ا مق س م ت ي ص حي ح ح تى لوأف طرنص مم .و صا م ق س م ت ي رغ م إن طار نص ي ي مس تن دأ إ ل نيته أوآل وأخير ا .وت و كد ل ك ل ش خصيته ،و حا ل لينه ما
نف ور دائ مآ* خذ م االمحتف ح ا ل ،وند ر ت بينه م ا أوق ا ت الصف اء .وقال ت ا لأم لعينم دامع ةت — يا و ش ،ال ي ط يق أ ح د س ا ا لآخر ،و الحن ى أل ح د ه م ا ص ا لآ <، ف كي فتم ض م يه م ا ا لخي ا ة ؟أ
122
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
She went through hard times as the twins argued about eve^thing and anything. Qismati loved cleanliness, while Nasibi hated the very idea of bathing unless he was obliged to do so. Their parents mediated between them, asking ^ sm a ti to give up some of the cleanliness while in exchange Nasibi would become a lot less dirty. Nasibi was a glutton and never had enough, which caused Q؛smati indigestion. ^ s m a ti was fond of love songs, while Nasibi loved loud music. The major source of disagreement, however, was caused by Qismati’s increasing love of reading and knowledge, ^ e n Q ؛smati was reading, Nasibi preferred playing out on the terrace and annoying passers-by and neighbours. Nasibi could tolerate Qismati’s reading for a while, but then he would spoil his concentration, after which they would engage in a fight that usually ended in victory for Nasibi. Qismati would try to use negotiation rather than senseless violence: “I’ve got my hobbies and you’ve got yours; but my hobbies are more suited to our unnatural circumstances.” Nasibi replied, severely: “This means that life will become a permanent prison.” “But we have no part in the outside world.” “On the outside, there’s happiness, whereas in this room there’s only grief.” “You always annoy people, and so they mock us.” “I can’t but behave like that. I am even thinking about flaunting myself in the street.” “You will turn us into a laughing stock.” At this point, Nasibi shouted: “I hate being imprisoned. I e n ^ the stars.” Qismati replied, derisively: “You’re out of your mind.” Nasibi’s reply came fast and hard: “There’s no way we can ever agree.”
N a jtb M ahfuz
و 12
د ت ء ز١
^ ،و شم ل ا خل ال ف أ بء وأ بء -ب ت ي مب ب الةالئ
ونص ي ي يكرم فكرة ا الش ح ما م إ ال أن يف طر إليهاض طرارأ ،وتوس ط ما لنماد على آن ينزل ف ت ي عن شيء م ن الن ظافةنظتر أن يزلن م ص ء .م م
هذ ر؛.
و ي م نه م ال ي ب ع فكئترأ ما كا ن بما ب س متيي ا مك خئ. ول عب ا لأغاف العاط فية على حض مب ث قنح ت م ا لأن ا شيد ا نما خ ة .أمم ذرو؛ ل صا م ف ق د ا ح ت د ت لخب ق س م ت ي الن ا م ي للق راءة وا ال ط ال ع ،يممح ب أن ييرإ اخ كثترأ ب ا لآ"خر يفض ل ا لل ع بف و ق ال ط ح و معاكس ة ا ل سابل ة وا لخ؛ران .ونص ي ي ي ك ن أني بر سا عة عل ى انه م ا ك ا لآخر ز الق راءة ول ك ن ه عند الضرورة م
بم ر
كمفت ي ف د عليه تركيزه وامح تغراقه ح تى يشت مكا ز معر كة س فر عادة
ز
م
ب ا المن ا ق شة ب د ال م ن الع ن ف غثر المج د ي! أنت صارنص يب ي ٠وق ا لل ه ق سم ت ي محر “ ل ه وايا ت ي و ل ك ه وايات ك ول ك ن ه وايا ت ي أن س ب لظروفن ا غير
الطبيعية. فق ا لنص ي يب ح د ة ! — مع ن ى ذ ل ك أن ت ح و ل الحي ا ة إ ل س ج ن دائ م . —ل
ل ا ر ج ية. م الن ص ب لط م الدني ا ا خ
— ا ل ع ا دة م الدنيا وال كآب ة م الحجرة . فق ا لق س مت ي ! ” إن كتعا ك س الن ا س فينه ال و ن علين اب ا لس خ رية٠ — أ م و ت ل وفعل ت غتر ذ ل ك .ل إي أفك ر م اقت حا م ا ل طرش• — محت ج ع ل من ا أض ح و ك ة وف ر ج ة٠. . ض ا حنص م م ! — ش أكر ه ا ل م س ن وأ ح د الن ج و م.
ن از
م
م ث’ ت
ش ل.
فق ا لن ص يب ا زدراء: -ال س ل ؛ ل ى ا التف ا ق.
124
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
“But as you can see, we’re one, despite the fact that there’s two of us!” “That’s the problem! But you have to submit to me without resisting.” “You’re stubborn and you love to argue.” Their parents called them into the living room for a meeting. They no longer had any peace of mind, and their happiness was ruined. They believed that tragedy would strike the household if they did not remedy the situation (quickly. Sitt Anabaya kissed them both, and said: “You have to love each other ؛if you do, all problems will vanish.” Nasibi said: “He’s the one who hates me!” But Qismati retorted: “You’re the one who hates me\” ~ " * Sitt Anabaya said: “You’re two in one, inseparable, and there must be love.” Hajj Mohsen then said: “Reason demands that you get on, otherwise your life will become hell. It is not acceptable for one of you to oppress the other. It is possible to live together in harmony. Nasibi should be patient when ^ s m a ti wants to read, and in return Qismati should willingly agree to play with Nasibi. You also have to accept to listen to different kinds of songs so that each can enjoy his favourite music. As for religion, that’s not open for discussion!” Qismati said: “I’m all in favour of harmony, even if it will cost me dearly.” Nasibi kept silent, and Qismati added: “He s the one who doesn’t like harmony, nor will he be ready for the day you ask us to work in the shop!” The father replied firmly: “There’s no escape from the unavoidable!” Sitt Anabaya implored with vehemence:
N a jib M ahfuz
5قا
—لكنن ا وا ح د ك ماتر ى رغ م أنن ا اثن ا ن! ” ه ذه ه ي المص يبة ول ك ن علي ك أن تذ ع ن ل د و ن مق ا و م ة. ل صا م. حب ا خ — إن ك عنيد و ت ودع ا ه م ا ا ل وال دا ن إ ل ا ال جت ما ع ز ح ج رة المع ي ق ة .ح ق أ 1- ^ 1ئ دا
ب
ص محتمح ل الش عور برا ح ة الب ا ل وت غ ص عل يه م ا صف و ه م ا .وآعن ا بأن كار بال بي ت إن
سارع ا إ ل ح س م الدا ء .قبل ته م ا عنب اية وقال ت !
—فلي ح ب أ ح د ك ما ا لآخر ،إن و ج د ا ل ح بت ال ش ت الم ق ا م ! فق ا لن ع ي م ؛
— ه و ال ذ ي يكرهني؛ ول ك نن م ت يب ا دره قائ الت
—ب ل أنت ال ذ ي تكرهي! فقال ت س ت عنب ا ي ة متأ و ه ة!
— إنك ما اثن ا ن م وا ح د ال يت جزأ و ال بد م ن ا ل ح ب.
وقا ل الحا ج مح ش خلي لت — الح ك م ةتطال ب ك ماب ال وف ا ق وإ ال انقل ب ت الحيا ة ج حي ما ال يط ا ق ،ذوب ا ن أ ح د ك ما
م ا لآخر مرف و ض ،وا ل وف ا ق مم ك ن ،فلي ص ر نص يب ي عند ما يرغ ب
ن ت ي م الق راءة ،وفي مق اب ل ذلل ي عل ى س م ت ي أن ير ح ببالحر كة وا لل ع ب م م عنص م م ،ول ي ك ن ك ل غن اء مقب و الليست م ت ع ك ل بأغ ا نيه المفضل ة ،أ ما ال دي ن ف ال من ا قشة في ه. فق ا لق س مت ي !
فا ق رغ م ما يكل فني م ن ضيق• — إي على امحتع داد طي ب للو و ال ذنص ي يب ال صم تف رج عق س م ت ي يق و ل ! — إنه ال ي ح ب ا لوف ا ق ،و اليع د نفس ه لي و م تدع ون ا فيه إ ل اتحمل م
اك ك 1ن! فق ا ل ا لأبب حزم! -ال ب د ممال؛ س م نه ي د!
وع ا د تس ت عنب اية تق و لب ح رارة وضراعة!
6ق إ
M odern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
“You must love each other, as this is your salvation.” However, the parents still did not have any peace of mind. They looked on, fraught with worry and grief. Nasibi hesitantly tried to change for the sake of harmony, which involved a constant fight to overcome his indomitable instincts. Qismati, for his part, embarked upon the new path with greater determination and will in order to put an end to his ordeal, appealing to his parents for help when necessary. As they reached the age of reason and were on the verge of adolescence, their problems reached a peak. Their suppressed dreams began to manifest themselves, threatening to explode. Each of them developed his own way of thinking, and regarded the other as a threatening intruder, an enemy that must be defeated. They were both fed up with the hateful unity that fate had inflicted upon them and from which there was no escape. They would clash in a vortex of fiery and crazed outbursts. A raging wave would emerge from the depths, removing any sense of shame, while impetuosity superseded regret. Their anger would grow and they engaged in battle, exchanging the harshest of blows. Afterwards the hostilities would die away, with the combatants becoming immersed in silence and distress. This lasted for a long time, until Qismati said: “Because of this curse, life cannot go on peacefully.” Calmly but petulantly, Nasibi replied: “But it will go on like this an^vay!” Qismati’s hazel eyes grew darker, and he said: “We’re condemned to be without the harmony that the rest of mankind enjoys.” “You’re sick, and so are your ideas.” Q ؛smati replied sarcastically: “It is clear that one of us is Defiantly, Nasibi retorted: “I will no longer give up any of my rights. There will be no more truce from now on.” “But I’ve got rights, too!”
7
N ajib M ahfuz
قا
عل ي ك ماب ال ح ب فف ي ر ح م ته الن ج ا ة. ول ك ن ال وال دي ن م بم
ده ل م اب ا ل• وتابعا م اي ح د ث .قل ق و ر .
وبذ ل نص ي ي م م ل ا ل وف ا ق ج ه دا م ترددا لغل بة ا لأه واء^ ^ ١
ق
ظ"ن أ 'ش-ب إ رادة أءوى ور ب أنق ى س م م ^ مهم، ^ ^ ١ ء ر ص *ض ب عوا ط ف ه ال صا دقة و ميل ه الم خ ل ص لو ضع ح د لعذاب ا ته ،ومسمتعين ا عنى الضرو - ب وال ديه .ولما ن ا هزا ا ل حلم وش ا رفأ المر ا هق ةت صا ع د ت أزمته م ا إ ل ال ذر و؛ ا ح ت د م ت األ ح ال م المكب ر تة م نذ رةب ا النف ج ا ر .وتب ل و ر ت ل ك ل
ب ذي
مستقل ة فبدا ا لآخر غ ريب ا م ه د دا ل لأس ،وعدواي جم ب أن يقهر .ضاق
م
م نه م اب الراب ط ة ال قدرية^ ال ت يفر ض ت عل يه م ا و ح د ة كريهة ال فك 1ك منه ام وت ال ط ما م دوا م ة م ن ا النف عاال ت المحر قة الجن و نية .وف ا ر ت م ن ا لأع ماق م و ج ة ع مياء جر ف ت متر الحي اء،ف ارت ط م ا الندف ا عبال ن د م ،واخت عل الغض ب
ب ا ت القاس ية .وه م د ت ا لحر كة غ ائصة فر معر كة وتب ا د ال القض ف ا ن خ ر ط ا الثن ا ن ي فت ة غيرقصير ة إ ل أنق ا لق س متي؛ ز ا ل ص م ت والش ج ن .است م ر ت ر ت ضي مع ه ا الحي ا ة م س ال م٠٠٠ — إنه ا لعنة مالي ك ن أن م فق ا لنص ي ي بهدوء عنيدت —ل كن ه ا ح م ضي ز طر يق ه ا عل ى أ ي حا ل! فأ ظ ل م ت عين اق س م ت ي ا لعسليت ا ن وق ا ل: “ ئضي علين ا ب الحرما ن م ن ا الن س ج ا م ال ذ ي تحظ ى به جم ي ع الم خ ل وق ا ت .. . “ إن ك مر ض ذو أفك ار مريضة٠٠. فق ا ل ق سم ت ي س خ رية : — أ حدن ا مر ض و الش ك! فق ا لنص يب ي بت ح د:ل ن أنزل عن ح ق ص حق و قي. . .ف ال م ه ا دنة بم د ا ل آن. -ل ي أ .ذأ حقيو ف .
128
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
They looked at each ©ther, defiantly, sorrowfully. All dialogue thus ended on the worst possible terms. It was then that they saw Samiha, their childhood friend, in a new light. From the window, they would watch her come and go, either on her own or in the company o f her mother, which awakened past memories that soon faded. That day, however, they saw another Samiha. The flush of youth had matured her, adding even more radiance and increasing her desirability. Qismati got drunk on the nectar of temptation, while Nasibi’s wild imagination got the better of him. Qismati’s heart was touched by a ray of beauty, just as a ؛lower is touched by a ray of sunlight and opened up by it. He wished she were next to him, instead of that wretched Nasibi, and for the first time he felt that Nasibi was not only a physical burden but also an insurmountable obstacle to his true happiness. Nasibi continued to shake his head in bewilderment, and when he saw the girl waiting next to the entrance of her house, he rushed to the street, dragging Qismati with him. Samiha saw them shooting across the street, then took a few steps back and smiled. Nasibi lunged towards her, extending his hands to her chest, which caused her to panic and run inside her house. This animalistic attack drew the attention of some passers-by in Wayliya Street, and so they returned home, with Qismati berating and cursing Nasibi, who had come to his senses and grown quite submissive. Qismati’s fury bore down heavily on his brother: “This is scandalous! You’re nothing but a lunatic ...!” Nasibi was at a loss, and did not reply. Their mother knew what had happened, and was distressed. When Q ؛smati told her the truth, she said to Nasibi: “You will destroy y o u r s e lf one Qismati lashed out: “And he will destroy me along with him, through no fault of mine!” Nasibi said, boldly: “We need a wife!” The mother was
و12
N a jib M ahfaz
وتب ا د الن ظر ة مت ح دي ة وب ائس ة ،ف انق طعا عن الحوار عل ى أمحو أ حا ل. ولمي ذ ل ك ا ل و ق ت رأيا سمي ح ة ز ميل ة ا ل طفول ة ب م ن ج ديدة .كان ايريا نه ا
ونيء منف ر دة أو بمحبة أم ه ا فت وق ظ ذكر ى عابرة م ن الن ا ف د ة وهي ت ذ ه ب ج ث م تختفي• أ ما ذ ل ك الي و مفرأيا ه ا دمع ين ج ديدة .رأيا ه ا وق د أنض ج ته ا شعل ة ب ش هد الر غبة• أتر ع قل ب ق س م ت ي بر حيق الصب ا فأ ضف ت عل يه ا به اء وأثر ته ا م ال فتنة فث م ل عل ى ح نن ج ذنص ي يب ا لأخيل ة الجامح ة.تل ق ىقل بق س م ت يشعا ع ت ن ى لو تحل محلنص ي م ص الحس ن ك ما يتل ق ى ا ل رع م خعا ع الش م س فيتفت ح• م و ج و ده ال ت م س ،و لأول مر ة يثعر بأن ش ي ب يلي س قي دأف ح س ب ول كن ه ممد من ح ز طر يق ال م ا دة الح قيقي ة .أ مانص ي يف ظ ل رأس ه يت ح ر ك ز ا س ^ا ب، ولما و ج د الفت ا ة واقفةقريبة م ن م د خ ل بيته ا تنت ظر اندف ع إ ل الطريق جارا مع ه ق س متي• مر ق م ن الب ا ب إ ل الطر يقفرأته سمي ح ة فتر ا ج ع ت مبتع د ة إ
ط
ول كن ه اندف ع ن ح و ه ا مس د دا يديه إ ل ص د ر ه ا فف ز ع ت ووثب ت دا خل ة إ ل
بيته ا .ول فت ت ال ه ج م ة الحي وانية أ ط اربع ض الما رة ز شا ر ع ا ل وايلية ول ك ن ق س م ت ي ر ج ع إ ل بيته م س رعة وه وي
ب ويلع ن وا لآخر مس ت ب ،ل ه • ظ
إف اقة مب ا غتة .وغض ب ق سم ت ي و صا ح به: ” إنه ا فضي ح ة و ما أن ت إ البمجن و ن. ف ل مي جبهنص ي ي مغ ل و بأ عل ى أمر ه .وع ل م ت ا لأم.مما ح د ث ع ر ن ت الح قيق ة م نق س م ت يقال ت ل لآخر : —س ته ل ك نف
ك ذ ا ت يوم.
فهت ف ف ت ي : “ وصو ف يهل كن ي مع ه دون ذن ب . فق ا ل ن ص يب ج راءة:
وه
130
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
astonished, at a ؛OSS for words. Nasibi continued: “Since you gave birth to us, you’re responsible for getting us married to a nice girl.” Qismati said: “No girl will agree to marry both of us!” Nasibi replied, defiantly: “Then look for two wives for us!” Qismati replied, with sadness: “We are doomed to live by ourselves!” Nasibi said: “Then let us consider ourselves a single individual, as this is, after all, how we are registered on the birth certificate.” Ruefully, Qismati retorted: “An object of fun, not for marriage.” Their mother was unable to stay in the room: “The Hajj may have the solution!” Nasibi erupted in anger, and said to his brother: “The only solution is the one we find by ourselves. Let’s wait until midnight, when there are fewer passers-by. Then we will go out into the darkness to look for prey.” Qismati shouted: “Your imagination is running wild!” “Don’t be a coward.” “Don’t act like a madman!” Hajj Mohsen said to his wife: “This issue has never been far from my mind, but there is no family that would happily offer us their daughter.” “So what’s the solution?” The father said, his voice fading away: “A needy woman in her fifties will come and look after
N a jlb M a h fu z
131
-ن ح ن ش حا ج ة إ ل زو ج ة؛
فبهتت ا لأم و م تدر ما ذا تق و ل فوا صلنص م : — ك ما ولدت اف إن ك م ؤ ول ة عن تزويجن ا م ن بتت ا لجالل''. ، فق ا ل ن م ت ي: “ ل ن توافق ب ت عل ى ال زوا ج ص م حن؟ فق ا لنص ي ي بت ح د!
”اب حثيلن ا عن زو جتين: فق ا ل ق سم ت يب حزن؛ — ث ف ي علين ا أننع ي ش و ح يدين! فق ا ل ص ي م1 ”فلنعت ر ش خ صا وا ح دا ك مان ح ن م حل ل و ن ز دفتر المرايل . فق ا ل ق سم ت ي ش ى : — ش خ ص للف ر ج ة ^ ال لل زوا ج. واحنمطر ت ا لأم أن تغ ا در ا لح جر ة وهي تق و ل:
“ ق د يكو ن عند الحا ج اخل ل! وث ار غض بنص م م ،وق ا ل ل لآخر! — ال ح ل إذا لرن عر عل يه بأنفسن ا ،فلننت ظر ح ت ىي م م ف اللي ل ويد ر المارة ن م ننطل ق م ا ل ظ ال م وراء أ ي ص ي د يقع. فهت ف ن م ت ي — خيا ل جن و ن . . . . -ال ت ك ز ج ما نأ.
ال ت ك زمجن و نأ.وت ا ل الحا ج محس نل زو جته-ت — لر يغ ب عني هذا الموض و ع ،ول ك ن الت و ج د أم رة ترضى .م م ا ه ردن ام “ و الحل ؟
فق ا ل ا ل ر ج ل و صوته يخفض. — ست جيء ا م ر أة س كين ة م الحل ق ة اخل ام س ة لتق و م عل ى خ د م ه ،ا أ
2و ا
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
them!” Such a wretched creature, in both looks and circumstance, indeed came to the house. They fed her and cleaned her up so as to make her agree to what they wanted her to do. This was followed by a period of calm, at least on the surface. In reality, Nasibi mistreated the woman during the daytime, to compensate for his nocturnal torments. Qismati, for his part, appeared gloomy and disgusted. He asked Nasibi: “What have I done to deserce this?” Nasibi answered, fretfully: “Is it my fault, then?” Qismati did not reply. He remembered Samiha, who had stolen his heart, and his suppressed emotions exacerbated his grief. The truth is that both of them felt lost and worthless, but neither felt the pain of the other. Quite the contra^! Each accused the other of being responsible for their hardship, and each wished he could get rid of the other at all cost. Their father asked them to work with him in the shop, if only for the sake of experience. They could no longer avoid this, and so on a calm spring day they started work. They were dressed in a pair of grey trousers and two white, short-sleeved shirts. Their hair was cut to an average length. Confused, they stood behind the counter. Very quickly, a crowd of customers and onlookers gathered, until half the street was blocked. Ha؛؛ Mohsen addressed his sons: “Just do your work, and don’t pay any attention to the people.” However, Nasibi was gripped with anger, while Q ؛smati’s eyes were soon filled with tears. All of a sudden a press photographer made his way through the crowd and took a lot of pictures of the two brothers. In the afternoon, a representative from the television station arrived, seeking permission to intei^iew the two young men. However, Hajj Mohsen resolutely refused, his voice betraying anger. When the pictures appeared in the morning papers, they drew even more onlookers to the shop, while sales dwindled. Hajj Mohsen was forced to prohibit them
و ول
Najib Mahfuz
ب ءت ر أ ة
ب ' ي ى ل و ص ،نث ط د' إ ل ى م مل ما ,
•ئ ي ر اد ه ان ،و'ءق ب ذل ك س ك و ن ق س م ت يفج د ؛
ب ر ي عل ى ،ل أ م ،
ف مش م ئزأ ،وم ا*ل ا لآ-خر:
؛
س . ., م
"
ما
م أ
م‘ و ل
ما نن م ؛آ ؟فنه ر هنص ي ي متسائ الت “ و ه ل ال ذ ب ذ ن م ؟ أ م ي ح ر ج واب ا ل ك ن ه تذ كر سمي ح ة بقل به المسل و ب ،وع و ا ق
ر زد
المحر و م ة فتض ا ع ف أس ا ه .والح ق أن كل ي ه ما شعر الضي ا ع وال ه و ان،
و م م
يشعر أ ح د ه م ا بتعاس ة ا لآخر ،وعل ى الع ك س اته م ه بأنه ا ل م ؤ و ل عن م د اته، و ود ل و يت خ ل ص م نه بأ يث م ن .ودع ا ه م ا ا لأب لل ع م ل م ال د ك ا ن و لوكت جربة ال مف ر م ن مما رمح ت ه ا .ك ا ن يوم حض و ره م ا م ال د ك ا ن يو ما مع ت د ل الما خ س أي ام الر ي ع .تجلي ا ل لأعينم م بن طل و ن ر ما د ي ،وث ميص ينم أبي ض ننص ف ك م آم ا
شعر را م ي ه م ا خامحت و ى م ش ذبأ متومحط ا ل طو ل .وقف ا وراء الطا ول ة مرتبكين.
وم رع ا ن ما جن م ع كثترون ما بين زب ون ومتفر ج حتى ازد حم الطريق إل نص ف ه .وق ا ل الحا ج مو ي ه ا خ طا به البنيه*.
“ ف غرقا م ا لعم ل و التباليابالن اس. ول ك ز الغض بت ملكنص ي ي عل ى ح نن دمع ت عين ا ق س متي• وإذا>ى م ور ص ح ف ي ي ث ق طر يقه بين ا ل جم و ع ويلتق ط الع د ي د م ن الص ور د حم دد ن او
ص ف ^ ١م ن ال نه ار جاء م ند و ب س ا م مز؛ ون ف ت ي ونصي ي .و م الن يس تأ ذ ن م إ ج راء ح وار م ع الش ا .ي ن ،ول ك ن الحا ج ر ضب ح زم و -سم ة ٠ ۴ .وينث ر ا ل صو ر ش ا ل ص ح يف ة الصب ا ح ية ا شتد إقب ا ل الن ا س و م ; ط ر ح
لل د ر ج ة الدنيا ،ف اض طر الحا ج محس ن خلي ل لمنع ه م ا س ال ذ ه ا ب إ ل
134
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
from going ،٠ the shop. He told his wife, with sinking heart “So, the business will die with me.” Nasibi exclaimed, in anger: “Why didn’t you get rid of us at birth? Why didn’t you show mercy on us, and on yoursel،?” Hajj Mohsen said, deeply moved: “You will never know hardship, and your inheritance will allow you to lead a decent and dignified existence.” Nasibi shouted: “Money alone has no value ؛the reality is that we are both dead! How I wish I could work in the business, buy a car and mari^f four wives!” Qismati said, in a sad voice: “I could have been a teacher, ٠٢ gone into politics.” Nasibi looked at Qismati, and said furiously: “ You are the obstacle in my way.” Qismati rebutted: “It’syou who’s the obstacle.” Hajj Mohsen exclaimed: “Why don’t you accept reality and seek your happiness together?” Qismati said: “If we had been born with a single head and two separate bottom halves, things would have been easy!” Hajj Mohsen replied, imploringly: “Happiness is not hard to find for those who truly seek it!” Qismati said, angrily: “This happiness is the reason for our misety!” Then he turned towards Nasibi, and said: “Stop being so arrogant. If you took a leaf out of my book, you’d become the best and happiest of men. If I followed you, prison would be our fate.” Nasibi replied, mockingly: “Nice try! But that will never
N a jib M ahfuz
135
وق ا ل المرأته بقل ب مح زون؛ ل ج ل ^٠ ” صو فتص ف ى الت ج ا رة عق ب انته اء ا أ و عند ذ ل ك س ا ءلنص م م غ اض ات — م لم ث خ ل ص .ط ء ق ب و الدث ا؟ .م م ر حمن ا وتر ح م نف اث؟ء فق ا ل الحا ج ز آث ر ب د : ت وال ك را،ة. —ل نتعرف ا الف م أبدا .وشرثا ن ماي ح ق قل ك م ا الس ر ف هت ف ض ي م : ت ني ت أن أ ،ا ر س \{ ^\ — ال قي م ة لل ما ل و ح د ه ،ا ل و اق ع أنن ا ب ا ن ،ك م م
وأبتا ع سارة وأتزوج م ن أر ح؟ وق ا ل ق سم ت ي م مصرة: “ و عند ي ا المتع د ا د لأك و ن أمحت ا ذأ ،وأ ما ر س السامح ة أيض ا .
ونظرنصيص إ لق سمتي وقا لب حنق؛ — إن ك الع قبة ال ت يتس ن طر يق ي . فق ا ل ن سم ت ي بإصرار٠
— أن ت أن ت العقب ة.
ن م ا ل الحا ج: — أ ال ت ل م ا نب ال و اق ع وت سعيا ن إ ل ال ع ا د ة معا؟ فق ا ل ق م ت ي؛ لمر أ ” لو خلقن اب ر أ س و س ل ن ض ل م نل ه ا ن ا أ
فق ا ل الحا جب ر جاءت —ل نتع ز ا ل م م ا ل ة عل ى م ن ين ش د ه ابص د ق .
فق ا ل ق سم ت يب حن ق! ” هذه ا ل سعا دة هي مح ب بتعامحنن ا أ ئ م ال ت ف تن ح ونص ي ي ق ائ ال؛
— ت خ ز ع نعن جهثت ك واقعتيتبل غ مأ ن ى در جا ت الر س دا لو تبعت ك أن ا فيك و ن مصرن ا ا ل م ج ن. فق ا لنص يب ي م ا خرات
،
136
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
work! We are completely different. I do not love knowledge; as for politics, if you elected a government, I would immediately side with the opposition, and vice versa. لwill not follow you, and you will not follow me; the fighting will not subside.” Impatiently, the father said: “Try to live together in harmony again; it’s the only way! It’s your destiny, as is your union.” Reluctantly, they again attempted to avoid conflict and disagreement as much as they could. Each of them made an effort to put up with the other’s presence, despite Qismati*s hidden unease and Nasibi’s inner scorn. They seemed like two friends without a friendship, in an alliance without sincerity. They each lived half a life, and had half-hopes. However, age prematurely left its traces on Nasibi’s face, revealing that he was rapidly approaching old age, perhaps as a result of his excesses in most things. He started to complain about a loss of libido, an allergy to drink, and indigestion. Neither herbal potions nor conventional medicine succeeded in improving his condition. In his pain, he expressed the suppressed rage he felt towards his brother, accusing him: “You were jealous of me, damn you!” Qismati murmured, in a conciliatory tone: “May God forgive you!” He replied: “Don’t look down your nose at me! If I die, you’ll have to carry my body till the end ofyour days and you’ll turn into a grave!” Nasibi’s health deteriorated to such an extent that he was gripped by a fear of death. Q ؛smati felt sorry for his brother’s decline, and tried to cheer him up: “You’ll get even better than you were before!” Nasibi did not care what Qismati said, nor did he believe it. One morning, he woke up early and shouted: “I’m going to the home of the weeping truth!” Sitt Anabaya rushed to him, realizing that he was dying. She held him close and started reciting the Surah of Fidelity. Then
N ajtb M ahfaz
37ا
خا ب ة إ ن
ص•
ض محلف ا نتمام أ ،أن ا Vأ م د
ا إل ئ ذ إ ك أن ا خ م ت ' ء د ئ ا خ م ت س فور ي ادار'ىت ^ ٠^ ١ م ، بالع م ،ل ن أتب ع ك ول نج تني ،ول ن تهدأ ا .ل ر كت. فق ا ل ا لأب بنف ا د صبر: ات أ د كم ا ؛، “ ار ج عا إ ل ا ل وف ا ق ،ال مف ر م نه ،إنه قدر ،ك ا أن ح نب اخا ل ال ف ما استق ال ، Lpو ^ ر ى م آا ل وع ا دا ك ار س إ ل المحا ول ة ج
ص ا م لس خرية ص ب' عن ع م صاحت .ي؛ا تق زر موي إ؛إ ص د ي نب الص داق ة ،مت ح ا صب ال إخ ال ص،فعا ش ك ل م ه ا
وتعل ق بنص ف أ م ل -غم أن آث ار ا لعم ر طب ع ت م و ج ه ض م ن ل ١؟ ^ وت و كد أنه ب ر ع ن ح و شي خ و خة م ب كر ة .لعل ه نتي ج ة إلفراطه م ك ل خيء وراح
ص ض م ازسو
ج س الثر ب ،وصوء ا س م .ولر
تنفع ه أا ل ط ا ل و ال ا ل ط ب .و م معان اته أعل ن ما يخب ئ م ن حنق عل ى صا ب
ف ا ته م هق ائ ال: — ح م د ت ن ي علي ك ا للع نة. فتسما م ح مع ه ق سم ت ي مت مت ما : — سامحك اف! ف صا ح به: ”ل ن تش م ت بي ،إذا م تفسعت ح م ل ج ثت ي إ ل نه اية ا لعمر ودمء م ل س بحر ؛لى ن م أ وا ختد به الض ع ف ح تى ركبه اخل و ف م ن المو ت .ورق ل ذ" ,ض محم ت د ه و ره فش ج ع هق ات لأ: م ز ج ع إ ل ختر مما كن ت!ب د ق ه .وذا ت صب ا ح ص حا م ب ك ر ا و ض : ف ل مي حف ل بقول ه و لر م إ ز ذا ه ب إ ل موط ن الح قيق ة الب ا كية!وهرول ت ؛ليه
ت عنب ا؛؛ة فأد ر ك ت أنه ي ح
م
م حءنمن ه إ
ورا ح ت ت ل و ا ل صم دي ة ' ه وانتف ضص د ره ،وب ك ى ق سم ت ي أتن ا و؛ م ح م ن
8وا
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
he stopped breathing. Qismati wept, but was suddenly gripped by fear and panic at having a corpse joined to his torso. The two parents exchanged a confused look. What could they do with this body that they could not bury? They hastily summoned a doctor, who examined the situation and said: “This is a very complex issue, but there is no solution except mummification of the body i f i t’s impossible to excise it.” And so Qismati lived on, carrying the mummified body of his sibling. He soon realized that he was going to be half-alive and half-dead, and that the newly acquired freedom he had $٠ often longed for was nothing but an illusion, which had turned into half a life or no life at all. He decided to immerse himself in work now that the obstacle had been removed. However, he discovered that he had become a different person; one who had suddenly been born fully formed but whose enthusiasm had dwindled, his inner urges dried up, his zeal abated and his taste for life dulled. He was a person who had relinquished life, worship and innocent daily pleasures, one who lived under a sky surging with dust, devoid of colour, clouds, stars or a horizon. He said, a deep sadness p e n d in g his very being: “Death is in the universe.” Most of the time he remained silent, withdrawn in a state of lethargy. Then, his mother asked him: “Why don’t you entertain yourself and do something?” He replied: “I’m doing the only thing I can do, which is to wait for death.” He saw the darkness descend upon him, holding out the promise of peace.
N a jib M a h fu z
39ل
١-
ف ج د ءه ،وذ ا ب ل مال ال ن ظ ة ^ ٠ال م ع س المو ت م ر و ع ي
ما ذا يف ع الن بهذه الجثة التي المي ك ن دن ي؟• و' ئ ن م U س سخا ل ا ل ونا ل: “ إب من ه . ه ك ذا ء ا ش
م
ءا ’ . ■ ^
ص ط ك ال ت،
٢
و م ال ح ل إ الح ن د ؛ ذ ال
س ض ح،م ال ■أ ئ ص ا ب ا خل ط ة .وأدرك ض
ا لأو ل أنه بمش ن م ف حي ونص ف ب ت .وأن اخل رية ائتي طالماتن ا ه ا ،ليس ت أ ال و م وال م
ج بها،
وأنه انص ب م و ت أو* و ت ك ا ر .و ج ر
قرر أن يه ب ن ف ه لل ع م ل طيل ة ا ل و ن تبع د أن زال ا لعاتق و ص ا><--ال أنه شخ ص م دي دآ خر .ول د ال ئ خ ص الج د ي دف جأة وب ال تدرج .ن ص م ح ما م ه ،و ج ف ت ين ابيع ه ،وت ال ش ت ه م ته ،و خ م د ذوقه .ش خص جف ا ا ز|ؤ ش ت تص م اء ما ج تي الي ار والعب ا دة وا ل م ر ا ت الي وم ية البر؛؛ثة .ش خ ح نيع ي ح ف ال زرقة و ال س ح ب و ال نجو م و ال أفق -وق ا ل بأ س ع م يق: — المو ت ز ال ك و ن. وزئي طو ا ل ا ل و ن ت صام تأ وا ج م أ شبهن ائ م ف ا كه أ م ه: — أ التسل ينف س ك بف عل خيء؟ فأ جا به ا :
ي“ إفأف عل ما م وس م ،إي أنتظر المو ت- وبدا لعينيه أن ا ل ظ ال م يه ر و لن ح و ه واعداب ا ل س ال م.
ا4ه
M odem A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
د
Language N otes
ق ن ن ت ي ونص ص: lit. “my destiny and my fate”, this is c©mm©n expression of resignation, e. g. الزواج ب ن ن ة وثصي ب, “marriage is a matter of fate”. The word مي ن ةis als© sometimes used as a phrase of €ondolence, e. g. ! هذه ب ن ن ة (“such is fate!”), whereas it is also the etymon o f the English word ‘kismet* (albeit via Turkish). 2. غب: lit. “[paternal] uncle”. It is, however, often used as ه term of address for an older man; غن وis another form of 1.
ع م-م و.ال ن ط ا ر: lit. “perfume seller” (ع طر, “perfume”), this is a grocer who sells herbs and spices as well as traditional herbal medicines. م 4• أي ز ن اف نهءالن طاء في ما ن ح ي و ق ش: lit. “God generously gave him wh^t he likes and hopes for.” أ.( ذر<) ذ ريةu), “to scatter”; cf . ذرة. “atom”, طاقة ذوية, “atomic ener^r”). Synonyms include آغف ا ل,( ن ن لpi . )أن سا لand «نإلل ة 6. ذن ر: this is also often used in the sense of “time”; cf. ا إل ش 7 .ت غ مم ا ون ب اف ومما نئخ. نجا ن د ة لل نف س م ض ى: the soul to content oneself ^ith what God has granted and withheld”8. أثفة: (ECA) < “( ئه اءbeauty, magnificence”); used to refer to respect based on wealth and smart dress. و.خي اث الح ظ: lit. “luck loved him”. 10. ث: general term of address used for women (with their first name); it is equivalent to ن ن د ةin MSA. The word is also used in the phrase ثجب ت, “housewife”. 11. ( (كونه ا إ ل: contracted form of ب ا الضا فة إ لand إ ل جان ب. 12. طو ا ض: pi. of (l) طاج نa traditional earthenware cooking pot; (2) a dish made of meat, rice or vegetables. The ingredients vaty from one co u n ty to another. ول. ف طاير : pi. of ظترة, round layered pastries.
N a jib M a h fa z
ا4ا
ا4ت ز م ا ل سا ب غا: lit. “swimming in” (i.e. “soaked w ith/in”). 1J. الس ن ن البل د ي: unclarified butter, gbee. 16. ن و ر ى أا ل جتة: “seeking the advice of loved ones”; the use of “( شورىconsultation”) in this context has a religious connotation (cf. Qur. 38: .(ن و رة ا ك و و ى ا7أن ل اف م: lit. “People of God” (i.e. “God-fearing people”) أن ل ؛is often used as a head in a genitive construction ( )إض افةin the sense of “those who are”, e. g. “( أق م أن ق ال ك زمyou are generous people”) . آلalso often means “family” or “kinsfolk”. Indeed, it is this latter meaning that is meant in the common greet i ng( ان ل آون ي الsee ح كاية القندي ل, note No 50). 18. ا لعار م حم واال واصل ين: Sufi terms denoting certain ranks; in this story, however^ it means those who know and are connected, e. g. الن ا ر فب اش. Cf. MSA “( ف ذ ا قhe who knows well”), “fortuneteller”. ول. ) ^ ^ ١( ح ة- أتا لصرpi. of ض ح, “tomb”, “grave”. People in Muslim countries traditionally go to these shrines to ask for favours or be granted wishes. In Cairo, the fam ؟us shrines include those o f ال غيدة نفيس ة, المب د ة رت بand ا ل ح ب ن. 2 0 .يا أ لطا ف اث: “Goodness gracious me! ”فلثيا رب ؛ إلطis often used to express astonishment, or to beseech God’s kindness and mercy. ت1• و خ ذ: introduction to an oath, such as “( و خ ذ ال نبيby the Prophet”) or “( ز خ ذ افby God”), which is equivalent to واف (“by ,God!”). دق.ي- ^ ي ال مت: a shrine and mosque in Cairo. ت3• ت هم 'وa popular district in Cairo (also known as .(ا ل وايل ي ت4• ا د ا ب: a large and popular district in Cairo. ت5* نحا ص: “labour pains” (<( نحصa), “to be in labour”) ؛also ا ال م ت6. ح ك م ه: “midwife” (ECA); MSA نول د ة,قابل ة. The word خكي م (pi . ) خ ك ن اءmeans “sage” or “doctor” (cf MSA .(طبي ب ت7مث بن ل م: see ح كاية ال قن دي ل, note No 42. 28. زبن ا نلط ف بن ا: “may our Lord show mercy on us” ؛generally
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
ا4ق
used ؛٠ express astonishment (see also above, مريافطا ف اف 29• ئفث غ اش: lit. “God opens” ؛in this context it is best translated as “better luck next 30. العا ن ة: “disability”; cf. ع ا قة. 3ا.نئ ذئن ح: dual of ت ن د. Proper name used primarily in Egypt; cf. نين، حمب. 32. دون أ ذ ق س: “without uttering” (short for نو ن ا ذ ئتب ز ب ج ) شف ة.
33• أذ ى ال ن ي خ ة: lit. “he carried out a divine duty” (pi . (ريضة ٠٢ ( محر ضlit. “something apportioned, made obligatory*) is a religious duty or obligation for which the believer will be rewarded (whereas omission leads to punishment). Performing the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, for instance, is a ز ضIslamic law distinguishes between رض عف (individual obligation such as prayer, etc) and رض كف اية (collective obligation such as ) ج ه ا د. 34ب د وة قادر م م: lit. “by the strength or power of the one who possess power” ( الق ا درis oncf of the so-called ninetynine “beautiful navies” - ا لأن م اء ا ل ح نث ى- o f God). This expression is often used to mean “(as if) by miracle”. 35. ال نئزئة: ECA < عفر ت, to behave like an ( غفري تsee س م ن وتى1كت ا ب ا, note No 4). ء و6. ا لأويقا ت: “small period o f time” ؛diminutive of ( او سpi• •) ز ك ؛ ؟ 37• ا لوي ل: “woe unto ...”; cf . الني للن ا, “woe us!”. 38. إ ل ما ذ ا؛اف: lit. “until God wishes” ؛used here in the sense of “forever”, “indefinitely”. 39. غيززان: “bamboo”“ ؛cane”; “reed”. 40. أن ل م ن غل ى: “in front of all peopl e”أ المل ءا ي م ا عة ؛. 4 ا. إ نب ا ت تغلق: lit. “it is a closed door” (i.e. “the subject is cl ؟sed”). 42. بفذ ر ال ث ن ت ه ا ل به: lit. “in an amount that is not to be belittled* (1. e. “not to be sneered at”). 43. ال ركوع: see ح ك اية القندي ل, note No 41.
N a jib M ahfuz
ل43
إل ن غ و د م هه: see ^ ^ ؛١ ح كاية, note No 4.و وه. افم ال ي ك ل م س ا آإ ل ؤت غ هأ: Cf. sura 86ق:“( قImpose not on us that which we have not the strength to hear!”). 4 ^ ^ مغ١ الرايهل ة: “divine connection”; فد ر, “destiny” (also •)بف اء ب ثخا ل ال ل م: lit. “daughter of lawfulness” (also “Miss Right”)؛ cf. ( ائن الحال لalso “Mr Right”). 4 ز ج ة مهECA “a show”, “scene”. 4 و. ث غف ت'ائ ه اء ا لأي لlit. “after the end of the appointed time”, i.e. after one’s death. JO. ا لخندثة: this is a reference to sura 112 (ا إل خ ال ص, “devotion”), which is commonly known as اخ ل م دئةbecause the word “ ( ا ش ن دThe Eternal C ne”) appears in the first line of the verse. 4 7
Hanan al-Shaykh
Born in Beirut in 1945, Hanan al-Shaykh is one o f the leading women authors in the Arab world today. She is known as a novelist, short-story writer, playwright and essayist. Raised in a conservative Muslim family from the Ra’s al-Nab’a district, she started writing at an early age, publishing essays in the daily ( ال نه ارAn-Nahar) from the age of sixteen. After completing her university education at the American College for Girls in Cairo (1963-66), she returned to Beirut to work as a journalist at the الحسن اءmagazine and then at ال نه ار. It was during her stay in Egypt that she wrote her first novel ( ائ حار زي ل ني تSuicide o f a Dead M a n ), which deals with relationships between the sexes and patriarchal control in Middle Eastern societies. It was eventually published in ول7ثه Five years later she published her second novel, فنس الغي طا ن (The Praying M antis).
In 1976, she fled from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia because of the civil war, and came to international prominence with her next novel ( ج كاية زن ر ةThe Story o fZ a h ra , 1980), which was later translated into English (1994). The novel revolves around the eponymous heroine, a young woman who tries to take advantage of the Lebanese civil war to escape oppression. Banned in most Arab countries, the book was initially published at the author’s expense, as no publisher was prepared to do so on account of
H andn al-Shaykh
ل45
its controversial subject matter. Not much later - in 1982 - alShaykh moved to London, where she still resides. In 1983, her short sto ^ The Persian Carpet, which focuses on the effects o f divorce on children, appeared in the multi-author volume entitled Arabic Short Stories (trans. /ed. ٥ . JohnsonDavies). In ول8 وshe published ( ب ن ك ال ن ذ لWomen ofSand and Myrrh), which was also translated into English (1992). Despite the fact that this novel, too, was banned in many Arab countries, ؛t was named as one o f the ‘50 Best Books o f 1992’ by Publishers Weekly. It tells the story o f four women in an unnamed Middle Eastern county and their dealings with the patriarchal society in which they live. In 1992, al-Shaykh published ( ثر ي د يهروتBeirut Blues), a collection o f ten letters written by the p^tagonist Asmahan during the Lebanese civil war to various people both dead and alive. The novel, the English translation ofwhich appeared in the same year, received a great deal o f critical acclaim in the West. In ول9 هshe published a c؟llection o f seventeen short stories entitled ( ق س ال ئ ن س غل ى الئ ط و ح/ Sweep the Sun offRooftops), the English translation ofwhich was released in 2002. The English translation o f one o f her recent novels, إثه ا ب ي. ت ( ل د ن إ مOnly in London, 2000), was shortlisted for The Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. In the novel, Hanan alShaykh explores the lives o f people caught between Eastern and Western cultures and traditions. In the 1990s, she also wrote two plays, which appeared only in English translation - Dark Tea (1995) and Paper Husband (1997). Both deal with the lives o f immigrants in London. The story “Yasmine’s Picture” is taken from ززدة ا ش غ را ء (Desert Flower), published in 1982, at the height of the civil war and after the Israeli invasion o f Lebanon. The protagonists of the story are a couple who have left their home in the war-torn southern suburbs o f Beirut and sought refuge outside the city, ^ u s displaced, they live in an eerily empty building, where the
1 46
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
male protagonist becomes obsessed with tbe absent character mentioned in the title. The sto^line focuses almost entirely on the man, who, like so many men in the author’s oeuvre, is rather weak, unable to make any decisions by himself. He married his wife because she chose him; he moved to this new flat, seeking shelter, because his sister-in-law suggested it ٤٠ him. In an attempt to escape the harsh reality o f war, he becomes fixated on the female owner of the flat in which they س staying. He builds up a picture of her in his mind based on her photographs, diaries, letters and record collection. At the same time, he completely ignores his pregnant wife ؛she is totally ٠٠ the margins of his thoughts. His escapism means he is living in an imaginary world of his own making. The story is an allege of the way in which war victims deal with the traumatic events that impinge upon them, and seek comfort wherever they can.
صورةيا س م ن
Yasmine’s Picture
ا4ة
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
Once again, he found himself in front of her picture, gazing أ م those feline e^es, her rising, tanned forehead, delicate small موء and full lips. He looked at her shiny black hair, with waywafd wisps like those of a child. He turned to his wife and asked: “Is she as beautiful as in the picture?” She replied, raising the bedcover: “I only had a glimpse ofher from a distance, when she was with Nawal.” He paused to think while his eyes moved to the bedsheets؛ even the beauty of her bedsheets was different, as they appeared to have the natural colours of the shells found in all the world*! oceans. As he was about to close the balcony door, the peaco€k feathers in the copper container stirred. He remembered once seeing his wife breaking peacock feathers in half so as to make them fit into the rubbish bin. The feathers had been a wedding present from the switchboard operator in his office at the Ministry. He had not been annoyed with his wife for not liking them. Indeed, he did not know of anyone decorating their house with peacock feathers, except in the counttyside. He had not imagined them looking so beautiful when they were spread out ؛they gave the bedroom a poetic atmosphere. He slowly took off his clothes. When he undid the buttons ٠؛ his trousers, he suddenly found himself looking at the picture on the dressing table. He lay down on the bed; his wife was sitting in front of the mirror, applying creams to her face with cotton wool. He thought of Yasmine, the woman in the picture, and imagined her sitting there instead of his wife. He wondered whether her body was as fine-boned as her face. He closed his eyes and looked at the coral clothes rack, the like of which he had never seen before, except for the black one in his grandfather’s house. The rack he was looking at had straw and canvas hats hanging on it, as well as pearl necklaces. When he felt his wife climbing into bed he asked her: “How old is she?” She thought he was dreaming. They awoke to the sound of explosions disturbing the calm
49
H anan al-Shaykh
إ
وص
ئ• تأم ل ا م حتن الث م ي هي ن
ف دم
م ' ل أ ش مه ن ي، ب ي ا ا ل ال م ع وقب ال ب ت خ ص الته كشعر
س م .م حن .رأى م ك ، ا ت د' ر1لى ن و ص
بم ءم د
ه ي جم يل ة ك ال م و ر ة ؟ » ر د ت عل ي ه و م ي ت ر غ غ ط ، ،لسرير ; مر لحت ه ا أ م ل مص بع ي د معن وال)). م ج ما ل ما ف ذ ه ا ص ، ي إ ل ال ما ش ف، ذ م • وق -ا د م ك ا ن ت أ ص دا فب ح ار ا ل ع ا م ك ب ا ،بأ ل و ا ن ال ص د ف ا ل طبيعيةم مد اؤ-رب ي ص
م
ا ب ا كر؛ة ا ^ ت ر ض الطا ووس الم شكوكة' ز إبريق ن حا ص آسر
ل ذ م أنه رأىص م ل زو
م
م ويشة
ر"مح
متست ط ع أن تد
.ئه إ
مل ة النف ايا ت ،بع د أن ق د م ه اه ل م ا ع ا م ل ا ل س راوأ م م كتب ه م ٧ ٧ ^ ١مديو زوا جه -ما .م إتض-ا يق ص زو ج لأذء ا محت به ا ،مه ه و م محر أ ح دأ يزين محته ر ش ا؛ طا وو س م ،م س مجى ن م ء ى .م
أن لكو ن بهذا الجمال
وهي مف ر و دة ا ال ن ،ت ضفي ج واش اع ري ا عل ى غ رفة الن و م. خل ع م ال س ه بب طء ،لماف ك أزرار بن طل ونه و ج دتمس ه ين ظرف جا ة إ ل
ا ل صو رة الموض وعة عل ىت وال ي ت الزدنة مم .ت د د في السرير ،زو جته خل ف المرآة تمسح و ج هه ابالق ط ن والكريما ت.ت صوري ا سم ين ،صاحبة الصورة ،تجل س م كا نه ا .فكر م ج س م ه ا إذا ك ا ن ك ال و ج ه دقيق ا لع ظا م ،أغ م ض عينيه و م ي ت مصبالمش ج ب ^ ^ ١ال ذ ي لر ير مثل ه إ ال عند بي ت ج د ه و كا ن ا م و د ا لل و ن أ ما ا لآن ف ق د عل ف ت عل يه قبعا ت م ن ال ق ش و م ن الق م ا ش ٠ ٣ ،د ص أص د ا ف الب ح ر أيضأ .لما خ عر بزو جته ت د خ ل ا ل سرير س أهل ا! ((ك م ع م ر ه ا .أأ و ظ ن ت أنهي ح ل م . ا ش ق ظ ا عل ى م و ت انف ج ا را ت -قل ق
خ و ن الف ج ر .و ج د
ى
م
150
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
of dawn. He sat up in bed, saddened and exasperated. How was it possible that the ceasefire was violated after only five days? He cleared his throat and imagined himself today, tomorrow and the day after a prisoner in this flat. He wished he had not taken the advice of his sister-in-law, Nawal, to leave their flat in Chiyah. He wished he had listened to his wife and stayed in their own house, in spite of its dangerous location and the fact that she was eight months pregnant. He would be enjoying the company of the neighbours now, playing cards or backgammon with them and, if necessary, they could take refuge in the shelter with the rest of the people. In this quiet building, however, he had never seen anyone at the entrance, not even a child playing. He had pretended more than once to be waiting for the lift without ever pressing the button in the hope of meeting one of the inhabitants of the building, so he could introduce himself to them and exchange a few words about current events and the war. Perhaps others could share their hopes or even pessimism with him, it didn’t really matter which. He just wanted to hear a voice other than that of the radio or his wife. Even the telephone was cut off. The flat was totally quiet, except for the twitter of the orange canary that started to annoy him, as its chirruping would increase every time it heard gunfire. He had not heard a single footstep in the clean entrance hall to the building. Despite the sounds of explosions, the pictures of the sea, the mirrors and the fig tree remained still. As he went up to the flat, he remembered that the last time he had talked to anyone in the building was to the guard, who was carrying his son while hurrying his wife along with insults as they got ready to leave for Akar. He’d asked the guard with some anxiety: “Who will guard the building in your absence?” He’d replied: “How can you be afraid when you have a colonel living in the building? You’re extremely lucky.” “We’re extremely lucky,” his wife said, as she opened the
H anan al-Shaykh
ل 5ل
م اد رم
م م
ر نىوضءف،
ص f
ر ق و ض الن ارمب د ن ي ئ١
نق ط-با ع ريقه ل م .مل ا ي ل م وا ل ذ دموب دء• و ه م م م ن ه ذه ال ن ئ .ض
ل و ميع م ي بن مي ح ة زو ج ة أخيه نواب ،ويغ ا درا شقتهم ا م الئ إ ح؛، لواست م ع إ ل زو ج
م
ر
ب •لالر ء م ص ^ ر ة م و س وكون نو جم
يف ،اص *اءل ال أ ض• ص الآن ز و ر ا ن ي ' ن مط نما ط*ال
ذ
س ه م ا ل و رق أ د ' ل طا ول ة و'ذ'ل زم ا ل أ م يختبئءش ا لملج أ •ع ا لجم ي ع .ي م ه ذه البن اية ال ه ا دئة مي ل م ح عند م د خل ه ا إن سا نأ ،و ال ح تى ول دأي ل عب ^ ،و د الت ظا ه ر أ م م ن مر ة بأنه ينت ظر المصع د دون أن تكب س ي ده الزر عل همم بم ا د زم أ ح دأ م ن س كا ن البن اية فيعر فه عل ى
ف ،ويتب ا د ال ن الح دي ث ز ال أ و ص
وا لر ب ،رمما ب ث ا ال خ ر فيه رو ح أا ل م ل أوال ت ئ ا ؤم ،الفر ق ،يريد أني س ع خ صوتا غير صو ت المذيا ع و صو ت زو ج ته .فها ل ا ت ف مق ط و ع .والس كينة تخي م عل ى ا ل ث ق ة ،ع دا زقزقة ال كن ا ر ا ل م^تق ا ز ،ال ت ي أ خ ذ ت تض ا يق ه لأنه كا ن يزيد م ن زقزقته ك ل م ا سم ع زخ ا ت رصاص ن .الي سم ع أية خ ط و ا ت م م د خ ل
البن اية الن ظ ي ف ،رغ م أ صو ا ت ا النف ج ا را ت يرى ل و ح ة الب ح ر والمرايا وش جرة الب ل ح ا الف ر إل سا كنة ،بمع د ال ش ق ة وه و يتذك ر أن المر ة األ
ب التي تك ل م
فيه ا مع أ ح د م البن اية ك ا ن مع حارمح ه ا ال ذ ي ك ا ن ي ح م ل ابنه و س ع ج ل
زو جته يشت م ه ا ،وه م ايستع دا ن لل ذ ه ا ب إ ل عكار ر لما و ج د شمم هي ا ل ب ارتب ا ك :رروالبن اية م نيحرمح ه ا بغي اب ك؟)) أ جا ب الحا رس؛ ررال ك و ل و ل
م
البن اية ،و خ ما ن'؟)) و ل ك •' ح ظ ك م ن ا ل م ط :رر ح ظن ا م ن ا ل م ا» ال ك
ا5ق
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
kitchen cupboards and looked at the bags of provisions, the tins of food, the crates of water, the pile o f flat bread loaves ؛٠ the fridge and several gas cylinders on the side of the balcony. “If they were so well prepared, and if their flat was so safe, why did they leave then?” Moments later, he blamed himself for thinking that all people need is food and drink. He walked around the house, going into every room. He was content with just looking ؛he opened cupboards and drawers. His wife smiled and told him: “So, what are you up to?” He answered with a lie: “I am looking for a book, a draughtboardanything to pass the time with.” She said: “When Nawal met Yasmine in Europe and told her that I was pregnant, Yasmine made her swear to make me look for babies’ clothes, maternity dresses and anything else that was useful in the flat.” She fell silent, then added: “They are, of course, happy that the flat is safe and sound, and that people like us are looking after it.” Annoyed, he replied: “Even so, isn’t it in our interest to be here, out of harm’s way and close to the university hospital, in case something happens?” She changed her mind and replied while smiling: “Yes, you’re right, you’re right.” He entered Yasmine’s son’s room and stopped in front of a wall covered with pictures of the boy, from the day he was bom until the age of three. There were pictures of him ciying while licking the baking tin of his birthday cake ؛with his forehead covered in mud ؛of her hugging him when he was only a few weeks old in front of the white lace-draped birdcage. Her hair came down to her waist, cascading like that of American Indians. Then he gasped as his attention was drawn by one of the pictures. He paused for a while in front of it. Her tanned complexion was revealed in an ankle-length sleeveless dress, which also showed her cleavage. He examined her face ؛it appeared sad, despite the yellow and red flower behind her ear. She seemed lost; the picture showed her son holding onto her
H anan al-Shaykh
53ل
زو ص و ص ء ء مخ 'ن ن المي اه وأرغفة ا لخبزبالمئ ا ت '
ص وا
ص و ز ى أ ما س
ز الث ال جة وعدة ن ا ئ ■ئز ' ■'h
ص.
س م„ ءر
ءد
'
اراذا ك ا ث وزو ج ه ا م س م دي ن حتي هذه ال در ج ة ،و ف ص ب ألذا ساف را؟)).بع د لحظ ة ال م ن ف ه كفك؛رم بأن ا ل ط عا م ا ال ش ا زف ق ط . يمش ى
م ئ بمئ رد '
ج '
م ال بي ت ،ي د خ ل ك ل الغر ف .ي كتف يبالن ظر . ،ف ع ا لخزا'س،
ا الدرءاج ،وزو جته تق و ل ل ه وهي تب م م؛ ولو " ،شوأ' صايرلل نم '؟ .زد كاذب ا« :بفت ر عل ى كتا ب ،على طا ول ة دا ما ،عل ى ف ي ،ات ل ىد م)ا.تال ت; (رلما ن و ا ل ش ا ف ت ياس مي ن
م أوروب ا و أ"خبر ته ا أي حا* ل،حل فته اياسمين
بهطن
حتى ف ش ؛' عل ى محا بص غ ار وعلىف جات ه ا اخل ل وا ت م ل ك لثي.»، س ك ت ت وأض ا فت :رر طبع أ
و
ان و
ال شق ةبع د ه ا صا غ طي م ،وناس
مثلن ا •^ ١٧٢ي حرس و ه ا))• وو ج د نفس ه ي ج يبه ا متض ايق ا• ررو ل و ،م ش ك ان م ن م صل حتن ا نك و ن ه و نبعا د عن اخل طر ،قر ا ب لمس ت شف ى الجامع ة إذا صار ماصا ر^؟)) و ج د ت ش برتتا ج ع مبت س م ة :ررأي م ع ك ح ق ،معلث ،حق))• د خ ل غ ر فة ول د ه ا ،وق ف أ ما م حائ ط م ش ك و كب صور ول د ه ا ،م ذ أن كان ع م ر ه ي وم أ ح تى الث ال ث ضن و ا ت .وه و ي ل ح س قال ب كع ك ةبما عيد مي الده
ويبكي وا ل و ح ل غ طى ج بهته .ث م صورةح ت ض ه وع م ره أسابيع أما م أ ض كف ور ،تونس ي■ ٢أييض،ث ع ره ا م ا ل صو رة و ص ل خصر ها .و م ط ص ا لهن و د ا لحمر . ن م و ج د ن ف ه ي ث ه ق لما است و قفته ط وي آل صو رة هل ا وض د ت ۴ ٨ ا ل م راء بر ونزية ،بف ت ا ن ي ك ث ف عن ذراعيه ا وأعل ى صامر ه ام ال ف تا ن و ص ل ح ت ى كاحل ه ا .تأ م ل و ج هه ا الح زين ،رغ م وردة ا ل آر ي‘
54ا
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
scarf while running, as she tried to grab hold of him. This is the most beautiful woman Tve ever seen in my life; she*s not as thin as / imagined. She really looks like a movie star. He could
not stop himself from going through her things and examining them. He was like a thirsty man chasing a drop of water. After a few days, he noticed that his preoccupation with her pictures and her virtual presence had a soothing effect while the war was raging outside. The quest for her secrets was the only thing that broke the monotony of the long tumultuous days. His wife was absorbed in her search for baby clothes in all the suitcases and nylon bags, so that she could wash them and get them ready. When she noticed her husband sitting perplexed in front of the photo albums and the thick envelopes with papers, she just said: “Don’t forget to put everything back as you found it.” He saw a picture of Yasmine as a child, wearing white underpants and sitting in a wooden chair beside fig trees. In another one, she was clad in a black university graduation gown; it was the only photograph where she was also wearing eye make-up, with her hair cut shoulder-length. And then there was the picture of her as a hippie, with flowers in her hair, heart drawings on her face, jumping high in the air. He went through her letters, one of which was from her friend Nuha, who wrote: “Dear Yasmine, اread your sentence which says: ‘Write to Zina, tell her to study hard so I can pass my exams. ’ I couldn’t stop laughing; really, you’re so wicked.” When he found a diary, his heart skipped a beat. Much to his disappointment, however, it was empty. Then he found another two diaries, in one of which she had written a single sentence: “Is it the multitude of diaries and my desire for writing that is stopping me from writing?” He closed the d ia ^ and sighed with satisfaction. He wondered: “She’s beautiful on the inside, too; she’s intelligent.
155
H anan al-Shaykh
الصفراء وال بيذية خل ف أذنه ا• كا ن ت تبدو ش اردة• ر ء م ؛ن ' ب١ شال ه ا و ظ ه ر و ه و ي ر ك ض ،وه ي تحا و ل ا لل حا ق به. ا ج م د محو ٠١شا س ء ا م مم ا ق ا ج م م ه ا ل س نا ح ال
ص ى شو
ءانه ك م مث ال ت \ذسين م ا .ميع د ي وق ف نفس ه عن ال بص ل
رأج ل ع طث-انيع د و و ر د نق ط ة مهء.بع د ٢٧ال-حظ ؛ ن الغ ا ب كا ن <رطب ص م ا ر ب م اخل ارج ،ض ن ا ي أ ن م الح د ث الو ح ي ي سجل ه ز رتا بة ا لأيا م الصا خب ة البلويلة .و كا ن .و م
منه م ك ة أيضآ م الب ح ث عن محا ب الطف ل م ك ل الش ط ،و م ي ل ل وم ا ن وت ضره ا .لما تر ى زو ج ه ا م ش د و هأ ،خ ا ردأ أ مام ا آ الن اي ل و نل ت غل ه ا ح
وايظر و ف ا لو رقية ا ل سم ي ك ة وكا ث ت كتف يبالق و ل؛ رااوءى'أ ت سja<. ، ك ل خغل ه محل ه ا)) .رأى صورياس ب ن وه ي طفل ة ،تجلس ز كلسون ا ض
على ك ر س م ن خش ب،ب جا ن ب أش جار محن وصورة ل ه ات ل س م الص ص و ل ،وق د ك ح ل ت عينيه ا لأول مر ة ش الصرر، ر و ب ال ت خر ج الجا مع ي ا لأ
وقص تشعر ه ا حتى رقبته ا -ورأى صورةل ه ا وقد بد ت م ن ا لهين ،الورود عل ى شعر ه ا .ر س ما ت الق ل و ب عل ى و ج هه ا ،تقف ز عاليا م ال ه واء .يفل ش
رس ائل ه ا ،رمحال ة م نص دي قت ه ا نهى تق و لل ه ا . ررعزيزتي ي ا ب ن ،قر أ ت جملت ك ال ت ي .تق و ل؛ (( اكتب ي لزيتة ان تدرس ل ك ي أنجح ،و م أت وق ف عن الض ح ك ،ف عال إن ك نمرة)). ورأ ى م ف كر ة ،د ق قل به .لخيبته كا ن تف ا رغة ،م ف ك ر ة أ خر ى ،واض؛ ك ب ت فيه ا جمل ة وا ح د ة ( :ره لتع د د الم ف ك ر ا ت وشع و ر ي بأف أ ه ل1ي ج،طني ال م ح ب ؟» ءل ى ك ه
أغل ق الم ف كر ة ،ت ه دب ارتيا ح وه و يفك ر« :إنه ا جميل ة ص ا ك'خل أيضأ :إنه ا ذكية ،و ش ج ه ا تختل ف :لما ذا لر يق ابل ه ا أم يه ا ل
م
م م
6و ا
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
with an unusual attitude.” Why hadn’t he met her ٠٢ somebody like her? Instead, he had allowed his wife to choose and many him. He should have known and met someone who hangs paintings like these on the walls - water colour in which the hues and translucence of the water and sky quicken one’s heart; someone who loves donkeys, and keeps a statue of a small donkey made out of white gypsum; someone who keeps a picture of a Persian cat and writes this dedication underneath: “This is Silver, one who is beautiful of hair and heart”. Who gave her this book, which had thefollow ing dedication: ٠To the one and only Yasmine
Then he got to her music collection. He started to look at the records, which ranged from Sayyid D an ish to Pink Floyd, from Abdul Muttalib to Vivaldi. He shook his head. “What strange moods she has.” Suddenly he stopped and thought: why did he assume this was her music collection? What about her husband? No, upon inspection of her husband’s papers and his engineering books scattered about, it did not seem that he had time to listen to music, never mind Arabic music. The only indication of ownership was the drawing of a jasmine flower on all the books. There was a book about the singer Asmahan, newspapers cuttings about her and a collection of poetry books by both foreign and Arab poets. Her touch was visible on everything in the house, like the bottles of coloured sand from Petra, pictures of donkeys (always newborn), wind chimes suspended from the balcony ceiling that produced soft sounds whenever there was a breeze. After going through her things, he suddenly felt tired and dozed off in the rocking chair. Suddenly, he felt someone’s presence in the room and heard Yasmine talking to him; that must be the sound of her calm voice. J-Je got up from the chair and started looking in the rooms when ء آ إfound his wife asleep. He became annoyed; his quest had gone صfor too long. Then, he woke from his sleep, and smiled as he realized that he had only been dreaming about Yasmine.
H anan al-Shaykh
57ل
ب ب اد ش ل ش خ ص ته ا ،ل ج ع ل زو جته تخت اره وتزو جه• كان م ش ك ه ذه ا م حا ت ء ز ا لخدرا ن ،ل و حا ت م ائية ،لون وخغ ا برش
مي،
ب ا ت القل ب• ٩٠مب ب ا ل حم م ،موب ع م م أل وا ل م اء فيه ا س رع م ن ضر
ل ح ار ص خ ر س ال كل س ا ألمحض• مني حف ظبص ورة ظف ا ر م و د : م<هذا ميلف ر ،الج م ل الث عر ،والقل ب)) من يق د م إل يها كت ا ب ه ويكت ب ه مزر ا إل هداء :رل؛لى
س ب ة ا ل و ح يد ة) •،وو صل 1لى مج م وعته ا ال ومت إ ،ض
ش ا ال س طوان ا ت
و د ص م د ب رو ض ” ،إ ل ا ل طثف ل و يد ،ض ي
المطلب ؟’ إ ل فتفال دى• يهز ر
؛ ارإنه ا غر ي ة الم ز اج)) فجأة ،يو ش ى :
ذ ا ذا -ذ ر ض أن ءذه مج م وعتء ا ؟• ء ا ذا ء ن زو
ج
ال .م ن أوراق وكت
ب
زو ج ه ا ال هن دمح ي ة هن ا وهن ا ك ال ت د ل أن ل دي ه ا ل و ق ت ل س م ع و؛ال آلي ا.لو سض العر بية ٠عدا أن زه ر ة االا*م م ي ن ب د ل ال ك ل م ة م رس و م ة عل ى ك ز كتا ب" ٠ى ب عن المطربة أ س م ه ا ز م أقاصي ح ن ج ر ائ د عنه ا .وكت ب خعرية من ا لأمح ن م
والعر يي• هي م ك ز شيء في هذا ال بيت• حتى ز جا جا ت الرمل ا للون من البتراء .ص ور لحمير ،دائ م أ م أشه ر ه م ا لأو ل مجموعة عيداننحاصية عل قته ا ٠
الشرفة ت د ث ا صو اتأن اع م ة ك ل م ا حر كته ان س م ة ه و اء• و ج د ش ه ح ضس ق ف ف جأءة يغف و عل ى ال ك رمحم الهزاز م ن ك ر ة ما ح د ق م أشيا ئه ا . كأنه خ عرب و ج و د ش خ ص م الغ ر فة .صم ع إ؟ ا س م ي نحت دثه ،ال بد ان مذه رنة صو ته ا ال ه ا د ئ• نه ض عن ال ك ر س ي ح ث في الغر ف .لما و ج زو ج
ن ائ م ة ،تض ايق .طا لب حثه ،و ج د نفس ه يفي ق م نن وم هتماما و ش م لأ^ ض حل م ه
ح قيقة.
158
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
The fact of continuously thinking about Yasmine made him more tense and repressed. She did not know him, but he knew her. He knew her secrets; he had read the letters she had sent ٤٠ her husband before they were married. He had touched her things, seen her perfume bottles (including the empty ones), her towels, clothes, the pressed coloured cotton in a glass jar. He had found the medicine she used for period pains. He knew every little detail about her. He saw the reflection in the mirror of himself hugging her white bathroom robe with the picture of a wild mushroom embroidered upon it. He truly knew her. He loved her. At night, he slept close to her, in her bed, feeling her tossing and turning, sensing her “fear of the explosions”, as she had put it in a letter she wrote to an American friend of hers before leaving, but never got the chance to post. Should he get her address from Nawal and write to her? Should he wait for her? ©٢ should he travel to London as soon as his wife gave birth? He sipped coffee from her cup while her yellow canary littered. He got up, and extended his fingers towards the canary, asking it if Yasmine also played with him like this. He watered her plants, secretly, as people in Beirut had stopped watering their plants. He stared at her pictures for such a long time that one night it was as if Yasmine was looking back at him. The shelling had stopped for a week. He thanked God when his wife felt labour pains at dawn that morning. He left his wife at the hospital, and returned home, completely worn out. After opening the door, he saw her standing in front of him. He saw suitcases and a coat. Before he could ask what was going on, there she was in front of him, with those large hazel eyes raised like a cat’s, the high forehead, fine nose and full lips. She held out her hand, smiling, and said: “M r...?” He did not embrace her. Instead, he found himself reaching for her hand, realizing that he did not know her.
H andn al-Shaykh
وأ ل
م كثره
ا ل وا صل زاد س توتره ،وأنبت فيه األ حاضيمم رإال
الحترفه ،ل كنهمب د م ا -فت ح أبراره ا،قرأ ر سائل ه ا لزو ب ض ز و' ت ر أش إ ،ه ا .رأ ى ز ج-ا جا ت اد ن ا م ، /
م مي ن ’°
م
ب هم^ ! ١ ، * أ نمهم ،م ال م ٣رمم
ز ذ م -رأى دوا ،ي وق ف آ ال م
بمرفه ا ب أدق تفاصيهل ا رأىنفسه ز المرآةي حتضن روب حما ،ه ا^ ,^ ١ المطرز عل يهف طربر ي .انهيعر فه ا ،انهي ح به ا . م ا ال ل ^ ٢تر .ي م م س ء ا-
ض
^ ، ٧ي خ وفه ا م ن ا النفجارا ت
ض ب .ي ر ك ما وضعته ا م رسال ة كبت ه ا لص ديق ه أميركية قب لضمر ه ا و متر يأ خ ذ عن و انه ا م نن و ا ل وي كت بل ه ا ؟ ينت ظر ه ا ؟ أم س افر إ ل ل د ن زو ج ؟
م
ظ -ضع
لصغ ر يزقزق ،ي ه ص،يم د ص ة م ك و؛ه ا ،و ك ار ئ ا أ
ف اء زرب تها ،م ا لخ م بن ي ل ه إصبع هب ا ل ه إذا ك ا ن تي ا س م ن تداعبه ه ك ذا .م رغ م ان ك ل مح ر و ت ت وقف ت عن ا ل ط ي -ك ا ن ين ظر م صو ره ا طوي ال ،لدر ج ة
أنهشعر ذا تليل ة .أنه ات ط ر ال يه أيض ا .ل ذ ل ك عند ما توق ف إ طال ق الن ار ط أسب و ع وشكر اش لأن زو ج ته أ حس ت بآ ال م ال و ض عف ج ر هذا ا ل مب ا ح .وع ا د م نه وك ا م ن ا ل ت ش ف ى وق د تركه ا ز غ ر فة العملي ا ت وأدار المفتا ح م ثئ ب الب ا ب .رآها أ مام ه .رأى حق ا ئ ب ط ر ،و معط فأ ،وقب ل أن ست ما ر ،رآم ا أ مام ه ،عين ا ه ا عسليت ا ن كر ت ا ن مرف وعت ا ن كع ين ي ق ط ة ج بهته ا عال ه ،أ م ه ا
دقي ق .خفت ا ه ا مكتنزتا ن .م د ت ي د ه ا م صاف ح ة مبت س مة :حف ر ك؟ ... ي د ي ده ي صاف ح ه ا ،و ي ك ش ف أنه ال م يعا ن ق ه ا ،و ج د نفس ه م
ث ل.
س
ل6 ه
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
Language Notes
م
ل. س كر ك: passive participle ( )ا م م النن و لof ) ف ك٧), which ٠
used here in the rare meaning of “stick together” (rather that the far more usual “to suspect”). This usage, though attested in CA, is more often used in the colloquial (LCA/SCA). 2. سثتال ر: dial. ()ل ن ك. 6 . ف خر ة الب ل ح ا الل رحني: type of palm tree with a wide trunk and short branches, which does not produce dates. 7 . غكار: district in the north of Lebanon, with a large coastal plain and high mountains to the east. In 2003, Akkar became a province, with Halba its capital. It is famous for its many Roman and Arab archaeological sites. 8 . كو ل ل: d ial.; MSA ( م ح دpi . .(عقداث و. خيب ان: dial. ; MSA . غز أ ت خ ا ئ ف؟ 10. ل ك: “hey, you!”; “©”!؛. This form is مdialectal clipping of و ال ه, و ل كand <( و الكultimately to )نل د. These are normally used as a vocative for both genders and 2nd person sg. and pi. They are used to show contempt for the addressee. Similar forms are in use in Iraqi, for instance: ( و ل كmasc. sg.), ( و ل جfem. sg., pron. w ilitch ). 11. ز لو: a particle used in Lebanese and Syrian dialects to express astonishment, surprise, disapproval or aversion. 12.شو: LCA/SCA; MSA .ما ذا ا3 صايرل ك م: LCA/SCA; MSA .جر ى ك ا4- حتى ف ض: MSA ; حتى أف ضthe first-person subject marker؛of the verb ف ن زis elided in the Lebanese and Syrian dialects 15. س و ي ن: )“ ن بمو طhappy”), MSA م(ن ر حا نين <) نز حا ن that in nearly all colloquials the standard regular plural
H anan al-Shaykh
ا6ا
ending is J)r (rather than ر نin MSA, where ؛ن- is the plural genitive/accusative form). In some dialects (e. g. Iraqi) نب ن و طalso means “punched”, “hit”! 16. ان و: SCA/LCA; MSA is .( ة<) ائت+ أ ذ ا7ع مم: progressive particle used primarily in Levantine Arabic (،^banon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine). صار ا ص ار م: LCA/SCA ؛MSA. .غف ل ما خ صل ٠٠. كن ك ة: this is the unit noun (“one cake”) ؛the collective (i.e. “cake” in gene؟al) is .كع ك ٠• *فن ص ل نممور نوس م اق ض: a particular type of birdcage, tall and narrow, usually draped with lace. It takes its name from the fact that it commonly comes in white and blue, wl؛ich are the traditional colours of houses in Tunisia. 21“ تاوعيى مWatch it” (masc. sg. ؛fem. sg. )أوعي, SCA/LCA; MSA. إد ا ك. (For its use in ECA, see .(طبلية ز ا ل س ماء ت2 ت ن بم برو ض مEgyptian composer and singer (1892-1923) generally regarded as the father of modern Arabic music. He liberated Arabic music from the old classical style, and was a؛so هmaster of new musical theatre. He composed Egypt’s national anthem, للث ح ش وئو ؛ادي،ب ال د ي،“(ب ال د يMy Country, My C ounty, M^ Love and My Heart Are for ٢٥٧ )• His songs are still as popular today as when he was alive. 23ه ا ل طل ب م popular Egyptian singer (1910-80). Among his best and most popular songs are “( ت ن أ ي ي ب تجلثليهYou Ask Me Why I Love You”) and “( ز ش ا ن جان اRan^adan Came to Us"). د4• تان م ه ا نfamous Lebanese-born female singer (1918-44). In her ear؛y teens, she, together with her brother, زي د أا لطرش- the famous lute player and singer - moved to Egypt, s^e died in a car accident caused, it is rumoured, by the war waged be^een the secret se^ices in Cairo during World War II. ت5> ط ان م: SCA/LCA (also منب ا نor بز طما نin ECA) ؛a glass jar with a lid for presercing fruit, ؛am, etc.
Muhammad Shukri
Undoubtedly one of Morocco’s most famous, if not infamous, twentieth-century literary figures, Muhammad Shukri (Mohamed Shoukri) (1935-2003) was born into a very ٢٠٠٢ family in BanI Shakir, a small village in the north of Morocco. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Tangier, which would remain the novelist’s home for the rest of his life. Literature came late to Shukr!, who remained illiterate until his early twenties. The extreme hardships of his poverty-stricken childhood a/e depicted with chilling realism in his first book, ا لخم الحا ن (Naked Bread), in which the reader accompanies the pfotagonist on his forays into crime, drug abuse and prostitution. Though written in the 1960s, its explicitness meant that that it would only be published in 1982 (in Lebanon), and it was another two decades before it became officially available in the authors native land. However, the book already enjoyed fame in the West thanks to a translation in English by the American author (and follow Tangier resident) Paul Bowles under the title For Bread Alone (1973), whereas another novelist and compatriot, Tahar Ben Jelloun published a French translation in ول8مل Interestingly enough, Bowles’s translation was not based on the Standard Arabic of the original manuscript, as the translator was not familiar with it ؛instead, the source text was Shukri’s “translation” of his book into the Moroccan dialect (in which
M u h a m m a d Shukri
ا6و
Bowles was proficient). Subsequently, the book was translated into some ten languages. Later on, Shukr! released a second volume of autobiography, غ طاء٢١ ( ز ما نThe Time o f Mistakes, 1992), which later appeared as ( الش طار,Streetwise, 2000). Shukri made his publishing debut with a short st ory, ال نت ف غل ى ال ئ أ طىء (Violence the Beach), which appeared in 1966 in a Lebanese literary journal, yet it was not until 79 ولthat his first book appeared under his own name - a collection of short stories titled ( محو ن ال زن دCrazy about Roses, 1979). Thanks to Bowles’s translation, Shukrl’s fame spread within the Western lite ra l establishment, many of whose more flamboyant members visited the author in Morocco. Some of these encounters, such as those with Bowles, Jean Genet and Tennessee Williams, were later immortalized by Shukri in his books ( جا ن ج ن ه م ولج ةJean Genet in Tangier, 1974), ينسي ولي امز ( م د أ د ةTennessee W illiam s in Tangier, 1979) and ب و لب وولز وعزل ة (Paul Bowles, the Tangier Recluse, 1996). Shukrl’s oeuvre also includes su؟h novels as ال ن و ق ال دا خلي (The Inner M arket, 1985), ( غ واية ال ئ غر ور ا لآثضThe Seduction ofthe White Sparrow , 1998), and the collection of short stories from which the present story has been extracted, ( ا ملخب ةThe Tent), which appeared in 1985 amidst the usual controversy and furore that accompanied many ofShukrl’s books. In his work, Shukri - who may be called a poet of the dispossessed — reveals a fascination with the underbelly of Moroccan society, the trials and tribulations of which he describes graphically, with great poetic force and compassion, devoid of voyeurism. The following story is by no means an exception, as we follow the nocturnal peregrinations of a young prostitute grappling with life’s deceptions.
The Night and the Sea She began t© feel as if the beach was hers atone. In the distance, an ©Id man dressed in rags limped al©ng, thr©wing pieces of bread to the seagulls. She stopped and looked at the small beach huts, most of them without doors. All the bars were closed. The little old man was leaving the beach, tossing the last crumbs from his basket to the small flock trailing in his wake, his bald head tilted to the left due to disability. Some of the birds still followed him. She took off her shoes and flung them onto the sand together with her bag. It began to rain. It was a warm rain. The raindrops soaked her hair. She let the waves lap at her feet, raised her head and closed her eyes. The raindrops trickled down into her open mouth. She loved doing that in the shower as well. She picked up her shoes and bag and continued walking barefoot, contemplating the footprints she left behind. She grew increasingly sad without, however, knowing why. She crossed ه small puddle along the long path leading across the beach. She entered the Atlas Bar, ordered a Bloody Mary and then headed for the toilets to dry her hair. In the corner of the bar a young man and his girlfriend were seated. The woman was sobbing as her boyfriend tried to reassure her, swearing blindly that “Nadia” was just a colleague from work. “So much rain these days!” said a foreigner to his friend, the English bar owner, who replied: “It’s the year of the floods in Morocco.” Widad sat on a bench and looked at the two of them without understanding a single word. She caught the eye of the foreigner, and they both smiled. The young man put a coin in the jukebox. His girlfriend stopped crying and smiled. He caressed her hair and face, and cupped her hand in his. A record began to play:
بحر اللي ل وال ان ع ت فيه ا شعور .آن الش ا ر،ء صار هل ا و ح د ه ا.مب ب دأ
ي
س يتع ر جت ر م ا لخأزالمفر و م إ ل ب ا ض توقم ن .اس م ض ن ح الفاطى ،ا ل مخ رم• أغل ه ا منزوعة أب وابه ا -اخل ان ا ت ' مقفل ة كل ه .1ضدي الق ص يتع د خ ا ر جا م ن الش ا ط ئ ،ن افض ا آ خر فت ا ت ف ه ومر ب ص ي م لصل ع مائ ل عل ى ان ح ر ا ف ع ا هته الب ر ى.بمص الطي ور م ا ز|ل م يع ه .رأس ه ا أ تبع ه .خ ل ع ت ح ذا ءه ا ور م ته م ع ح قيبت ه ا عل ى ا لرم ل• بدأ م طر د رء
الق طر ا ت رتخت ق خعر ه ا .تر ك ت ق دم يه ا تلع ق ه م ا أ ل م ة األ م وا جم ر ض و ج هه ا مغ م ضة عينيه ا .الق طر ا ت تس رب إ لف م ه ا الم نفغر .تف عل ذل كبل ذة ن ت ا لمث س آ .التق ط ت ح ذا ءه ا و ح قيبته ا و م ش ت ((سحفياتة))٣ ح ش ت كو ن ح ل ا بم ث ي ء تدرك معن ا ه م م تأمل ة آث ا ر قد ميه ا• ت ن ت ق ح زنه ا ،ل ك ن ه ال يو ح ي ه
وض و ح .عبرتبر كة ميا ه غ ال م ية م الممرا ل طوي لعبر الش اطىء .دخل ت حانة جري)) .د خل ت المرحا ضلت ج ف ف فعر ه ا المبت ل• ي ل طل س .طل ب ت ((ب ال د ب ا أ ل ا نة ش ا ب ص ح بة ش ا بة تنت ح ب م ص م ت .ي د خ ن ويشرب وت كل م ركن؛ ا خ ل اب ا ف ا ل ع ظ م أنن ا ديةليس ت إ ال ص د ق ة م ا لعمل• ب انفعا ل خ ا ن ت .يق س م ه ل ج م ي ،رفيق صا ح ب الحا نة ا إل نجل يز ي: قا ل ا أ م ا أ غزر المطر ز هذه ا لأيام ! ق ا ل صا ح ب الحا نة:— إنه ع ا م الفيض ان ا ت م المغر ب .
ى ش
جل ت وداد عل ى المقع د ا ل طوي ل وتأمل ته م ا دون أن م ه م ك الم ه م ا . تناظر ت هي واأل ج نبيف ابت س ما .
^١
^
يأهف مض ا ص م /ش ب سة ا ك ل
ب ا س م ه ا .ال غ ف شعر ه ا وو ج هه ا ئ م ا ح ت ضن ي د ه ا
ا لأس ط وانة;
س ا م‘
م بده،
66ا
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
“ Oh God\ please don't make her sufferfo r my wrongdoings
٠٠٠*
Suddenly, the door was flung open and Zubeida walked ؛٠٠ drunk. Tall, with bulging eyes, she had the kind of body that was always ready to pleasure a battalion of soldiers returning vietorious from war. She exchanged kisses with Widad. The barman placed a glass of wine and a sugar bowl in front of Zubeida. She scooped a spoonful of sugar in her glass and stirred it in. Widad thought to herself that Nabil had a similar habit of putting salt in his beer to slow down the effects of the alcohol. Zubeida said to Widad: “1 haven’t slept for more than two or three hours over the last three days.” She slipped off her shoes and stood barefoot. “1 feel sick. My head’s spinning like a top. Widad’s words froze in her throat as she thought of the men she had slept with and whom she didn’t love. She turned to look at the sea. The horizon was cloaked in mist. Night was falling. Rain buffeted the windowpanes. The bar owner and his friend were chatting. A thought like a perfumed flower blossomed in Widad’s mind, racked with sorrow about the things she had never had. She couldn’t stand an empty glass, and beckoned the barman to top it up. Lightning flashed, followed by crashing thunder. Zubeida trembled. She exchanged an enigmatic glance with Widad. Outside, the sea and the sky were raging. “1 can’t stand thunder,” said Zubeida. Suddenly a white cat appeared in the room. It sidled up to Zubeida, looking up at her affectionately, meowing. Zubeida looked at it, horrified. “Do you like it?” she asked Widad. Widad answered, surprised: “It’s only a cat.” “Not every cat is just a cat. One day, my mother was cleaning a fish and a cat came and meowed innocently around her. When she tried to shoo it away, the cat attacked her, sinking its teeth and claws in her hand. Two days later, the cat returned to
M uham m ad Shukrt
7ةا
ل ا ش ء ،أ ما ص،ف ال بد عه ا م م ق .م))٠ (ريا إل ه ي أ أن ا ا خ د ح اإل ب ذ و ة و د ف ز ي د ة س ك ر ى /ب مهن ا بقر ة.
رش
متع د أنيل ذنفرقة ص العا ئدي ن مصرين م ' ر ب .ال ر ش و ضع((الحاف» Aكأ س س ذ ,و ا ب ك ر ي ة ل زمح دة • م لأت مل ،ف ة
كأس ه ا .فكر ت وداد؛ إن ب ل أ بما يث ر ب أ حيا ن أ'ل تره ر و ج ي م م الملح ح ت ى ال يث م لبمرعة .قال ت زبيدة لو دا د :
م أحمر م ن ذث الثة أيا م أك ر م ن ماعتنن أوث ال ث ك ز بيلة . خ ل ع ت ح ذا ءه ا و وقف ت ع ا رية ا ك د م ن .
ت ا م مع ه م دو ن أ ح ال م.
ن ظر ث إ ل الب ح ر .ا لأفق غ ائ م واللي ل ينزل والمطر مب ن ع الز جاج. صا ح ب اخل انة ورفيقهيت حدث ا ن .زهر ة عاطر ة تبرع م ز خاطر وداد ا لخزينة. ص ها نت م ل كا لحي اء ال ت ي أ ح بته ا و لر نمل ك ه ا ق ط تؤلم ه ا .لر ح إن حممدته ا عل ى ا أ ف أن يملأه ا .يذ ق أعقبه رعد عني ف .انتف ضت زمحدة• ف ا رغة .أو م أ ت لل حا ي
تب ا دل تن ظر ه غ ام ضة مع وداد .الب ح ر وا ل س ماءيعنف ا ن .قال ت زبيده•
ظه رمت"ف ب أة ق ط ة يض اء
j
الق اعة .تطل ت إ لجوب دة مبت طا ف
و ماء ت .ن ظر ت إل يه ا زبيدة ي خ و ف .قال ت لو دا د :
-ه ل ترينه اقر ي ة ص القل ب؟
انده ش ت وداد: — *كز ق ط ة نس ت دسمم أ بجر د ق ط ة ،كا ن ت أ م ي تغ ل سم كا و ئ م ب<راءة حول ه . 1ح ئ ن ه ت ت أن تطر د ه ا ه ا ج م ته ا و ر ن ت
في ي د ه. 1بع د إ؛وم ي ن ع ا د ت ١
^ ز ل . ٠٠١^ ١و ج د ت أ م مبررا
و ' ب
68ا
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
the house. My mother found a pretext to punish the animal b f locking it in a small room. After a few days, we opened the door and found a ghostlike creature that could barely move, let alone walk. Its eyes were filled with madness. It was a terrifying sight “I told my mother: ‘We’re going to feed her and give ha some water. ’ She shouted: ‘No, you won’t! It will die of hunger. It’s possessed by Satan and you have to kill it! Take the animal far away from here, to a place where there’s no food. ’ “My little brother Mustafa and I put the cat into a basket and took it to a remote, desolate place, and we left her there.ا asked my brother to wait with the cat until my return, ^ e n he asked me why, I told him that I was going to find the animal something to eat and some water so that it could survive. He said: ‘I’ll tell Mummy!’ “We left the animal and went back home. My little brother was skipping along and kicking empty cans; I, however, felt quite sad for the cat, which was about to die of hunger. That night, my mother felt the convulsions of the cat. The following morning, my brother and I collected some food and drink and went in search of the cat to give it to her in case she was still alive. We couldn’t find her. I tried to convince my mother that somebody must have taken it home with them. “She said: ‘Never! You must have freed her spirit into the ghost that was strangling me the whole night.’ For years afterwards, this incident continued to haunt my mother because she never rid herself from the cat’s ghost until the day she died.” “And so you waited for the day to take revenge on cats for your mother?” “Me? Never! Animals don’t give me any pleasure anymore" Zubeida asked the barman to fill up their glasses. Widad thought about Miloud al-Farsi’s cat. He was a bachelor who shared his own food with his beautiful cat, whom he b ath ^ and who slept in his bed. When she grew old and sick and her
M uham m ad Shukri
و 6ا
ح ب ت ه ا م ح جر ةص غترة•بع د أيا م فحن ا لها . ^ ١شب ح
ب
ع؛نت ث ي ٠ن ظ ر اته ا مجن ونة ٠من ظ ر ه ا ي خ ي ن م ٠ظ ت يأ ص د م م * ممتبت ط م — ف ط ع م ه ا وتشت ر يه ا .
~ أبدأ" ست مو ت جوعأ -إنه ا مس كونة !الشي طا ن .البد أن نيتك ي ه ا ذ ه م به ابع ي دأ ح ي ث الجن د شيثأ تأكل ه .
وض عن ا ه ا ،أن ا وأخي ا ل ح ض مصط ف ى ،م سل ة و ح م ال ه ا م د أ و-ر ىى ي ف ،أرض جر د'ء -مالب ت ص أ ض أن ثنتفئرف ذدامء ا حش أعود•تا ل ل<ذا؟ قل ت اب ح ثل ه ا عن ف ي ء س ا لأك ل والما ء ع ا ه ا ت م ش .نال :س ا م د ض لأ م • تركن ا ه ا وعدن ا .ه و يقفز ويق ذ ف ا ل عل ب الف ارغة بقدميه وأنا حزئ ة على الق ط ة ال ت ي ست م و ت ج وع ا .
مت ل ك الليل ة أص يب ت أمي يتغن ج الق طة .م
ا ل صإ ح حملن ا طعام ا وما.دأ أن ا وأخ ي وذهبن ا نب ح ث عن الق ط ةل ك م تنقذه ا إذا ك ا ن ت ما زال ت ح ه .لرجن د ه ا .حا ول ت أن أ ق ع أ م بأن أ ح دا أ خذه ا
لمب ىب ه ا .ق ا ك ت ” أبدأ .ال بد أن تك و ن ق د ح ن ت رو ح ه ا ز ا لنب ح ال ذ ي يؤ ت اللي ل كل ه ي خ قن ي .ع ا ش ت أ س محن و ا تبع د ذ ل ك الحا د ث ل كن ه ا نر تتخل ص ط ص فب ح الق ط ة ح تى ما ت ت٠ “ ول ه ذات ل ح علي ك أن ت ال ي وم رغبث ا النتق ا م أل م ك م ن الق ط ط . أ ن ا ؟م أب ا ،م ا ن ي ا ن ا ت كهل ا نرتع د تف ر ح ني.يمل هل م ا ك أ ي ه م ا .تذ ك ر ت وداد ل ه ميلر د ط ب زبيدة م ن اخل ا ي أن أ الف ارس ية .ك ا ن أعز ب.ي ط ع مق طنه ا ل جميل ة مما يأكل ه ،يخت م ه ا مب مه، ف راخه .و عند ماف ا خ ت و مر ض ت وبدأ يت ساق ط شعر ه ا ا لجمي ل ن
م م
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
ل7 ه
beautiful hair began to fall out, he filled the bath with watci; grabbed her by the neck and held her down in the water until she died. The song continued: “/ was twenty years old when / wasted W J time on silly things. " He took out his diary and wrote in /’/: “ Hope is fate, assuming that there is goodwill. H ow many times have / embraced a man / hated,for the sake o fa fic k le woman we both loved. ” He looked at Widad\ lovingly. She asked: “ What are you w riting?” “ Thoughts andfeelings. The night ofpeople and my naked nights. E v il nights. Lonely nights. The nights oftw o beetles ofthe same species as / am who are fig h tin g over a dead mouse. M agian nights. The Magians used to like melancholy nights. ” He was sitting close to the window , looking at the Stan and writing. W idad was in her nightdress and lay on the edge ofthe bed, her legs touching the floor. Suddenly he fe lt a slight irrita tio n , and wrote: “It is man, not God, who causes pain. He doesn'tfeel sadsinu He is omniscient. Asforpeople, we are often in p a in because we know so little .39 He d id n ’t know anymore how to select his thoughts. He took a sip from his glass. W idadfelt like an orphan in fro n t him. He had
هء
wholefuture ahead ofhim . He w ouldftnish his university studies and graduate as a philosophy teacher. He would have another woman, while she would continue to sleep w ith men she d id n 't love.
// occurred to her to kick him out and never see him again in her fla t. However, her heart began to throb. She changed her m ind and looked at him, fille d w ith love, while he was engrossed in w ritin g down hisfeelings, many ofw hich he d id not understand. N a b il was sitting on the sand as W idad went through her usual rituals to soothe her nerves, w alking along the edge o fth e sea w ith the water flo w in g over her feet. Most o f her v ita lity re tu rn e d He continued to record his feelings and thoughts in his book w ithout looking up. He thought she was like aflo w e r w ithout a stem. Then be
M uham m ad Shukri
ل 7ا
ا لخت ا مبالماء وأس ك ه ا م ن قف ا ه اث م أغ ر قه ا ض-اغ طا ع ل هأ مصر . .. .ء
ا لأغنية تق و ل '• ١١كا ن ذ عثد و ذ عام ا ج ن م ت ت
ق ' ", ١١ .
أخرج م ذ ؤ ت ه د ك ب تيه ا•' اا ا ص ه وائ م دنآ ،و ٣ ١ض
ء
شأ .كم س م ا ت عا ش ت تيه اإن ا نآ ا /ى من أ م ز م ٠١ط ص ' .ك
سأف ي جه ا.ااا. ذذز\أق وداد .ح ب .
ألته٠٠
V^ -تك ب ؟
،^ ١١ال ض دي ش ٠^ ٧١ي د و ح ش ي ،م ه جور -ن ل خ ف ي ن من ص م -ث ق ك \د ت
م د ذ ز آ م تهم د د
م م ي • مح م س’ ا مك\ذو\ب م ذ
\ئدق ٠^ ^ ^ ١
ك\ذ ج \دس أ م ب \د\هذهدت\مق الجو م و ي ك ب ووداد ،م ب ا ب نومها، فر ا ش ور ج ال ه ا ع ق ا لأرض• ج ت اه شعويقي ل من م ط ن ة ع ق ح افة ال الض جر هكت ب ٠.؛\ oVyد\س يت مب ا الف \ذده اليتأب .ه و الي حزن لأنه ي م ف
كذشء ا فن حن ال م نتأب يواس أج دق نمف \دتيد اا. إيع ديعر ف ي ف ي ن ش \هك\ره .رش ف س ك ل .ودان ت ث م .د ي
تؤ
يت م ه م\ ن .
م قه مستقبله .س ه ي م اس تل\ لخ\م مه ويت ح ر ج قت ال ذ د ذ م .
ف له \مر ٠٠١ض ي \ز ا \د\ م \-طق \د\أ ح ر ج ال الم أحبه م٠
خ ق ز ه ا \ 0تهزدهو المو ل ذز\ه ي\د د \ف شفته ا ،ل و ب ض ا 0ذ د ه ا .ددات ش ت ز ب ثم
م ت رزبه اونط ز ت \ده.ب ح ب و م
ني ل" ج شل عق
مضرق ز ك\ده خؤامل م
ي لث و<:نخ ت ت و م .طثوس ه ا ال ك ت ة ل أ ع ه ي
ذ
ع ز ح افة اي حرو ظ اءيغ م ر ق د م يه ا. ع ا د ت \ م ج و ية .ك\د م ت م أ ؤ كزبة خو\ءزه ع ق ٠^ ١
ي م ا -.مي ه ا م ثل و د دآ ب ال ش .ثم
ز
ص• ال ق د\ ذ ن \ ب
م
،٢ش ال
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
ا7ق
wrote to himself: “A forest night w ith its owls, bats, crickets, frogs and foxes is better than a beach night. Here, everything is buried underthe sand and there is no life beneath the waves. ” It seemed to them that the sea was split: the green is close, the blue farther away. The horizonform s a string ofw hiteflow ers , screened by the mist. He picked up a handful o f sand. H is eyes were in hers, gleaming w ith desire. He closed them. H e fe lt her breath w arm ing hisface. The grip ofhis hand on the sand loosened. They hugged. Nakedness always made h im ye a rn fo r her body.
She turned her gaze towards the faces arranged in a row along the length of the bar. A lone youth was talking to a red flower he held in his hand ؛the woman sitting opposite him looked on, as he sought her advice on what to say to the flower. Widad felt she was an object of desire to all o f them. Samir looked at her, showing his jacket for sale. She imagined them taking turns raping her. The bar was filled with men. Five or six ofthe women were each drinking with more than one man. She drank her glass there, while other glasses were awaiting her somewhere else. Widad hated herself for being desired in this way. She was afraid that someone other than Nabil would love her. She reflected that in passion there was some love. Her punter was paying good money for her. He was an old married man who was kind to her. However, he did not show up tonight. N a b il had w ritten in his notebook: “I d on't understand Widad except i f she is fa r away fro m me. I feel as connected to her as / do to my own life, while distance brings out the various dimensions o f this connection; / can't even enjoy music unless it comes to me in exquisite vibrations. The natural view appears more inspiring when it is enoughfor me to look into the abyss, w hile / am overcome w ith vertigo th a tfills my head w ith hallucinations that haunt me like they do those who are treated w ith electroshocks in m ental hospitals. M y true soul stops on the other bank, a t the top o fth e lighthouse whose mad lights reveal w hatfloats on the sea. / am fe d up w ith those who are reasonable towards themselves, as well as w ith raving madmen.”
M uham m ad Shukri
و 7ل
ف اش ،وا م ح ح د ،و ال ضفدع ،أ \تحل بء اخل ا ز ء '.ان و مم ،وا لخ ق ي ء م ل ف و ف ؤ ه ذ ه ا ز م إلث م ا م ح ي
غ ت ا ال م \ ج .
بداتي م ا ج حر مش م ا م ق مسه '.ال ز ن ا لأخص م ي ب \ ،المرق د االمحق ا ل م ي ي ش ك ل حق لأ س و م د ش ضا ء ا ذكس و ه دا ل م \ ب س ه ده ء د
ء ئ ص و حم•
د
م
بد غ ة مز
ب
ب انف ا س ما ت د ب ءؤ ج م ه -زا خ ت ي د ه ال قا صة م ر ض اغ م ضه م ا .ا ح س . \زم ل .تعانن ا .ا ئ م اءيغريه دائ م ا ب د ف ء ج د ه ا.
أل ق ت ط رة عل ى ال و ج وم المحف وفة عل ى طو ل المثر ب " .ث ا ب و م د جال س إ ل المث ر ب يتك ل م *ع وردة حم راء م ي ده والمر أة أ عامه ق ا هرة- A
إيا ه ا ع م ا يق ول ه لل و ردة .أ ح م م ت وداد أنه ا م شت ه ا ة م ن ج ميع ه م .م رن إئرأ إل يه ا ع ارض ا س ؤت ه لل بيع .ت صو رته م بحا ض يتن اوب و ن عل ى اغت صا بي .اخلال4
م لأى ب ال ر جا ل• خ م س أوس ت م ن ه ن تن ا د م ك ز وا ح د ة منهن أك؛رس وا حدث تشر ب كأمح ه ا هن ا وك و ؤ س تنت ظ ر ه ا هن ا ك .وداد تكر ه نف ب ممن تك و ن م شت ه ا ة ب هذا ال ث ك ل .ت خ ش ى أني ح به ا أ ح د 'نينب ي ل.تع ت ق د أن م ال ش ه و ةبع ض ا ل ح ب .إن زب ونه ا ي دف ع هل اث م نأ .إنه س ن وم تزوج .لطيف مع ه ا ،ل ك ن ه لر يأ ت ه ذه الليل ة. و كا ن نبي ل ق د كت ب م م ذ كر ته :إنني ال أفه م وداد إ ال عند ما تكو نبع يدة عني• إن حي ا ت ي هل ا صل ة ش ه ا بنف ج ا م البع د ال ذ ي ممتزأبعا د ه ا .
ض
الموس فىال أ -ذ و ق م ن ه ا إ ال م ا ك ا ن إ ي ن ي ءل ى ف ك ل م ج ا ت أص .ة ،د ا م ا ل طبيع ي ي د و أ م إل ه ا ما
م ن ي كف ي أن أن ظر إ ل ال ه و ة ا ل م ن ةي
س
ال دوا ر ويخ ل ذهن ي ع ن ا لو سا و س الملح ة عا ي ك ماي ح د ث لل ذي ني* إ ب و ن ب ا لخد ما ت ال ك ه رب ا ئية
م ا ل م نا ط ' العقل ية .إن ن ف ي ا
س قف
ف و ق ال ضفة ا لأخ ر ى عل ى المن ا رة ال ك ا ئ ن ة .ممحب ا ح ه ا المج نون ت ؛ * أ م *دق الب ح ر .ل ق د ش م ت هؤ الء العق الء مع أ ن ف ه م والمجا نين أك ر جن ون ا•
74ا
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A Bilingual Reader
She was still sitting atone when a black Moroccan man walked in, handsome and smartly dressed. He sat down with two others at a table and started to recount how he had saved a girl from drowning on the beach. Suddenly, he said in a loud voice: “1 hate ungrateful people.” Widad could not stop herself from looking at him. He stared at her with his left eye, his mouth wide open and his tongue running along his tower lip. She thought to herself: “He’s trapped me. If only I hadn’t looked at him. I’ve never slept with a black guy.” A small child entered, holding out her hand into empty space. Widad beckoned her. She grabbed her outstretched hand. “What’s your name?” “Rahma.” “Where’s your mother?” “She’s waiting for me outside.” She gave her a coin, and gently turned her away. Widad looked at the hand as though it were a crow joyfully alighting on her shoulder. She felt it slipping down her back. This was the first time a black man had touched her. She looked at him in the darkness. He smiled at her, his eyes filled with joy. It seemed to her that nothing could satisfy him. These feelings for a man who longed for her without her having any clear desire were like a dark night to her. She remained calm. Her feelings towards him were blurred. His claws dug into her back, and then he said: “Are you happy?” She looked at him silently, as if in a daze. He appeared to her like a child that does not deserve any punishment. He kissed her on the cheek; his nose was warm, his breath h e a ^ with alcohol mixed with a strong fragrance. She had let herself go in worse places. She got up and left amidst the rapacious stares of the drunks. The black man followed her, swaggering.
M uham m ad Shukri
175
ب ضنمح ةت ج ءث ةتت تمم
ف ج أ ةق ا ل بمو ت ع اب:
ي'
~ إنني أكرم الن ا س ال ذي ن ال يخرفونب ال ج ب ل.
أنت نع ن ف ه ا من الن ظ ر إله• غ مزم اب ب 1ل مى م ت ت ب ع وداد م س‘
.-ح
ولس-انه ي؛زل ق ء ر شغ ته الس ذ ل ى الممتل ئة .فك ر ت :ل ق د أ ■j j ،؛
فخ -ليتي٢٤أن ظ ر إل يه-م لمأتجق ط*عز ني. د خل ت طفل ة ما دة يده ا م الفر اغ• أش ا ر ت ل ها وداد أن م ر ب ب أ م كت ه ا م ن ي د ه ا المم د و د ة : -ا « م
” ر ح م ة. -وأ س أ م ك ؟
ظرفيف اخل ارج• “ت؛ت ي أع ط ته اقطع ة نقدية وصرفته اب ل ط ف . كتف ه ا .أ ح س ت به ا تنزلق
رأ ت وداد
عل ى ظ ه ر ه ا .إنه أولجزن ي ي لم س ه ا .ط ر ت إل يه م غ م و ض -ايت مه ل ام عين ا هف ر حت ا ن .خي ل إل يه ا أنه ا ل نتست ط ي ع أن تشبع ه م شيء* كان هذا الش عو ر ،أ ما م ر ج ل يشتهيه ا دون رغبة م ن ه ا واض ح ة ،يشك ل ل ديه ا
م
ا لأع م ا ق .ظل ت ه ا دئة .و مش اع ر ه ان ح و ه ضب ا بية .ضغ طبر ف عل ى ظ هر*ا
ث مق ا ل: ” ه ل أن ت مسر ورة؟ ن ظ ر ت إليه دو ن أن تف و ه يث ي ء .م ر مة .بدا ل ه ا ك طف ل ال ؛ ١ ٣ ٠اي عق ا ب .قبل ه ا عل ى خ د ه ا .أنف ا ت ا لحا رة الم خ م و رة ممزو ج
تجل ت ن ف ه ا
خ مي
م أ م األ ما ك ن و ح ث ي ة .قا ت وخر ج ت و ط نفلدات
ص ة والجزن ي يتبع ه ا ز زه و• الس ك ا ر ى الم ف تر
،ص ل7 ف
Modern Arabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
'I
Language Notes
حانا ت: sg. خ آor > حا ةlit. “a place where wine ( )غنرis sold”. 2 . س ن: this is a very uncommon word meaning “bathtub". 3• خثيانة: dialectal expression (MCA, but also common in other colloquials, such as Iraqi) ؛MSA: ( حا فfem. ا ء ؛( حافية خف ا ة، 4• ركن: pi. ازكا نlit. “a corner”, “nook”, it generally denotes any semi-closed-off part of a room. 5 . ثئدئة قطع ة: (pi . “( نئ د > (قهل ع ئئدئةmoney”), ^1.“( م و دchange**, “coins”). It is s^onynious with ققنة ئئ و دor ثطعة من النه و د. 6. ؛الحا ك يthe basic meaning of this word (indef. ء؛ ( حاث “Storyteller” (< ) ح ك ى, which has undergone metaphorical extension to mean “record player” (“phonograph”). The wor<^ “ <( جرا موخ و نgramophone”) is also commonly used. 7. ن م ى: the feminine form of the adjective اء) ن ك را ن ) ن كا زى. This is the common paradigm of words of this pattern (e. g. بمال ذf . بمالpi. ك م ا ق- “lazy”), however, in MSA, there is an increasing trend towards a regular feminine, e. g. ن ك ران ه. 8. ^ ١( حا ن> ؛see above); MSA. .ن ا قي الحانة و. نبيذ: originally, this was a generic word for various intoxicating drinks, made from barley, honey, etc (which is indeed how it is still used today in Syria). In some countries (e. g. Egypt), نبيذcame to be used to mean “wine”, alongside the more usual term خنر. 10. نحو س: mediaeval Arabic historians from the Maghrib س Muslim Spain used this term to refer to both the Normans and the Scandinavian Norsemen, both of whom regularly attempted incursions into western Muslim territories. In the East, however, the term denoted the Zoroastrians. 11. ن ئ ن ب: this word can either mean “drink” (cf. نن ر و ب, ? ١٠ 1.
M u h a m m a d Shukri
177
م(نئروإ ا ت٠٢ a “drinking place” (p i. (نش ا ر ت٠٢ ن ش. 12. ن ال ى. مthe feminine form of ( م لآنpi . .(ن الء ا3 م ن ح ة م: this word is used more in the Maghrib (e ؟ ؛ecially Morocco and Tunisia) than in the East, where ن ش ف ىis m ؟re widespread. 14. ر م: also see ح كاية القندي ل, note No 59.
Idwar al-Kharrat
One of Egypt’s most famous and influential authors, Idwar al-Kharr^ (Edwar Al-Karrat) was born into a Coptic family in Alexandria in 1926. Despite taking on the role of sole breadwinner after the death of his father, a small shopkeeper, al-Kharr^ nevertheless was able to finish his law studies at Alexandria University. He began his working life as a journalist, followed by a stint in business before working as a translator and finally devoting all his time to literature, specializing in novels and short stories. Al-Kharrat made his debut in 1959 with a collection of short stories entitled ( حي طا ن عاليةH igh Walls). He was also politically involved, and during his student days he played an active part in the nationalist revolutionaty movement (as a member of a far left-wing group), for which he was imprisoned for two years (1948-50). After his first collection, which was published at the author’s expense, it took over a decade for al-Kharr^ to release his second book, another collection of short stories entitled ماع ا ت ( الكأرياءMoments o f Pride, 1972). Later he published ش اقا ت ( الع ن ق وا شبآ حSuffocations o f Passion and the M o rn in g , ل97 م(وAt the same time, he concentrated on his translations (from both English and French) and criticism. It was not until 1979 that he published his first novel, the seminal ( را ما و ا شRama and
Idw ar al-Kharrat
179
The Dragon , English trans. 2003), which met with great critical
acclaim. Many of al^Kharr^’s novels have been transjated into English: ( ثرائه ا زغنر انThe C ity ofS affron, 1989), يا ثن ا ت ا ن ك د ر ي ة (Girls o fA le xa n d ria , 1998) and ب ل و ( ح جا را تب وStones o f Bohello, 2005). Al-Kharrat’s work is rich with Egyptian cultural, social and political references, as well as autobiographical elements (e.g. the fact that many of his protagonists are Copts), couched in finely crafted prose in which the author often subverts traditional grammatical conventions. His writing often bathes in an oneiric atmosphere. From his early work (which was marked by a conscious attempt to veer away from the realist school that pervaded so much writing ofthe time) to the present day, al-Kharr^ has continued to remain in the vanguard of contemporaty Egyptian and Arabic literature, forever blazing new paths. The story included here is an excellent example of alKharr^’s prose and the atmosphere he succeeds in conjuring up so wonderfully and eloquently. The occasion is the death of an iconic Egyptian actress whose name, however, we never learn, whereas the information provided about the mysteiy lady appears to be a composite of a number of idols ofthe Egyptian screen and stage. Above all, the stoiy constitutes a journey on the part of the protagonist, to which the reader is party. It also contains some of al-Kharrat’s other typical themes such as loneliness, estrangement and alienation, not only from the world around us, but also from loved ones.
A t the Theatre “M asks are the tem ptations o ftru th .”
That night. Opera Square looked magnificent. The street lamps were aglow with white, radiant light, while the palm fronds rustled in the night breeze. The statue of Ibrahim Pasha was lit up, proudly showing off its bronze body. 1 entered alone. The marble staircase and the ancient iron gate glistened, while the red carpets muffled all sounds. I noticed that the lowest box, which directly looked out onto the stage, was still empty. My seat was comfortable and alluring. I leaned on the crimson-lined balcony railing, and said to myself: “Why aren’t they here yet? It is nearly the appointed time.” Then it was as though I had completely forgotten about them. The murmur of the voices, the movement of feet and the peaceful hubbub rose up to me from the hall, studded with turning lights. The red, plush velvet they lit up added to the impression of luxury. Then the three knocks came ؛the lights were dimmed, and the din and hum gradually died down. A man went to the front ofthe stage, in front ofthe curtain, taking short, h e a ^ steps. He had a stocky build and was holding a piece of paper in his hand. I heard my neighbour whisper in a clear voice: “Muhammad Bey Sabri, the director.” The opera director stopped in front of the microphone stand, near its large disc. It was only now that I wondered at his presence there. He said: “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with much regret that I have to announce ... I have to say ... announce ... I have some very sad news ...” The hea>^ gilt-embroidered curtain opened with a soft, audible metallic sound. However, the stage was deserted. The set was that of a
١١ا لأقنع ةض ا
ص \ ل خيذه اا
ك ا ن ب د ا ن ا لآو مه س م ل ابهي ج أ. عن ا قي د المصابي ح ال ك ه ربية ن اض ج ةب ع م ا رة بيض اء م شن ة ،وسم ض ث ا ل إب راهي م إ اخ ا م ي و م ض جضمي ا ال ط ايف يه م س ز ن س م ة ا ل م ساء ،موت مهيو ن ز ي ف م ياءم د خل ت و ح دي. ا ل م ال لر ا ل ر خ ا مية والب ا ب ا ل ح د ي د ي ع ر يق ةت ل م ع .وا ل م ج ا م ل ا ل ح مراء م تت ص األ ص و ات. ب ج د ت أن ا ل ل و ج ا ل خف ض ال ذ يي ط ن عل ى خ شبة ا ل م رح مب اش رة م ا زال ب طنة خالي ا .ك ا ن مق ع د ي ومرا و مغ ري اب ال را ح ة .اس تن د ت إ ل سي ا ج الشرفة الم ما ن يق ة ا ل ب ،وق ل ت :ررلما ذا م يأتوا؟ أوش ك الي عا د أن ي جيء))ث م ك ائني ن س ج ه م تماما •
ك ا ن ط نين ال ك ال م و ح ر كة ا لأقدام واللغ ط ال ه ا ذ ى،ي صع د إ ل م ن الق اعة المنش و رةب حب ا ت الن ور الم د ؤ رة ،وك ا ن ت ح م ر ة الق ط يف ة المكت و م ةت و حي ببذخ "الدئ ا ت الث ال ث ،خ ف ت ت ا لأض واء ومحن ط اللغ ط وا ل طنين) رويدآم
جاء إ
ل
م ق دم ة ا لخشبة ،م ن أ ما م ا ل م ا ر،
رجل
ثقي ل اخل ط و ،ض ،
م د م و ك البني ا ن ،و م ي ده ورقة• س م ع ت ج ا ر ي يه م س بمو ت واض ح* (( م حم د إ اث أ ص بر ي المدي ر ". وق ف م دي ر ال دا ر أ ما م ع م و د الميكروف و زم بقرص ه المضل ث ع ا ل م حر ،أ
ب
ا لآن فق ط إ ل أنه ك ا ن هن ا ك ،م ن ذ ال بداية .وق ا ل :س دات ي و ا ل شم• -ؤ ض ج ن ا لأسف أنع ى إل ي ك م . . .أ ن أق و ل .أعل ن .عند ي نبأ ألي م . انفت ح ت الست ا رة الثقيل ة الم ذ هب ة الت ط ريز ب م و ت خفي ف ط،ءز ا س ه وع■ ول ك ن ' ل مرح
م ٠ديكو ر غ ر فة ا ال ث ب ا ل ا لأورو.دية التقليد؛؛ة ش
182
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
traditional nineteenth-century Eur©pean reception room; it appeared dreary, with faint lights. At that moment, I saw them, all the actresses, who had lined up on the stage in a single row, with the actors behind them in a second row. The actresses’ stage clothes were thick and dignified, old-fashioned ؛they appeared to he brand new, as though they had never been worn before. The multicoloured satin - blue, green and purple, glistening, h ea^ , puffed up and riddled with pleats and embroidery - looked stiff. The men’s suits, on the other hand, had jackets, wide, flat collars that were tight around their necks and a multitude of buttons. They were all silent, solemnly standing, motionless. An expectant silence descended upon the theatre. A tall woman with powerful charisma emerged from the row of actresses. She moved towards the microphone. It was as though the director had disappeared, yet he had, in fact, only taken one step back. It occurred to me that she had that aura associated with the glory of the theatre in the Twenties, when she was the pin-up of all the students who undid the reins of the horses of her royal carriage and pulled it with their arms tied, vying with one another to tug it from her house in Fouad Street to the theatre in Emad Ed-Din Street. She was the Sarah Bernhardt of the East, the Small Eagle, Hamlet, Cleopatra, Shajrat al-Durr, Desdemona, Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, Juliet and Layla, Zubeida the Barmakid, Zizi Hanem and Layla Bint al-Fuqara’ all rolled into one - so many living fa؟ades, so many lives! I stopped, alarmed. I had let out a scream without fully realizing what I was doing. Some people from below looked up at me. Two firemen who had been standing next to the stage proceeded towards me as though they were going to stop me from making any movement. She paused for a moment. Then she said: “Ladies and gentlemen.”
Id w a r al-Kharrat
و 8ا
الماحن م ،ويبدو م و ح شأ ،خ ا ف ت ا لأض واء. ^
و عتد ئ ذ ر ض ،ض١ الممث ل و ن ،ش الص ف. ^ ١
^
ض ص ءأ وا ح د أ لمي األما م ،وخ ك .
م المب ي الت مثي ل ا ل م ائية ال ض خ م ة ا ل وق ور ،مقدي ة ا ل ط راز ،ب دو ممنيهن ت و يال قشيبة لم ب م س س ق ل ،ا ش ا تثن المل ونة ،زرق اء وخض راء و م و ف، و م نتف ش ه و مل ث ةبال ك ش ك ش ة والت و شية ،راسس خة ال ش ك ل ،و؛ ي د د ا لرءو| ل ذا ت الي اق ا ت المف ل ط ح ة ا ل ع ريضة والفت ح ا ت ال ضيقة وا لأزرار ال ك ^ر ة ك ان وا صا ت ن ،ج ا دي ن ز وقفته م ،دون ح ر كة. نزل عل ى الق ا عة كل ه ا ص م ت ال ترق ب . خ ر ج غ م ن بينه م ،طويل ة ،قوية الحض و ر /وتق د م ت إ ل الم ي ك روف ون، ف كأ ن الم دي ر ق د ا ختف ى ،مع أنه ،فق ط ،ترا ج ع خ ط و ة وا ح د ة إ ل ا ل وراء. طا ف بذهن ي أنه ا ما زا ل ت حنتف ظ بهال ة م ن مج د م سرح ا ل عشرين ا ت ،ع د ما ك ا ن ت معب و دة ا لطل بة ،فك وا ل جا م ج وزا لخي ل م ن ع ر بته ا ا ل حن ط ور ا لمالكي و ج ر وا ا ل ع ربة بأذرعه م الم ت ك ا ثف ةث مت س ا ب ق ت حش و د ه م إ ل ح م ل العربة ح م ال ،م ن بيته ا زش ا ر ع فؤاد إ ل ا ل مرح في ع م ا د ال د ي ن / ض ا رةب رن ار ا لخرق ،ا ل سر الصغير؟ ،ه ا م ل ت ،كلي وب ات را ،ش ج ر ة ال در ، دي د م ونة،بلقي س ا /مل ك ة س بأ ،ج و ي ت وليل ى ^ ،زبيدة ال رم كي ة ،زيزي ه ا م وليل ى بن ت الفق راء؛ ، ١مع أ ،ك م م ن أقن ع ة ح نة .ك م م ن ح يوا ت! و ق ث مروع ا ،كن ت ق د محر خ خ دون أن أعي تمام أ ما أفعل ،ارتفع ت بع ض ا لأن ظار إ ل م نح ن ت،ج ات ه إ ل اثن ا ن م ن شرط ة ا ل م س ،ال ض ك ا ما عل ى ج ا ني ي خ شبة
كأنما لي من عا ز م ن ا ل ح ر كة.
و ش ن صا متة ل ح ظ ة . وق ا ك :س يدات ي ،م ا دت ي.
184
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Her voice was trembling, revealing the burden weighing heavily on all the hearts. It was as if an invisible spark was spreading throughout the entire hall. After seemingly collecting her wandering thoughts with great difficulty, she continued: “Ladies and gentlemen ... It pains me to stand here in front of you in this hallowed place and announce to you the demise of a magnificent ؛lower of the theatre, a star of the art, our dazzling ... and brilliant actress ...” Her voice broke once again as she uttered the name of the deceased. As if mustering what remained of her strength, she added: “A short time ago, we lost ... despite our calling upon the most experienced doctors and raising our hands to the sky ... We immediately took her to a doctor ... but God decided otherwise ... we’ve lost her ... may God have mercy on her soul.” Then, she completely broke down in tears, the sobbing reverberating throughout the silent hall in a strange echo. Everyone in the theatre gasped unconsciously upon hearing the name. People rushed to their feet, and eve^vhere there was sobbing and crying, interspersed with the short shrill cries of women. All the lights came on, and the doors were opened. In a space next to the wings near me I saw fake Roman columns made from light wood ؛an ancient triumphal stone arch, which was actually plywood ؛splendid, green, glistening ceramic vases made out of cardboard; huge oak and cypress forests that seemed to run until the distant horizon, in which a fiery, red sun went down on a dusty panel; Louis XIV chairs piled on top of one another; black marble tables; walls of county dwellings made of short tree stumps, surrounded by elegant gardens with tulips and violets; cemeteries stretching out in Coptic churchyards; a bridge across a small ditch opposite a country coffeehouse; tall minarets and walls of mosques streaked with yellow and dark brown; imposing staircases
Id w a r al-Kharrdt
أ 8ا
ك ا ن ص و ته ا يرت ع ش ،مح ن أل بش ح نة
م ت ال قل و ب ،وكأ؛ل ا ؛ ص م
الن ا ر ض المرئ ئ ش ج و الق ا عة كل ه ا .
ث م كأنما امحت ج م ع ت نفس ه ا الم شتتةب جهب ج هيد ،وهي لق و ل. “ -م د م ،سا د ت ي ،إنه لي ح ر ص ؛ أ م أ ق ف مح ن أ ي د ي ك م ض ض
م م
ة ،ن مة الض ا د ا ط ة، الم ق د س ،أن أنع ى إل ي ك م من و ط وردة ا ل م ر ح الي انع ج مم ث ك اما ب م رمة . . .م ا ه ة. ت ك ئ ر ص و ته ا م زة أخ ر ى وم ي ت ط ق اسم ه ا• قال ت كأنه ات مت جم عآ خ ر ما م وض ع ه ا م ن تندد: -
س ق ف م ن بينن ا
ط قلي ل ،اشدعين ا ه ل ائ ط س اأ ل طب اء ،ور س ايديئ
إ ل ا ل م اء .نقلن ا ه اف و رأ م ك ف اأ ل طب اء • ٠.ل ك ن أ م ر اف نفذ ٠. .وئددن اهر ام ير ح م ه ا اش. ث م أ ج ه ش تبال ب ك اء الصري ح ال ذ ي كا نل ه ا لآن ص د ى غ ر ب م الق اعة ا ل صا م تة. ك ا ن ت الق ا عة ق د ش هق ت ،كأنما م ن غتر وعي ،عند س م ا ع ا ال س م .ا لآن ه ب الن ا س وا ضن ،انف ج ر النشي ج وال ب ك اء وصرخ ا ت ن س وية قصري ةث اقبة، أ ضيئ ت ا لأن وار ك امل ة وانفت ح ت ك زأب و ا ب اخ ل ر و ج. ن ظ ر ت ع رض ا إ ل ج ا ن ب ال ك وا ل س الق ر ب م ن ي ،ا لأع م د ة الروم ا ي آ ال تقنة الص ن ع معم و ل ة م ن ا لخش ب ا لخفيف ،أق و ا س الن صر عتيقة
س
ب الك ا ر ه' ،ف ا زا ت ه ائ ك خضراء خزفية ا ل ل م ع ا ن ،م ن ال كرتون ،غ ا؛ ا ت ا لأ ا ل مرو والب ل و ط ^ شاسع ة ح تى ا لأفق البع ي د ال ذ ي تغ ر ق فيه ش م س ٠٣
^
ا ل ح م ر ة عل ى ل و ح ة مرتبة ،ك راس ي ل و ص ا ل ر اب ع ع م م ك و م ة فوق ب ع ضأ ،ا لمو ائ د ا ل ر خ ا م ة ا
بء ،أ س وار البي و ت ا ل ري ب م ن ال ث جر
ص
ا ل م ج ذ و ذ حتي طب جن ا ي ن م و نق ةبالتي و ي ب والبنف س ج ،ا ل حن ان ا ت ا ك ^ة م ا < ا ت ال ك ا ،ص م حو ط ية ،ال ك و .تر ي *'
ع ر ص رعة ا نم خ ر ة د ا م
ص؛
ب ا لصف ر و الن ي المىت،م الف ال ح ي ،ا ه آ ا ل س ا مقة و ج د را ن ا ل ج و امع الم خ ط ط ة أ ف ا ت دا-خلثة م مم ور ا ل م ال لر ال ض خ م ة ا ل ع ريضة ال د و را ت ت صع د إ ل ف ر
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
186
with wide banisters rising towards balconies, their ironwork railings inlaid with bunches of flowers ؛the square in front of Cairo Central Station ؛ancient statues with broken noses; wooden platforms and estrades ؛gas lanterns perpetually lit in streets glistening with rain ؛large pulleys with thickly knotted ropes ؛towering stepladders; and thick, dangerously dangling cables. All this paraphernalia was dimly lit by yellow lights, which went out and then faintly appeared again in the narrow passageways. The wind suddenly rushed along the painted cloth and cardboard, gently shaking the pillars, forests and edifices, softly stirring the fabric. The smell of the dust in the wings rose to my nostrils. She was standing there, alone. She was staring at me, as though she did not see me. 1 knew she was dead, and that my love would not die. There was nobody who saw her there, nobody who heard my cries. Did 1 call her? It was as though the shadow of a smile was engraved on her lips. I knew that she would be in great pain, not of her doing and not for herself, but for me, or perhaps for all of us. I said: “What caused you this pain?” She said: “Nothing, perhaps a burning desire, just like that. Until I say so.” I said: “Why the pain?” She said: “An unresolved crisis in the soul has consumed me with grief and sorrow ... pride stood between the two of us —is it because I was only ftee here?” I said: “Is there no other salvation ...?” She said: “To refrain completely from seeing each other.” I said: “Should anyone be required to carry this hea^ burden?”
She said: “This is a deserted place. There is no one here.” I said: “Neither a procession of celebrants, nor three Maries?”
Id w a r al-Kharrdt
187
ترت ي عل يه خ م ي ال ز م و ر ،فن اء محطثة ب ح دي د م شغو ل م
م،ق ا ة ع ر و ج و ب م ب و رة ف و ا ض إلغ از
سئة ب دا
س ر ،وى،ر ل
٠
المن،ن ا ت
مش و ا ر ع ملل ةب المطر ،ب ك ر ا ت
من_مإل
م ة الب ل و سال ؛) ^، ^١ش ا هق ة وك اب ال ت م ت دلية و سم ك ة ض ؛ إأخلطرإ م م مد وا لأنوار اك ف را ،تت خ اي ل بتن ه ذه ا ل رك ا م ا ت ،
تجو و ض ر ض ض
ج د ي د م ممر ا ت ضيقة -يه ب ال ه واءف ج أ ة عل ى الق ما ش ر م و م و مر ق الم ي ؤ ى فتهتز ا لأع م د ة والغ اي ا ت والبن اي ا ت ي خق ة وبترق ر قن ب هز ص د ن إ ل رائ ح ةت ر ا ب ال ك وا ل ص• وهي ،و ح د ه ا ،واقفةهن ا ك. ي راف . ت ت ذ ق ق و ك أ ن ه ا ال - كا ن ح أع ر ف أنه ا ع ي ة ،وأن ح ش اليمو ت. م ي ك ن أ ح د يراه ا هن ا ك .م ي م ع أ ح د صر خت ي ٠ه لن ا دي ه ا ؟ وكأنما ا ر ت م عل ى ق ف ت ي ه ا ظ ل اب م ا م ة . وع ر ف ت أنه ا ق ا م ألم أ ع م ي ق أ الب ر ،ت.
ال
ل ف ه ا،
ل لى ،ورمما
ن كلن ا.
ق ل ت :ما ال ذ ي يدع و إلي ك ه ذا اأ ل ل؛؟ ق ال ت :ال ف ي ء .رمما نزعة ح ا رقة ،ه ك ذا ،إ ل أن أقو ل.
قل ت :لما ذا ا ل أم؟ قال ت :أزع ة معق و دة ز ال نفس .ترع ضي .ال ك رياء تحوجل ب نها ومح ي ،ض لأن ح ر يتي ا ل و ح ي د ة هن ا ؟ ق ل ت :أ ما ع ن خ ال ص آ خ ر .؟
ق ال ت :س ا ع ك ا م ل لل و صا ل ق ل ت :أ حت م أن ين و،ب ا ل وا ح د ك ل هذا الثق ل ؟ ق ا ل ت :ه ذه م ا ح ة م و ح شة .لي س فيه ا أ ح د . قل ت:
و ال
م و ك ب المحتفل ين .،و ال المريما ت الث ال ث " ؟
188
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
She said: “And torturing soldiers with swords or spears.” I said: “This is not because of you, but because of them.” She said. “They’re not there.” Then she said: “Also because of you. Did you know this? I said: “This burden I carry inside of me is deep-rooted, as am I. Is there no path to take?” She said: “It is as if I haven’t spoken. Nobody’s heard me. It’s as if eve^thing I’ve done doesn’t exist.” Then she said: “They don’t want what I give them. I give them my desires, my exclamations of joy, my cries of love and torments, and fragments of the soul. Nobody pays attention to me. They don’t want to ... they don’t want to.” I then said: “One is the same as all. I, for one, hear you, my love. Me, I want you. Even if there’s only one.” She said: “Still, the plain of Golgotha is deserted. Lonely.” I said: “Masks are the temptations of truth.” She said: “My tears are for you; you who don’t see.” I said to myself: “The light is totally dark. O f course, What were you waiting for?” She told me: “My mother’s village in Sharqiyya province was razed to the ground, as ifit was a dark ominous cloud h e a ^ with harmful rain. When it actually rained, its roads changed into deep rivulets of clay, the cattle leaving deep, successive grooves in the soaked soil. I would say to her: ‘You’ll get electricity from the dam, television, porno videos, chickens from the co-op and subsidised bread at \o p ia s tre s '” She said: “Their lives revolved around the daily rituals: sleeping on the oven during winter, and on the bench perched against the outside wall in summer. Friday night was the time for lovemaking and recreation, whereas other nights were spent in the mercy of God. The rest of the time was spent chopping away at the soil with the hoe and plough; praying at the mosque ؛smoking the gooza\ chatting at the coffeehouse and gossiping about whoever came and went ؛writing petitions
و 8ا
Id w d r al-Kharrat
ق ال تت و ال جن و د التع ذي ب ،ب السي و ف وا ل ر ما ح. قل ت :ل ص ص أ ج ل ك• ل سأ '؛ءهل م• ق ا ل ت :لي س وا هن ا ك. ن مق ا ل ت :و م ن أ ج ل ك أيضأ .فه ل ع ر ف ت ؟ قل ت؛ مرمحر ح م ل ه ذه ا لأثق ا ل م دا خل ي ،أن ا أيضأ .وم 1من ر ش قال ت؛ وكأنن ي م أق ل .ال أ ح د سمع ني .ك ل مافعل ت كأنه م ي ك ن،
تم قال ت؛ ال يريدون م ما أعطيه لهم -أقدم لهم أخواقي و م ، صي ح ا ت ح ب وعذاب ا ت ،ج ذا ذا ت ا ل ر وح -ما م ن أ ح دم ب ص .الي ر يدون ال يريدون. قل ت أن ا؛ وا حت ص ال ك ل .أ م م ع ك أن اي ا ح بيبتي .أريدك أن ا .و ل و وا -ءد ش ط. ق ال ت :ما زا ل ت س ا ح ة ا ل حل حثة م و ح شة .و ح ي دة. قل ت :ا لأش ع ة غ واي ا ت نقي م ة . قال ت :د م و عي ل ك م .أنتي ال ترون. قل ت ل غ م ي :ا ل ور ظ ل م ة ك امل ة .ط ع ا .ما ذا مت ت ت ط ر ؟ س اب
ق ال ت ل :ك ا ن ت قرية أمي ز ال شرقية م رم تة عل ى أرض كأنه ا
عربن ع ن ذ رب الم ط ر ا ل وي ل .وعند ماتمطر الدني اف ع لآتت ح و ل طرق اته ا إ ل أو حال ع م يق ة ال ش ،روتت ك ال به ائ م حف ر أ غ ائ ر ة تال ية م ا لأرض ا ل م ع ج ونة بملل• س و ف أقول؛ شأت ي ه ل م ك ه رب اء ال د ،والتل يفزيون ، ٢وأف ال م ا ل و ر م م ا ل أيدم ،وف ر ا خ ا ل ج م عية ،وا ل ع ي ش الم د ع و مأب و عث ر ق ر و ش'أ. قال ت :ا ل طق و س ال يومية ك ا ن ت محور حي ا ته م .الن و م عل ى الف ر ن شت اء وءإى ا ل م ع طبة ٢٢صيف ا ،عف ا ج ع ة الن و ان ليل ة ا ل ج م ع ة ا كر جة" آأ وك ل ل ه " م ى عند فزج اس ،آ ،عن ا ق ا لأرضبال فأ س والمحر ا ث ،ا ل ص ال ة jاي ا مع ،ا و ط ن ا ف ك ع ال ق ه و ة وث فف ر وة ا ل راي ح والجا ي ،كي ابة العرض
م
حة
إء ال
وال شكو ى ا خل ل من ا أل س ،أكل ة البث او^^بال ز *’ و ا ض ض م م م •
190
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
and anonymous complaints. The food consisted o f p itta bread, fermented cheese and sow-thistle every day, added with meat for religious festivals. And then there were the visits to the shrines of saints for baraka , requests for intercession from Imam Shaft‘؛, Sayyida Zeinab and every member of the Batniyya court for the Prophet’s blessing, noughts and crosses and quarterstaff fencing, ancient rituals going back until the beginnings of time, taken to heart without thinking, without formality.” Then she said: “Daily ugliness is a mask; it’s deep and contains primal poetry.” I said: “There is nothing that can forgive ugliness, illness and oppression - or poetry, for that matter.” “What has happened to us, and to them? Egypt stinks with the rotting smell of oil and money from the Gulf, with that of our dead. Bring the shovel and the mattock. They fell victim to the attack of electronics. Yet, they continued to say: ‘God gives unto those who are calm, righteous and sound asleep, unaware of what is going on’.” The big projector emitted its glowing light, which was reflected on the stage and shone through the curtains of the wings, leaving wide, deep-black shadows on the ground resembling thick, iron bars. The bright ray of light blinded the view into the darkness of the wings. The centre of the beam shone on her. She appeared small but tender-skinned, her plump, liquid limbs in the middle of the stage, her face radiant with bliss. Her voice and gestures revealed this freedom, this flaunting, the fact that she’d given herself to the audience, voluntarily and unstintingly. It was as though she had originally not put on those clothes that skilfully and deceitfully hung from her moving body, which made it seem as though she was returning to original innocence and no longer needed covering or nakedness like the wild bodies that looked around to ambush her, true to their nature.
Id w d r al-Kharrat
1و1
و ا ل ز ن أ ^ -م ' م م و ا أل ء إ د ،ز إ ر ة م س ع ,وا ل م ك ا ص ب م ي ن وأ و لءاف ,ا ب ا نما ض وطل ب الشف اعة ص ا إل ما م الش افعي ••’ و ي ة ر أعض اء ا ل م ح ك م ة الب ا طنية
بي ر كة ا ل ر م و ل ،ا ل سي ج ة والث مح ئيمبي ئ و م
ع ر ينة مت ح د رة ص غ وببع ي د ،م أ خ و ذ ة إ ل الق ل ب دون ت ف ك م ،
و ز
ش كل ية. ن م ق ال ت :والق ح الي وم ي ن ا ع • وقيه ف عر أو ل و ع م ق . قل ت ؛ ما م ن شيء يغف ر الق ح والمر ض وا ل ظ ل م• و ال الث ر .
وم و ف أق و ل :ما ذا ح د ث لن ا ،وه ل م ؟ غ ن ت م صر رائ ح ة ١ وف ل و س اخللي ج .خ ن ت يوت ان ا ،ه ا ت ا ل ر ص والمع ول•
شل وا
^
ل سمم
ا اللريك تون ا ت .ل ك ن ه مي ظل و ن يق و ل و ن :يرزق ال ه ا ج ع والن ا م وال ا ي م ٣٣ع ر ص ما خ ودانه */ ك ا ن ت البرو جكت و را ت ال ض خ م ةتل ق ي بأ ص واته ا السا ط ع ة فتنع ك س من ث س ا ل جانبيةتل ق ي خ طو ط أ عل ى خ شبة المسرح وتنف ذ م ن ي ن أمحت ار ال ك وال ع ريضة حال ك ة ا ل س و ا د كأنه ا قضب ا ن ح دي دي ة غلي ظ ة ن ائ م ة عل ى ا لأرفن، وخ ط و ط أن ا ص ع ة الن ور ت غث ى البصر م ا ل عت م ة ا ل جا نبية .وك ا ن ت البق ع ة الدائرثة ا ل رئيسس ة م ن الن ور تنحست عل يه ا٠ تبد و صغي ر ة ال ق د ر ل ك ز ب ئ ة ،مليئة ،سيال ة ا ل جو ار ح م وسط مم ا ح ة المبرح ،و ج هه ا م شرق وصع يد. م ص و ته ا وي اءاته ا ه ذه ا ل ح رية ،هذا ال تب ذ ل ،ع طاء ا ل ح س د للج م ه ور
و ن ه ا ال ت أ ت د ي ،أ م لأ،ت ل ك ا لم ال س المق ط و عة ا لم س دل ة .مم ك ر و ح ذ ق عل ى
ج م ه ا ا د ،ءت ك ال ذ ي ي د و كأنهي عو د إ لب راءة ح س ية بدا وة ءإ م ؛*د
ب ح ا ج ة إ ل غ طاء أو ع راء عث ل اأ ل ج ا م ا ل و ح شية تجو س وت ر ض ا ل طبيعي م عنصره ا ال فن ي.
19 2
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
I asked: “Which is one of them is a mask? ...Is not the truth hidden behind a mask? What does the mirror say?” Who said that whatever comes out of a deep-rooted natural disposition is nothing but a mask? Who said that she would not go, here and there, or anywhere her passion took her? She told me: “He wanted me to belong to him, in the bedroom, as I belonged to all of you on the stage. That was impossible, entirely. What could I do?” I asked her: “Who are you?” He was waiting for her by the door, pale-faced, ang^. He had a chiselled )aw and a thick, Stalin-like moustache. She began to run towards him from the door. He was waiting for her, a grim look on his face. They both got into an old Volkswagen with a broken bumper. The car disappeared around the corner of Abu‘l-Ala Bridge. All that remained was complete emptiness. The dream had suddenly left me. There was nothing left, not even a single image. Yet, a strange feeling emanated from the darkness.
Id w a r al-Kharrdt
و ول
قال ت :أيه م ا القن ا ع ؟ قل ت :ألي س الح ق ك ا م نأ م القن ا ع ؟ ما ذا تق و ل
ر آة؟
ص -ف و ل إن ه ذه ال ت يتطل ق عن سجية ع م يق ة فيهال ض إآل ]pt j؟ يق و ل إنه امالت ن ي .هن ا وا لآن ،ح قأ ،عل ى ئت ه و ا ه ا . ق ا ل تيفل ك ا ن ي ريد ز أن أكون ل ه ،ي غ ر فة الن و م ،ك م Iأنم ،ثك م ج مي ئ، عل ى خ شبة ا ل م رح .ذ ك ست حي ل .تماما .ما ذاب ا ظ ا عتي أن أف ل ؟ ق ل ته ل ا :س أ ث ؟ ك ا ن يتت ظ ر ه ا عل ى الب ا ب ،ش ا ح ب ا ل و ج ه ،غض و بأ ،ل ه ف ق مض لع وخ ار ب كثي ف عل ى طر يق ة ست ا ي ن .وان طل ق ت نجر ي إل يه م ن عل ى الب ا ب ،ك ا ن
Jfa-.I
فر ف إل يه ا بعب و س ،د خ ل مع ه ا ا ل ع ر بة ال م ن ك س ؤ ا ج ن المقدي ة ذا ت ا لر الم ك س ور .م ض ت السي ا رة إ لن ا حية ك وب ر يأب و ا ل ع ال. ت و اه ،ي س فيه و ال ك ا ن اخ ل واء ك ا م لأ .ا ل ح ل م ق د أف ر غف ج أة م ن ك ز مح
ص و رة وا ح د ة .ب ل ظ ال م ي ه ت فيه ه واء غ ري ب .
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
194
Language Notes
1. ( ت غ ( ا ف ز حECA ؛a contracted form of the preposition مع ل ى 2 . ا لأوب را م دا ن: square in Central Cairo, near the former ^pera house that burned down in 1988 (the same year that the new opera house was opened on Gezira Island in الؤكز ا لأق ايف الق و مي- ،،The National Cultural Centre”). The old Opera House was built by ان م اعي لب اش ا, who also h ire d Giuseppe Verdi to write an opera —A id a —to inaugurate the building. 3. إب راهي م ب اش ا: Ibrahim Pasha (1789-1848), the son of the founder of modern Egypt, ( مح ئ د عل يب اش اMuhammad *All, d. 1849), took over from his father when the latter, after ه reign that lasted for half a century, became medically unfit to rule. Unfortunately, Ibrahim died a few months into his own reign. He was succeeded by one of Muhammad ‘All’s grandsons, ‘Abbas HilmI (1813-54). The equestrian statue of Ibrahim Pasha at Opera Square was erected in 1872 and is the work of the French sculptor Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier. 4. ب ك: (ECA) despite its spelling in Arabic, this word is commonly pronounced bey (the colloquial pronunciation being reflected in the alternative spelling )بيه. Originally ه Turkish honorary title for high-ranking officials, today it is often used in Egypt as a term of address indicating respect, flatteiy or sarcasm. In other countries (e. g. Syria, Lebanon and Iraq), the form بي كis^the most common form. 5 . ال يكروفون: MSA ن ك ذ ال غ ز ت. 6. ن ث ف ش ة: (ECA) it is used here in the sense o f “fluffed out* (< ث(ا ظ زthe MSA ا ث ن زdenotes “puffed up”, “ruffled (feathers, hair)”. 7 . ا ل حئ ط ور: (pi. ) غ ا ح الa horse-drawn cab, also referred to as a caleche.
Id w a r al-K harrat
ل9 5
8 . ؟ م ا د ال ش: a major thoroughfare, which runs from 26th of July Street to Bab El Hadid Square (near Cairo’s Central Station). It was famous for its cabarets. و. را ش ت ال ن غ م: lit. “the little eagle”. A reference to the play L 'A ig lo n (1905) by the French author Edmond Rostan, and translated into Arabic by غزيز عندand ال ئ ئ د فذ ر يIt was also one of the first successes o f the Egyptian actress ف ا ط م ة 96-1908) )ن ن د يIn it, she played the same part that Sarah Bernhardt had made her own on the Faris stage, which earned her the sobriquet “the Egyptian Sarah Bernhardt”. 10. ف ي ن ة ال ذ ر: the only female sultan of Egypt (May-July 1250). Renowned for her beauty, Shajrat al-Durr (d. 1259) was a Circassian (or Turkoman) slave purchased by Sultan صال ح أثو ب. She gained mythical status through her organization of the Egyptian army to deter the invading French troops led by Louis IX (Saint-Louis) while she acted as regent in the absence o f the sultan. Her remains are kept in the mosque that bears her name. 11. بلقي س: this is the name by which the Q^ieen of Sheba (of Biblical fame) is usually known in the Arab tradition. 12. لتلى: the female protagonist in the legendai^ ill-fated love affair with the pre-Islamic (J a h iliy y a ) poet قي س بن المل ؤ ح, also known as “( محن و نmad”). The story goes that Qays and Layla fell madly in love with one another, but could not marry as her father had promised her to another man. Upon hearing this news, Qays lost his mind, and began to wander the desert, living among the animals. It is, allegedly, during his more lucid moments that he composed the verses that are some of the most famous love poetry in Arabic. وا. زئئدة ا و ن ي: a reference to the wife (and queen-consort) of the famous ‘Abbasid caliph, ( ه ازون ا إل شيدd. 809). The adjective ر م كث ةrefers to her relation to the ن را م ك ة (Barmakids), a Fersian family of ministers in the ‘Abbasid caliphate (a dynasty that ruled ٢٢٥٨١ 750-1258 and takes
6ول
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
its name from its founder, القي ا س بن عبد القل ب بن ه اش م, the Prophet’s unci .(؟ إ4ليل ى ي ت الئث راء م: famous Egyptian film ( ول4 آ) لdirected by أ ز ر ز ي د ي, who also played one of the leads (alongside the hugely famous actress and singer لئل ى ن ر اد, to whom he was also married for a while). أا. ب ال م ا ش ا لأ: ECA (< Fr. plagage)\ MSA: .غ ن ب ن ف ئ ح ا6. ( ;الب ل و طECA) MSA: سندي ا ن. i y. ال ك وث ر ي: ECA (< Tu. kopru)\ MSA: ( ج ح رpi . .(ي ن ور 8 ا. ECA pi. of <(ب ر اتك اب لFr. praticable). MSA .منص ة الم زمما ت ا م ح ة م وا: according to the Gospels, the Three Maries (i.e. Holy Women) discovered Christ’s empty tomb after the Resurrection. Except for Mary Magdalene, the identities of the women have never been ascertained. 20. التليفزي و ن: reflects the usual colloquial pronunciation both in Egypt and in most other Arab countries; MSA تكز؛ و ن ٠٢ ( ا ل شأشة الرئ تةlit. “the small screen”), by contrast with “( ال غ ا شة ال كبيرةthe big screen”), which refers to the cinema. 21. أب و غث ر فؤوس: expression denoting possession: cf. أب و نق ا رة, “the one who wears glasses” (lit. “the father of glasses”). 22. الم ن طبة: (pi . ش ا ط بor ) ن ما ط بthis word can also denote a type of ancient Egyptian stone tomb (mastaba). 23. ثل ة ا لخن ع ة المئئر ج ة: lit. “Friday night, the night o f r This highlights, of course, the special status Friday enjoys in Muslim culture. 24. ز ج اف: lit. “God grants relief’. This is an expression of reassurance, the implication being that God will make eve^thing alright. 2أ. > ا م ص حال: (ECA > Tu. arz\hal)\ MSA: إ ل م ا سor ( ع ريضةpi. •)ع ر ا ض 26. البئ ا و: (ECA) bread made from sorghum () درة ع وي ح ة. 27• الم ز: (ECA) seasoned lumps o f fermented cheese in a thick
Id w a r al-Kharrat
? ول
liquid. د8. ال وال د: sg. ( مول دlit. “birthplace” ٠٢ “birthday”) ؛in Egypt, it denotes a popular religious festival celebrated on the birthday of a religious figure, usually near the shrine ox place with which that figure is associated. Cf. <الم ؤل د المحو ذ, the Pr ؟phet’s birthday. ود.القديس تن وأولي اء اف: both (sg. قدي سand sg. 3 )ل ىmean “saints”؛ the former refers to Christian saints, whereas the latter is resereed for Muslim saints. 3°• ا إل ما م الش اذص: famous legist (d. 8)هق, and founder of a religious “school” (m adhhab ). 31• ت'لمن ب ةgranddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and daughter of ‘All b. Abu ة آ1( ظ؛the fourth of the so-called ‘Rightly Guided’ caliphs). Sayyida Zeinab is the Patron Saint of Cairo. She has also given her name to a large working-class area (around the homonymous mosque). 3ا ال طن؛ه مت: the name of a working-class district (between the Citadel and al-Azhar mosque), which used to be known as هcentre for the hashish trade. 33. ت ا ال ي مthis form reflects ECA pronunciation (and, indeed, that in many other dialect ؟ofthe^MSA ن ائ م. 34 • ؛ودانهECA plural of ;ودنMSA: ا ذنpi . اذان.
Salwa Bakr
Salwa Bakr (b. وا4 روis one of the most distinguished female Egyptian authors and is known as a novelist, short-stoty writer and playwright. In 1972 she graduated from Ayn Shams University in Cairo, where she studied Economics and Business Management. Afterwards, she also studied for a degree in Theatre C riticism .
After working as a civil secant (ل974- 8) م, she became a respected film and theatre critic as well as working as a journalist. In وا8 وshe became a full-time author, and to date she has published seven collections of short stories, seven novels and a play. Her works have been translated into various languages. Among her short story collections a؟e زدت ا ت م ■^زة ( ا ل ر صZ in a t at the President's F u n e ral, ول86(; عن ا إل و ح التي ن رفئ م { تدري جي اO f the Sou l w hich is G ra d u a lly Stolen , ول8 ;)وand ع ج ان ( الف ال ح ةThe Peasant Women's Dough , 1992). The major themes in Bakr’s work are her preoccupation with the plight of the poor and downtrodden in Egyptian society, especially women, who not only are subjected to social and political injustice but also suffer cruelty inflicted upon them by men. To endure this harsh world, women must be strong and learn to become survivors; by empowering themselves, they are able to subvert their men’s so-called strength and break the circle of dominance and subjugation. In many of Bakr’s stories,
Salw a B akr
و ول
the male characters tend to be weak in comparison with the women. Bakr’s most recent work is the novel ( ن وابي ال زق تWaterwheels o f Time, ت0 ) وه, in which the author investigates the changes in an individual’s life as a result of political, social and economic changes. In the following story, taken from the collection (ق0) وه that bears the same name, the word “( ئ ن ورhair”) is used as a metaphor, with the hair connecting the two women at once inseparable and weak. The bond that exists between the two leading female characters is vividly described as being as strong as an umbilical cord, and yet as weak as a spider’s web. On the surface, the story deals with the urban life of two women who seemingly lead a humdrum existence on the margins of the society, with very few distractions. In fact, they represent two different generations with different pasts, values and expectations. The older character is fulfilled, living in a past she cherishes, adamantly refusing a new life in the West with her sons. She is content with what she has, clinging to her heritage and past through her “ancestral” hair, photos and belongings. The younger woman, for her part, has no past to cherish or lean on. She lives with the uncertainties of life, burdened with the responsibilities of caring for a disabled child, in constant fear of the unknown. The story is also about interpersonal relationships with others. While on the surface the reader obsei^es a conventional, rather superficial relationship in which the two women seemingly only have the narghile in common, the story also addresses the issue o f single mothers in Muslim society, complicated in this case by the fact that the child is disabled. One may also adumbrate a contrast in language registers, with an elevated vocabula^f and formal Arabic prose juxtaposed with colloquial Egyptian.
Ancestral H air Sometimes she seemed to me to he a weird genie who hung her braid from on high for me to climb to the summit of her tower. 1 then lost myself in her maze as though caught in the invisible thread of a spider’s web. What else could have tied me to this sixty-year-old woman with her six teeth? She could barely read a newspaper, and moved with the grace of a turtle. لsometimes blame time, that wretched thief that seizes the days of our lives and mercilessly denies us the opportunity to reflect upon ourselves, or others. Other times, I blame the savage geography of this ageing city we are destined to live in, for casting us onto one of its growing protruberances, like a fungus on its old, flabby body. It occurred to me that what tied us together was my exclusion from society as a divorce confined by a twenty-four-year-old son with Down’s Syndrome who had a wild body but the mind and innocence of a nine-year-old child. As far as she was concerned, her vision became clearer with age. Her two sons had emigrated to the New World some time ago, and she had tried to give in to their wishes and live with them, but in the end she had preferred to return to her old world, to life in Cairo, and whatever was there. I would always spend my free evenings with her. My mornings did not start until I crossed the ten steps separating her door from mine, so that I could ask her before leaving the building: “I am off to work now. Do you need anything?” Was it perhaps the narghile that tied me to her? I had grown addicted to smoking it with her, despite the fact that I had never even smoked cigarettes before. We would place the narghile between us on our balcony at sunset, with the man-child sitting in front of us. We would exchange puffs, causing bubbles in the water that punctuated the topics of conversation, amputated
ش عورا ا لأس ال ف ف ضفيرتهم م ن ش ا ء ق ،ل أ -ض أ حيا نأ ،تب د و ل ك ح ت أ م مست حيل ة ،ت د ي
صا عدة إ ل عليا،ق لخه ا ،فأغ ب م متا ه اته ا وقد ربط ت بمحل < ي، س ج ما ن ك و ت ،وإ ال* ،ما
ير؛ طني •لهذه ا لعجوز ذات ا لأسنمن
ا ل م ح ،،و ا ل ب ن ال ج ن،تطال ع الجر ي دةبال كا د وتت حر كيرخ ا ئ محلمحف.ام أق و ل مر ا ت :إنه الز ما ن ا ل م ر اق المغتص ب لأئ امن ا ،ف ال ير ح ط ي ف ئ فيه ا أ ش ط ،و ك ذا ا لآخر ين• مر ا ت أ خر ى ،أدي ن ا ب غرافيا الم تو حشةل هذم الم دين ة ال ن ائ ح ة'' ال ت ي قدرعلين ا الع ي ش فيه ا ،فلف ظتن ا إ ل نت وء م ن م ء ص
الن ا مية كف طر عل ى
ج د ه ا المرت ه ل ال ق دت م.
أه ح س :إن ما بيني وبينه ا ه و امحتبعا د ي كمطل قة مغلول ةب طف ل منغ و رل ه ي ا ل سا د سة والع شرين ،وعق ل بمراءة الت اسع ة .م نن ا حيته ا، جس د مش و ح ش ف
ق د ت ف ح الرؤيا بك و نه ا مو جو دة ،هجر ت ول دي ه ا الل ذي نس افرا وامحتقرا م ن ذ ز س ض الدنيا الج دي د ة ،بع د أن جر ب ت أن س اير هم ا وتك و ن مع ه ما مرة، ل ك ه ا اث ر ت ا إليا ب إ ل دي ا ه ا المقدي ة ،والع ي ش في أم الدني ا م عل ى ك ز ال ذ ي هنا ك.
إن أمسي ا ت ي المت ا ح ة مع ه ا د و م أ ،صب ا حا ت ي ال تت ح ق ق إ ال إذا ع ر ت ل ط و ا ت العشر الفاصل ة بينمب ا به ا وب ا ب ي لأق و لل ه ا قب ل أن أ ب ل إ ل ا( ظ رع: اخ ررأن ان ا ز ا لل ئ غ ل ع ا وزة*ا حا ج ة'' ؟)) ه ل ال ز جيل ة هي ما يرب ط ن ي به ا؟ ل ق د أد م ن ت تدخين) ال ز ج إ ة
ب،
ع ل م أ بأنني ما د خن ت ا ل س جائر ي ومأ .ن ف ع ال ز جيل ة بينن ا ي شرفتن 1و ب الغر و ب ،وا ل ر ج ل ا ل طف لقإلتن ا ،نب ا د ل أ
س ت د غ د غ ما ،ةا ر ورته ا ف ت م /
مال ئةفراغ ا ت ز س جملن ا الي ا دل ة .ج م ل ب ورةب ال ر ج أو
ظ‘
202
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
sentences without hope or a future, with a single purpose - to affirm our presence as living beings. “It’s been quite humid these past couple of days.” “Umm Khalil, the caretaker, cleaned the building skylight last night.” “Careful, my darling Mamdouh, the coal could burn your hand.” Yet, I told myself that the narghile could not be the only thing that tied me to her. It was possible that I was affected by some kind of despair, and for good reason. I looked as if I was a widow over fifty, while I was only approaching forty. Should I not get on with my life with a son who is my disability, like a bird whose feathers have been clipped so it cannot rise or fly? How often I wished I had had another man, rather than the one who had placed this yoke around my neck and ran off with another woman, who gave him boys and girls that had come into the world with sound minds, growing and flourishing with the passing of time, like the rest of God’s creatures. What man would want me with this huge burden that shackles me and increases my isolation from other people and from life. I never venture out except to go to work, while my home is where I escape from the world; it is the only refuge I have, where she and I could smoke the n arg h ile . Meanwhile, my son would sit in front of us, with a vacuous gaze like a master circus clown playing possum to make people smile. All we knew about each other were tall stories and inexplicable mysteries, despite being neighbours for many years. When we first met, she had told me the trite story of her life, which had gone unnoticed and would probably end in the same way. Whenever I looked at her, I felt that her face befitted her life story. Anyone looking at it would not remember any of its features, for the very simple reason that they would not bother to take another glance in order to store the details in their memory.
Salw a B akr
و20
وكأن غ ر ضها ا إلع ال ن عن و جودن ا كأ حي اء ممط (( :الر ط وبة ء 1ل ة م ن ١د ا م ا ر ح”" •)،أم خلي ل الب و ابة
م ح ت من و ر ا نما ر ة
؛١
ا ل ل ل)) " مر
يا مم د و حي ا ح ب ي م الف ح مي ح ر ق ي دك» .ل ك ن أق و ل إن الز -مل ة ال ئئ ل ت ك و نسب إ ،رمما أكو ن س ابة بنوع ص ال يأ س ،و م ال ؟أ
أل
ت ^ ١كا"ر ك
تجا و ز ت ا خل م ~~ين ،بين م ا من و ا ت ع م ر ي م ت ز ل تز ح ف ن ح و ا ل أ ر س
أ
ك أ ذ ي ز ا -ب ة ،م دا ا ال س ا س *ة
ض ريشه،ف ال م ل د
إ ل ا ال رتف ا ع وا خلل ي ق ؟! أ مال أت ى أل ف م ر ة أن -كو ن ز ر <آ ر،
*آل
م ن ذ ل ك ال ذ ي و ضع ا ل م م رق ص ر ض إ ل أخ ر ى من حته صبي ان ا و؛ت اتأ جا ؤوا إ ل الدني ابعق و ل ت م و وتزده ر د و ر ا لأي ا م كبقي ةخماليق اس ' ا ؟ ض ا ل ر ج ل ه ذا ال ذ ي يرغبني بهذاراكوء ال ض خ م ا ل راب ض عل ى
وال ك
ل
خل ط و ات ي ،وال ذ ي يدفع ن ي يو ما بع د ي وم ل ال نزواء وا لع زل ة بع ي دا ع ن ال نا س
وا ل حي ا ةف ال أ خ ر ج إ ال
نمل ي فق ط ،و ال أع و د ل ض إ ال أ ل ح تم ي س ق ف ه م اريت
م ن الدني ا إ ل مل ك وت ي ^ ال و ح ي د الت ا ح ،ح ي ث ال ز جيل ة مح ني ومحنه ا ،والول د أ ما من ا يرقبن ا بن ظ ر ا ت م يتة ك م ه ز ج ضخ م ز صرك ،يتص ن ع المو ت ليب عث، ال س م ا ت عل ى الشف ا ه. ما أع ر فه عنه ا وت عر فه عني ه و ض ر ب م ن ال ته ويما ت وه ا ال ت غ م وض، رغ م محن و ا ت جيرتن ا ا لمم ت د ة ،ف ق د ك ش ف ت ل عند بدايةت عارفن ا م ن ذ س نوا ت، عن سير ة ذاتية خ ابية ،ل ني ل ح ظ ه ا أ ح د ،وستكت م ل دون مامي ك ن الت و ق ف عنده ،ح تى و ج هه ا ب ت أ ظ ن ك ل م ا تأملته أنه م وائ متمام آ لسري ة م ن هذا ال وعء فالمرء إذا ماتطل ع إل يه مر ة،ل ني ج ذ ر ي ال ذا ك ر ة أيأ م ن تفاصيل ه ،لأنهبجما ة ل ني ح ا و ل ا اللتف ا ت مت طل ع ا إليه مر ة أخ ر ى،ب ا ح ثأ ع م اي ج و د به عل ى أرشيف ه ذه ال ذا ك ر ة.
ض
Modern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
pjowever, I s t a r t e d to look at her in a different way ever since إ هإر،lay w hen اpaid her an unexpected visit. I went to ؛ee her ء آإ إ إmorning of one my days off, while my son was asleep ؛٠ دءر إlike a beached whale. اwanted her to lend me some yarn: “Have you got some green thread I could use to sew my olive-green skirt? It‘s torn along the side and 1 can’t he bothered ،٠ go out and buy a whole skein for that!” آ ل€ replied, seemingly engrossed in something else: Come here, and look in my sewing basket.” ١ said: “No, no ... 1 left the flat door wide open, and Mamdouh is inside, in bed. When you find it, bring it over, ،٥ ٥٠“ co^e in for a moment!” she said, while beckoning ؛Be to follow her inside. Then she added: “Come in, take the basket and look for the thread inj،>»rown time. 1 followed her into the only bedroom of her small flat, whic؟ was big enough for an old, lonely woman like her. She opened h e wardrobe so as to give me the sewing basket, which was made out of wicker. She noticed my raised eyebrows as I stared at the enormous pile of hair on the white b e d s h e e ؛, which was lit by the morning sun and revealed a tapestry of intereoven colours - black, purple and silver. She sighed: “Look! ١ opened my pillow before اgot the door. I thought ذ ؛better air th^ stuffing at once in the sunlight, as^the pillowcase is worn out and torn. 1 intend to make a new one. 1 looked at the long, loose braids on her back, in amazemenfc “ ه1 آ... ^ e ص1 مش ماen fire l^ lled with hair.” “Yes, my mother’s hair. It used to be her pillow. £ach time she combed her hair with her ivory comb after her bath, she used to gather whatever hair had come out, and put it in a coarse cotton bag until it became a pillow. Look, this is the black hair from when she was young; that’s the red from the time she started to dye it with henna after she turned grey. When sh، grew older, she kept her hair in its original colour.
Salw a B akr
205
ض أض ض ذ ل ك اليوم ال ذ ي دخل ت عل ه ا ف د ام ،مبأ ت ا س تل ف ،فل ق د ذ هب ت إل يه ا م م ح ة ي و م ؛ جا ز م ، ن ح و مخ
ا سل
،ي ر مد
عل ى س
ر م
خمو
ت
ب دفع
لو
ت ا أم ا ج
ص ؛ا د ب، م
؛ق
ى.
الش ط ا ن .ث ث أود أن ت م ر ن خ ط ا مسأل ته ا ;
م م
م
— ءتد كع ' ذ ال " س ر'ء أخي ط ي مم ه ا'م هممح ة' أ لأن وأن ا م ك نل ة ^ أنزل أ ئ ر ي بك ر ة ؟!
بر ص
قال ت وقد ب د ت م نه م ك ة للغ اية ز أ مر م ن األم ور: ” ٤^ ٠دور ي ئ م ر ج ونة ا لخي ط .
“ ال• ال• أصل ي^ ت رك تب ا ب ال شق ة على آ-خ ر م ،ومم د و ح جو ه ع
ر
ا ل م رير .لمات ال قيه ا ه ا تيه ا ل عل ى م ه ل ك . — اف.ت عا قخ ل ظ ة .ق ا ل ت وهي ت ض إ ل أن أتب ع ه ا .ث م أض ا ف ت: “ت عا ق خ د ي ا ل م ر ج ونة م ع ك ،ودور ي عل ى ا لخي ط فيه اب را حت ك ؛ / د خ ل ت وراءه ا غ ر فة الن و م ا ل و ح ي د ةبال شف ة ال صمغبرة ا ل وافيةبالن سبة ل ع ج وز و ح ي د ة مثل ه ا ،فت ح ت ال د و ال ب لت ع ط يني محل ة ا لخي ط المصن وعة م ن ال ق ش ،وإذ ال ح ظ ت حا جبئ ^ ٠^ ^ ١ف و ق ع ي م المح دقتت ن م ك وم ة الش عر ال ه ائل ة ف و ق م الءة ا ل مرير البيض اء ،وق دت س اق ط ت عل يه ا أخ ع ةش م س الصب ا ح ،مفب<ت ف وا س م ،ق ال ت و ه ي س ه د1 ص و ل وا ل أ ر -ما ي خي و ط ه ا تش ا ب ك ا ت م ن ا لأ
— شيو ف م /فت ح ت مح دت ي قب ل ما أفت ح ل ك الب ا ب ،وقل ت أه و ي ا ك م ^ ^ ؛ ٢٦و ت ™
م الش م س .أ ص ل كيس ه ا ق د م وانفتق .ن ا وية
أعم ل
٧
غيره ج دي د. تساءل ت بد ه شة،
وأن ا أت ا م ل
ضفرته ا ا ل ط ويل ة المنس دل ة عل ى ظ ه ر ه ا :
—يا ء .الم خ د ة كل ه اش ع ر . ٠٢-ه م أتي .الم خ د ة ك ا ن ت م األ ص ل مخدته ا ،ك ز م ا 0 ٣
ب
ب ع د ا ل ح ما مب الم ش ط مح ن الفي لعأ ،ت ل م الن ا زل م نه وتحط ه م كت س دم ور ما
ص ار
ض ه و ش ق ع ر ه ا األ م ر د لما ك ا ن تش اتة
واأل ح مر لما
ب حتة ح م راءب ع د ما ال ث ي ب طق ط ق فيه،ف ل م ا ث ا خ ت تركته ع ر ل وز ه,
٢ ن
206
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
“She used to have a plait like silver thread. Unfortunately, when she died, 1 was in h©spital. They stopped me from attending her funeral, as I’d just given birth and they said it would be bad for me, that 1 could lose the milk in my breasts. If I had been at her deathbed, I would have cut her braids and taken them. May God have mercy on her soul. Thank God, 1 have a bunch of her hair in the pillow. I also kept two molars and an incisor, which she took out before her death ؛I keep them in an old satin purse.” “Ah ... two molars and an incisor. Oh, my word!” I exclaimed, as I grabbed the sewing basket and rushed back to my flat. Was this incident a watershed in the way I viewed Mounira Fathi? I don’t know. All that happened afterwards is that I kept thinking about her, with the picture of the hair on her bedsheet imprinted in my mind. When I was back in my flat trying to thread the green yarn through the eye of the needle, my mind remained with her mother’s red, black and white hair glistening in the light. I had mixed feelings towards her after that day. I no longer thought of her as an ordinal^ woman who goes unnoticed as a matter of course. In some way, she had become a mysterious old lady with peculiar idiosyncrasies. Since that day I started to think about her world, something I had not done before. Whenever I entered her flat after that, to smoke the narghile or drink coffee, I would pause to look at the many pictures that covered every wall of the flat. I soon discovered that she had not only hung her and her family’s pictures on the wall, but also that her family’s history was to be found in every corner of her flat. The pictures were not of herself at all ؛each told a story about the life that this woman had once lived. Even her small kitchen had a picture of her mother and aunt on the wall above the old, round marbletop table in the corner. It showed her mother
Salw a B akr
20 7
عنده ا ضفي ر ة ك م ا
محلو ك
ال ف ضه .ي ا خسا ر؛
لما
ماتمت كنمت ز i »*• ll
ي و*ن مف س حض ور خ ر جته ا ^ لأف كن ت ن م اء ” ،ون ال وا حرام ،و خ ما الحلي ب ي ف ع م ن ص د ر ي • لو ك ن ت ج نبه ا ض ا عة طل و ع ا لر و حمم م ض
أ خذ ت ب
صرته ا ،من يته ا ،أل ف ر ح م ة ،م تروح ه ل ا ،ل
م محد ذ ى
عر ف ^ ^ ١ ،وضرس ين ،و ش ،كا ن ت خ لخه مق ل متها، ي الش ي
محف ظ ة ب ه م م كي س أ ط ل س ^ ق د م . “ آ ه ض رب ن و س .ي ا س ال م إ؟ ق ل ت ،وأن ا آ خ ذ م ن ه ا س لة ا لخي ط وأين ع افل ة إ ل خ ش ي.
ه ل ك ا ن ت ه ذه ا ل واقع ة لحظ ة انق ال ب م رؤيتي محرة فت ح ي؟ .ال أ ر ز ، ك ل ال ذ ي ح د ثبع د ذ ل ك ه و أنن ي ظلل ت أفك ر فيه ا ،وق د ان ط ح م شهد ا ك ^ الم ه و ش عل ى ا ل حري ر ،ش عر أم ه ا الب ا ق ي وه ويل ت م ع بأ ل وانه الح م راء وا ل رداء والبيض اء ،بين م ا أ ح ا و ل س دي د ا لخي ط ا لأخض ر م خ ر م ا إلب ر ةب ع د ع و دتي م ر ة أخ ر ى .ل ق د ت خ ا ل ط ت مش اع ر ي تجا هه ابع د ذ ل ك الي و م،ف ل متع دبالشب ة
ل
هي المر أة ا ل ع ا دية ،ال ت ي الت ل ح ظ ع ا دة ،ب د ت عل ى ن ح و م ن ا لأن ح اء ع ج وزأ غ ا م ضة ،ه ل اتع ق ي د ه ا ال م ،وأ ظ ن أنني م ن ذ ذ ل ك الي و م ب دأ ت الت و ق ف ل تأ م ل ع الم ه ا ال ذ ي ئر أ ك ن أت وق ف عنده م ن قب ل،ف صر ت ك ل م ا د خ ل ت إ ل شقته امب د ذ ل ك ،ل شر ب لكل
م جيل ة " م أو ال ق ه و ة ،أتل ك أقليأ ل أ ما م ا ل ص ور ا ل ع دي د ة المرصع ة
حي طا ن بيته ا™ تق ر يبأ،ل ق د ا كت شف ت أنه ا التعل ق ص و ره ا و
ص ورع ا
ي
على اخلال ط ه ط ،ل إت م ا مم رتا ري خه ا ستلييف ك ل ر ك ن س ر كا ن م مه ا، ف ال ص ور لر ت ك ن ش خص ية أبدأ ،ل ك ا ن ت.ممث ا بة ح ك اي ا تن ا ط ق ة بما ة ه ذه المر أة ذا ت يوم ،ح ت ى مط ب خ ه ا الصغير ،حفل يبص ورة
ألم ه ا
عل ف ت عل ى ا ل حائ طف و ق الم ن ضدة ذا ت الق ر ص ا ل ر خ ا م ي ال ق د-بم المر منة،
208
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
cutting up a huge fish while her aunt enthusiastically held onto its tail. Eve^where there were pictures of her uncles, her son*, her deceased husband and his family at the seaside, the zoo, at a school and at the pyramids. The only personal picture was one of her as a bride, or so it seemed. It showed her as ه radiant young woman in a white silk dress holding an ostrich feather fan, the sides of which touched the upper part of her tightly-wrapped chest emerging from the wide opening of her garment. Her short, clipped sentences no longer sounded ordinary to me ؛rather, they filled the blank spaces that the pictures failed to reveal: “My father, may he rest in peace, used to smoke the narghile after his afternoon nap. Would you believe it? The first time I smoked it was with him! I used to draw one or two puffs from it at first, until I made sure it was fine. At the time we used to buy dried tobacco and soak it in water. My mother used to prepare it and cut it for my father to use.” She did not speak about her parents except in passing, when telling me a story about her past, which was the only certainty by which she had lived her entire life. I myself began to look for a certainty of my own, which has pained and tormented my soul. “The postman brought me a letter from Sami, my eldest son, just before the noon call to prayer. I was busy dusting the silver cake tray that belonged to my aunt, may God have mercy on her soul. She gave it to me on my wedding day. “My son Fouad phoned me from America last night. His eldest daughter is intending to come to Egypt. She is a brunette, because her mother is originally from Italy. But she has the dark skin of my uncle Hussein, may he rest in peace.” “Oh, how lucky she is!” I would say to myself sometimes. She was content with everything in the world. I, on the other
ف الت ب د ت ا لأم فيه ا م نه م ك ة ز تق ط ع س م ك ة ضخ م ة ب ما ا-ل ل
م م كا ن
ص• م
؛أ ق ب أ ب ،
ال و ح د ة ا ك
ص لأعم إ مم ا وأ خ وال ه ا وأبن ائه ا ورو ج ه ا ا
م حديق ة
م و ا ن ،دا خ ل م د ر ئ ،عن د ال ه ر م؛
ب ،كا ن ت هل ا وهي
ل م٠
ر و س ع ر ما ي د و إذ ظه ر ت ئ
ش ا بة ض غ م ست ا ن ص ا ل ح رث ر ا لأبي ض ،ت م س ك ب ي د ه ا م رو ح ة م ن ر ض
ى
و ق د ال مس ت أ ط ر اف ه ا لح م ص د ر *ا ا ك د و د الم ن ش ق م ن فت ح ة ثوبه ا ا لو ا ذ
ج م ل ه ا الق صي ر ة المقت ص ة ،لرتع د ع ا بث ةبالش ب ةيف ،إنه ا أتمل ^١
^
ع ج ز ت ا ل ص ور عن ا إلف صا ح عنه ا ; “ ال ز جيل ة .ب اب ا ا ذ ير ح م ه ،ك ا ن م زا ج ه يدخن؛؛ب ع د القي ل و ال
م حن د ز
أول مر ة د خنته ا ك ا ن مع ه ! كن ت أ س ح ب منه ا نف ا أون صتن م ا لأول - ،م أتأ ك د أنه ا م ا ل ك ة .ك ا ن الت مب ا ك ^ أي ا م ه ا*؛ نشتريه وه و ن ا خ ف ونيل ه
ون قع ه
ز المي ا ه ،و أ م ك ا ن ت تقص ه وتوص ي ه' ٤وب اب اي س ح ب م نه عل ى ا ل جاهز. إنه ا ال تت ح د ث عن وال دي ه ا إ ال عب ورأ؟ ، ٤لح ك اية م ن ح ك اي ا ته ا عن يقينها ا ك د م ،ذ ل ك ال ذ يتع ي ش فيه دوما وأب ح ث م ن خالل ه عن يق ض ،ي ن يقض ا ال م ا ل ر و ح وعذاب ا ته ا . س جا ب ^ ٤٣،ا ل و س ط م ؛؛ جو اب°؛ من سا م اض ال كثي ر ق لآ ذ'ن ا ل ظ ه ر ،وأن ا
ى م ش غ ول ة بث ل ال ترا ب‘' ،م ن فيال ة ال ك ع ك الفضية ،ك ا ن ت
خل ا ل ي اف ير ح م ه ا وق دم ت ه ا ل يوم د خل تي''‘• -
فؤاد ا ش ك ل م يبالتليف و ن ص أ م ريك اباللي ل .ابنته ا
صن ا وية ترود
٠ ٣طال ع ة س م راء لأن أ م ه ا أ صل ه ا سإ ي طالي ا• ل ك ز س م ارته ا طبق ا لأء ل سم ا رة ع م ي حسخن اف ير ح م ه. مح يخا ل ظ ه ا! أقول ل ف ي م ا ت ،ما ك ز هذا ا ل رض ا عن الدن إ والعا م• ى
210
M odern A rab ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
hand, am consumed by fear a thousand times every day. I am $٠ frightened ١ could scream sometimes. 1 am scared to lose my job and income (what would my son and I do for food?). I am afraid that the old building we live in could collapse suddenly, like $٠ many these days (where would we live if it actually happened?). 1 am frightened that my life will continue unchanged, with no hope of finding a man to be at my side and share the trials of everyday life, or give me some joy now and then. However, my greatest and deepest fear, one that increases by the day, is that 1 might wake up one morning and not find my only certainty in this world, that is, my old neighbour Mounira Fathi, the beacon of tranquillity amidst my spiritual anxieties and the key to my life. 1 am scared she might suddenly die and leave me deprived of my daily dose of spiritual stimulation, which gives me hope to live the next day. What is death? 1 often wondered about that when I was having thoughts like these while feeling lonely at night, observing my sleeping whale and his snorting that would go into a never-ending crescendo. 1 would ask myself: “Is death like an absence?” Ifso, ofwhat? The absence of outward appearance, features and body, the absence of the spirit or the absence of a shared moment? I searched for the true definition of death. This remained my obsession for a long time. Whenever I got off work, I would play a game with the computer. ©ne day, after inputting some data, I asked about death and got astonishingly naive answers: the decomposition of the body and its passing away, the disappearance of a person, the cessation of heartbeats, the stopping of blood circulation, the end of brain function, etc. However, does death not have two sides? On the one hand, there is the person who dies and, on the other, the person who is shocked by the death of the one who dies. How do we evaluate death from the point of view of one party and not the other? Hence what is the assessment of death from the standpoint of the other party?
Salw a B akr
211
ا ك ا م ا لخو ف م م * ) أ ب م ر ة• أ خ ا ف إ ل د ر ج ة ال رغبة م١
^ ٤١ل ي .؛
أ خ ا ف أن ا ف ق د و ظ ث فت ي و أ م ح ب ال س د ر لل د خ ل ( م ن أ س ن ص ١ ٧١
أخ ا ف أن تنه ار ا لعما رةمال قدي ة ال تي ن ك ن فيه ا مث لما تنهم رىب ار )ن ه ذه ا لأيا م (أي ن ن ك ن
لو
ح د ث ذ ل كبالف عل ؟ ) .أخ ا ف أن
ه كل أا ،ال أ ل ش و ج و د ر ض إ ل
.
٣
.
؟, م
"
م م ر ة ا لأيام ،أو ي ح م
ب ض ش ه ا• ف م ف ر -حا ما ي
يومأ ب د آ خ ر ،م ؛ ن م ل ك ن ح و م ا لأه م وا لأع م ق ،وال ذ ي ك ا ن.تزا يد أ م ح و م نن و م ذ ا ت صب ا ح أل ج د ال دني ا لي س به ا يقتن ي ال و ح ي د .
ذ ر شم ا ن ؛مز * خ ة
د م‘ مم ة ا ع إ ل ه وا ج س رو حي وض ا ح
حي اتي• كن ت أ خ ا ف أنتمو تف ج أةروتت كن ي ،فأ ف ق دت ل ك ا ل ج ر عة الي و مية 11نث ط4 لر و ح ي ،والمان ح ة ا أل م ل ل
م إ م ك ا نية الع ي شل ي و مآ -خ ر•
ما ه و ا لمو ت ؟ كن ت أت س اءل ع ا د ة عند ما أ ص ل إ ل هذا ا ل ح د من ال تفكير، بين م ا أبق ى و ح ي د ة
م اللي ل ،أتأ مل ح و تي الن ائ م وقد ع ال شخيره دون
انق ط ا ع .
أق و ل لر و ح ي :ا لمو ت
م الغي ا ب ؟ غي ا ب ما ذا ؟ غي ا ب ال ش ك ل أ ل ل م ال م
والجس د ؟ أم غي ا ب ا ل ر و ح ،أم غي ا ب لحظ ة المش ا ركة ؟ أريدتعر يفأ
ش و ال
للمو ت ؟ ظل ذ ل ك هاجس يل فترة طويل ة ،ح تى أنني كن ت عندما أف ر غ م ن ع م ل ي أ ل ع ب ا لل عبة مع ال ك مبي وت ر أمح أل هب ع د أن أغذيه بقد ر م ن ا ل م عل و ما ت؛ وقد ق د م ل إ ج اب ا ت م د ه ش ة ي س ذا ج تها :تحلل ا ل ح س د وفن ا ؤه .اختف اء ف خ ص- ب ا ت الق ل ب .هب و ط ال د و رة ال د م وية .انته اء و ظا ئ ف الم خ• ت و ق ف حن م
٠٠
ال خ•
ول ك ن ألي س ز المو ت ط رف ا ن ،ال ذ ي يمو ت ،وال ذ ييص د م ه م و ت س يمو ت ؟ كي فن عر ف ا لمو تب ا
المو
تب حال ة طر ف دون ا ل ط ر ف ا لآخ ر ؟! إذن ما دع ر ي ف
ب لل ط ر ف ا لآخ ر ؟.
Modern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
212
I again put the question to the computer, with amazing results:
“The eye does not see. The ear does not hear. The mouth does not kiss. The hand does not touch ...” My dear neighbour’s answer was more accurate than that given by the computer, and with a speed I was not expecting at all. One day, she came to see me after midnight. She had been knocking on my door persistently. When I awoke ftom my sleep and opened it, thinking that a catastrophe had befallen my child, 1 found her standing in front of me, looking very faint. She said she felt very sick. 1 quickly drew her into my flat and made her lie down on my bed. 1 ran to the kitchen to get her some water, as she complained her mouth was diy. Soon after, 1 ran to the telephone and called a doctor from the nearest hospital. Then I rushed back to her and found her lying on the bed, motionless, with her head slumped on the edge of my pillow so that her braid was dangling on the floor - a silver braid that reflected the scarce light from the lamp that hung beside the bed. I just stood there, nailed to the floor. I wanted to scream, but a reassuring feeling engulfed my soul and filled me with a calm I had not experienced before. What I had dreaded for so long came to pass, yet there I was - calm and reassured; I realised that life was possible. In the last moment I spent with my neighbour, there was no narghile between us, and no man-child sitting in front o f us. “Here is death, expressing a tangible definition, a tactile object ؛it is the regret for a past we do not wish to end,” I said to myself as I gazed at her wizened face, upon which death had drawn an eternal expression. In spite of that, I felt regret, whereas her death caused an overwhelming sense of ambiguity and confusion; when I was confronted with her death, it struck me that it defied all definitions and understanding. I felt that I had been robbed of
Salw a
و21
ر ح ت أع ا و د س ؤ ا ل ال ك مبي و ب م ر ة أ خ ر ى ،ا إل ج ا بة ك ا ن ت م ذ همل ة; اا
ال ت ر ى .ا ل أذذ ال ت م ع .الف م ال'ي ك ل .ا ي د الت ل ص.
جارتي م م ز ة ،قد م ت ل إجابة آ م دقة مما ندس ال م ح و ر ،وب ر ئ م أك ن أتوقع ه ا أبدا ف ق د جاءتتي م ؛بع د مس ف اللي ل‘ ت د ق ب' ني دقأ*ت ال ح قأ، مب يبة مح د ح لمىب طفل ي و ج ل«هإ ف ل م ا فت ح ت وقد هبب ت م ن الن و م ،أ ظ ن أن مص
أما مي ز حال ة إعي اء واض ح ة ،قال ت إنه ا متعبة ج دا ،ص ح بتها سرعةل دم ^ شقت ي ،م د دت ه ا عل ى م ريري ،ج رب ت إ ل المط خ لأن ا ول ه ا ق ربة م ا Ij-.ik ،لأن ريقه ا ج ا ف ،و ما إن فعل ت ح تى ج ر ي ت إ ل اه ل ا ت ف أ ل ط ل ب لها طس
أم ن
أق ر ب مس ت شف ى. عند م ا ع د ت إل يه اب ع د ذ ل ك س رعة ،و ج دت ه ا مم د د ة عل ى
ضب ال م ر
ال
ح راك ،وقد ما ل رأسه ا عل ى طر ف مح دت ي ل تت د ل ضفيرته اب اتجا ه ا لأرض، ضامف ارة مح ضة لتكا سار ع ل ه ا الش عاعامحت ،الش ح ح ة لل م مب ا ح المعل ق ب جوار ا ل م ر ير-
بففت
مت م
ر ة ،ر غب تيف الص راخ ،ل ك ن خ ع و رأ م ط م ئنأ بدأي جت ا حتي
عغل فأ ر و ح ي ب ك ي ت ة ل؛تع ه د ه ا صق ل• اذن .ل ق د د خل ت ا ل ل ح ظ ة ال م طالما جخ ت ه ا ،ل ك ن ه ا أن ا فيه ا ،ه ادئة، ط م ئنة ،وقد أد رك ت
أنه ا مم
ك ة و ي ت مست حيل ة ،إنه ا ا لل ح ظ ة /النه ا يأ مع
ج اير ت ا ك ي ك ا ت ،ال ز ج؛ ا ة ي ط و ال طف ل ر ج لق ا ك ا . (( المو ت .ه ا م يف م ح عن تحر ي ف ملمو س ،م ح و سل ه ،إنه ا د رة ء اى ما ض نت م ن ى أ ال يكت م ل)) ،ق ل ت ل ف ي وأن ا أتأ م ل و ج هه ا ا لث ا ن خ ،وند ر م ا لمو ت عل يهتعبيرا أبدي ا ال نه اية ل ه. ورغ م ذ ل ك ،ف ق د ق ع ر ت ب ح ترة ون و ع ص الغ م و ض نجا ه
م إدم ذلل د
ا لمو ت م ع ي ،ل ق د بدا ل أنه منف ل ت م ن ك زت عر ي ف ،منفل ت م ن أش عر أنن ي س ر ن ت ،شيء ما ،غ ا ب وث م ي ن س رق م ن ي ،و غ ط ف عن و ة•
م مم-ه وم•
21 4
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
something, something dear and precious that had been wrested from me by force. Dazed, I quietly went to my wardrobe and took out the scissors. 1 walked up to her and briefly stood there looking at her once more, before my hand grasped her thick soft braid and cut it resolutely. There were a few black hairs that had withstood the passage of time. 1 headed towards the mirror and looked at myself as I placed the braid on my head, like a garland. My soul grew increasingly calm as I declared to myself a certain victory, while the shrill sound of the ambulance siren penetrated my ear.
Salw a B akr
5ا ق
بدو ن أن أدر ي
بهدوء إ ل دو ال بي لأخ ر ج منه
ه م . ١٠ ،
بما ت إل يه ا ،ث م ب ف قلي أل أتأمل ه ا مر ة أخ ر ى ،ق ل أن تمسك يد ي الن اع م ة الغزيرة فأقص ه اب ح زم ،وق د استب ا ن ت به ا ش ع يرا ت سوداء ،
٠
صا رع ت ا لأي ا م. ت و ي ه ت إ ل المر آة ،ن ظ ر ت ب
ك ا ن ت رو ح ي تزداد
م وأن ا أ ي ت الجديل ة إكلي ال ض روسيغ
ث ،وأن ا أ ش لص م إنمصا رأ ما ،ه ما سارة
ض عا فتعل ن عن م ق د م ه ا بأ ص و ا ت حا دةر تخ ت ق أذ ي• ا إل
6ا ق
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Language Notes
1.
ف ن ور: this word serves both as a little-used plural of ش م ة “hair” (though more commonly ) ف ن رand “feelings”. 2 . سل ف أن ال ف: اتإ. ٠٢ ( >) نلفتu), “to precede”). Note also adverb “( سلف اbeforehand”) ؛other words for “ancestors” include ب اء ( ا لآpi. o f أ ب, “father”) and ( ا ل أ ي دا دpi. of ي ن, “grandfather”). 3. خ ة: sg. of جثي ا ت, “femalz jin n ” (see ا مر أة و ح ي د ة, note No 4). 4. خب ل ن ر ي: “umbilical cord” (cf. “ رن ر ةbellybutton”; ت ل رح “rop^e”). 5 . ا ل عنكث و ت ن سي ج: (pi. ()أن س ج ة. Variants include: غث و ط ال نث كي و ت and مح ت ا ل عنكب و ت. Note that ن سي جalso means “textile”, “fabric” and “tissue” (biology). The spider’s web has many religious connotations in Islam. It is said, for instance, that when the Prophet Muhammad ؛led with Abu Bakr (one of his companions) and hid in the cave of al-Harr^, a spider built a web around the entrance to the cave so that the enemies of Islam would think the cave was inhabited. There is even a sura (44) in the Q ur’an that is named after the spider. 6. الم دينة ا ل س ا ب غ ة: lit. “ageing city”; the connotation is clear negative, with ش ا ئ خbeing derived from the verb ( ش ا خi) (“to age”). The use o f this adjective in this context is rather unusual, as one would have expected ق د مor عت ق, which have a more neutral connotation, e. g. “( الم دينة المند ي ةthe old city”^ or “( الم دينة ال جت ةthe ancient city”). 7. يف لئغ و،ا ل طف ل ا: lit. “mongoloid child” (originally a caiqu from tfie term formerly used in English). 8. أم الئ؛دي ا: lit. “the Mother of the W orld”, an epithet usually used for Cairo (and attributed to the famous fourteenthcentury Tunisian historian Ibn Khaldun [1332-82], who has been called “the father o f modern sociology”).
Salw a
2 ا7
و. أنان ازل ة: ECA and many other dialects; MSA 1“) أن ا خ ار ج ةam going out”). The verb ( ثزلi) means “to descend” or “come down from stairs” but in many colloquials it means “to go out”. 10. ء اوزة: (ECA) fem. active participle (of ع از, “to be in need/ want ٥٢٠), which may stand alone or in nominal sentences ( ر م ان م ؛ة. It is the usual construction to express that one wants something (where MSA uses a verb like أران, “to want” ٠٢ أود, “to like”), e. g. “( ع اين كت ا بI’d like/want a book”). It is inflected for gender and number: ( ع اونf. ؛ع اؤزةpi . )ع اززين, with the variant ( ع اينm. ) , ( ع ائزةf.), ( ع ائزينp i.). إل- حا ج ة: though this word is also used in MSA in the sense of “need”, its semantic field in ECA is much wider and, in fact, corresponds to MSA “( شيءsomething”): e.g. ع اين أي (“Do you want anything?”). 12 تذ ر ج؛ا ةoriginally a Turkish word, the more common term in Egypt for the hookah or hubble-bubble is شين ة. 13 أؤ ل إ م؛ ا رح: “the day before yesterday” (ECA < CA الب ار ح ة, “yesterday”), cf. M S ^ ثزم محل أنس نor أ ؤ ل أ ن س.
14. ح ا س: ECA; MSA أ م ول. ا ال ب ن ا لع ؛ن ة: lit. “the disability child”. In this context, the
disabled child has become a disability to his mother.
1محال يق اف •ة: “Go^’s creatures”; محال ي نis the pi. of ظ وق (alongside ر ( م ئ ا تthe passive participle o f the verb حل ى [u]),,and thus lit. “(the) created”.
17- مل ك و ت: “Cosn^os”, “universe”; unlike similar words such as الع ا مor ا لأن اthis has a more mystical and religious connotation in that it denotes the hidden world of spirits a ؟d souls (cf. Qu r . .(36:83 وت:88م ل8 غئدك؟ م: common across Arabic colloquials; MSA ن ز عنذذ؟. In spoken Arabic, the interrogative particle is normally deleted, its function supplanted by a rising intonation. Also note that in most dialects, the second-person sg. gender-marking final vowel (dJL and ) ن ن مis elided.
28 ا
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
19. ( ثل ةpi. )فث ل: ECA; MSA خ ط. 20. ي ونل ة: ECA (> It. g o n n ella , “skirt”). In Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, the commonly used word for a woman’s skirt is ء رم. 21. ردي: “olive-green”; cf . ري ت, “olive (oil)” ( pi . ) رث و ن. 22. م ك ن ةECA; MSA ف النت وق. أ ن ل ي: ECA, “the fact i$,^because”; MSA . لأنتي/ لأي ث4- ير ص: ECA; MSA غل ى راختلث, from “( را حتcomfort”, “rest”). 25. فولمي: ECA, imperative (sg. fem.) of the verb ( ش ا فu), “to see”, which is a common cross-dialectal equivalent of the MSA نأ ى. 2 6 . بالم رة: ECA; 2 J.
MSA س ال و ث ت
لمي ش.
( خ طu): ECA ( to put”, “place”); MSA و ضع. 28. س الفي ل. مlit. “elephant tusk”; here, it, of course, means “ivory”. 29. ذن ور: a type of cheap, coarse cotton material traditionally use^d for upholsteiy. 30. ن ل و ك: ECA. MSA أن ال كpi. ofdJULv. 31. خ ر ج ة: ECA; MSA “ ين ا زةfuneral procession”. 32. نف اء: (pi . )ن و ا ف زrefers to a woman who has recently given birth (cf. م ا س, “childbirth”). 33. ن اعه ظلو ع ا إل ح: lit. “the hour of the rising of the soul”; cf. ساعة ا الح تض ارor ا ال خ تجار 34، ال ذ رخ م ة ئروح ل ه اlit. “one thousand mercies for her”. The word “( أل فone thousand”) is often used in Arabic for emphasis, e. g. “( أ ك ئ ك رa thousand thanks”). 35. ب م س: EC^ (“satin”); MSA س ات ا ن. 3 6 . ال ز جيل ة خ ر ب: in ECA, one does not “smoke” a narghile , one “drinks” it (this is, of course, a reference to the fact that it is filled with water). Interestingly enough, this usage has al؟؟ been extended to other things such as cigarettes; e.g. سي جارة, “do you want to smoke a cigarette?”. In other Arabic dialects, “( د ح نto smoke”) is the usual verb, as it is in MSA
Salw a
2 ا9
(“No smoking”, for instance, translates as .(ك و ع ا ف ذ ض و7مح ت م: (p i. )مح و ت, can mean either “house” or “home” (e. g .م ال ي ت, “at home”). In the story, the protagonist does not live in a house, but in a flat ( شقة, pi . .(خف ق و8.القئلول ة: “nap”, “siesta” (also (ق ا ل > (ق ائل ةi). وو.متي ا ك : ECA (> Tu. ) ؛MSA ت ع. ٠ 40. I p أثا: cf. ث ا م م نب ث ا لآ،يت ك ' لأثا م مف 4“ م(أ ا) ع م < ؛ م حورا ماto pass by”. 4ق. توضنه: ECA ؛MSA from جهز, “to make ready”, “prepare”. 4 ج ا ب ل مو: ECA; MSA ا ح ذ رن ل,“he brought it to me”. 44. ثون ط جى: ECA ؛MSA سا عي ال زي د. 45• ي وا ب: ECA “letter” or “reply”(!) ؛MSA, respectively,رسال ة and ( ي وا بor زئ, pi . )ن ذ و د. 4 ش ل ال ن إ ب مة: “to dust”, ECA ؛MSA أزال الغب ار/ أزال الرت ا ب. 47• نؤمبحل م: ECA “m^ wedding day” ( د خل ة, “wedding”) ؛MSA لؤمor لزم ز و ا م.
Fu’ad al-Takarli
Fu’ad al-Takarli was born in 1927 in the Bab al-Sheikh area in the heart of Baghdad. He graduated from ؛aw school at the University of Baghdad in 1949, and began working for the Ministry of Justice. He became a judge in 1956, before being appointed head of the Court of Appeals in Baghdad. ول ط6 وhe went to Faris to study law for two years, after which he returned to his native Iraq. In 1983 he resigned from his post to devote himself full-time to his writing. Although he had begun writing short stories in 1947 and published a few of them in 1955 in the Beirut-based literary journal ا لأدي ب, his first collection o f short stories, entitled ( ا ل و ج ه ا ال خ رThe Other Face), saw the light only in ول6مه His first novel, ^ ^ البع ي د١( The Long Way Back), was published in Beirut in 1980, and has been translated into French and English (2001). His o؛her novels include ) خ امت ا إلن ل7 كةSeal of Sand , 1995) and ( ا لمم ر ا ت وا لأو جا عJoys a n d Heartaches , وول8 مرIn 1990, al-Takarl! took up residence in Tunis, which would remain his home until 2003, when he moved to Syria. Two years later, he went to Amman, where he passed away in February 2 8 م ه. The following story is excerpted from his collection ض ن ( ا! ال م ي ا تTales fro m the Invisible World), and focuses on the way people deal with change, on the fine line between being content with one’s circumstances and submitting to them.
F u ’a d al-Takarli
221
The narrator, who is also the protagonist of the story, adapts himself to hardship following the death of his father, with his mother and three sisters forced to eke out a meagre existence on the father’s paltry pension. This reversal of fortune forces the family to move to a smaller house, while at the same time shattering any dreams o f his obtaining a university education. The death of the narrator’s father has not only made him the family’s sole breadwinner but, as the only male in the family, also the guardian of its moral reputation. He is, however, abruptly awakened from his usual lethargic state by a chance encounter with his childhood sweetheart, who has climbed the social ladder by m arking the head of the company he works for. Throughout, the narrator’s state is one offecklessness: too weak and self-pitying to make decisions of his own, he allows himself simply to be carried with the tide, which presents the least effort.
A Hidden Treasure Inside some people - not everyone - there is a store of contentment and satisfaction which can overflow and, in time, make the pressures and bitterness o f life bearable. This abundance of contentment transforms the curse of poverty into an acceptable situation, and deprivation into something that can be changed or forgotten. When my father was still alive, my mother, sisters and I used to have a modest lifestyle: we were well fed and adequately clothed. We were descendants of what could be called a noble and respectable family, which had more than once witnessed reversals of fortune. As a result, it had gradually lost its wealth and social status. My father grew old, and we had to make do with his small pension. I and my three younger sisters were born to my father and his second wife - my mother - when he was in his fifties, which was something he neither wished for himself nor for his wife or children. However, it is impossible to predict when children will be born in a marriage, and it was only after ten years that the Almighty had mercy on my parents and they had us. On the one hand, we were a comfort to them in their loneliness, but, on the other, we added to their financial burden. My three sisters and I never felt the pressures of hardship, except when my father passed away after succumbing to an illness he could not ward off for long. I was only sixteen at the time, and for reasons unknown to us, our world was shattered and destiny treated us harshly. I was in my third year of secondaty school, eagerly awaiting the day I would complete my university studies. However, I was not determined enough, nor was I able to resist the distractions that surrounded me. When the landlord of our house in Ra’s alChoi on the outskirts of the Bab El-Sheikh quarter came to ask
خ ز ي ن ' ا ل ال م ي ا ت >
ض م س ،ال ص من-س
م ‘ط -ا
م أ ءا
م القن اعة أو ا لرضا،
يف ض فت ح ل ،مع ال ز س‘ م' ر ة الحي ا ة و ض م ط ه ا ال ش د ي د ة أ ل ح،ل و غ م م ؤذي ة• ف
م هي' ال ب ي ن ا ن
ب
ب ثر ا ل ع و ز الما د ي الل م ن ع ا د ة ال ض م
ب
كبيرا ،وا ل حرما ن آ م ر اق اب ال لالمح تب دا ل وا ل مي ا ن.
حنن كا ن أ ي حيأ ،ي و ل ن ا “ أنا وأس بق ت ءقا'ني ر ع ر انم ش.متو ى ت واض عة .ي من س إلل- مت و ط ،يض م نلن ا ط عا ما ج ي دا ولب ا م ا الئق ا و خ د م ة م ع ائل ة كمري ة ك ما يق و ل و ن ،خ ا نه ا ال د ه ر؛ عدة مر ا ت ف ف ق د ت ثرو ي للريم
مإ
ونزل ت در ج ا ت ز م حلم ا ل م جت م ع .بق ي لن ا ،وق د ش ا خ أبي ،أن ش ا ت ع ر رات ب تق ا ع ده الضثي ل. كن ا أربع ة أ طف ا ل؛ أن ا وث ال ث بن ا ت أص ن ر م ن ي ،رزق بن ا أبي من زو جته الث انية وال دت ي ،وق د ج ا وز اخ ل م سين) .م ي ك ن ذ ل ك ماك ا ني ر ي ده لنف ا أو ل زو جته أو لأبن ائه؛ ض أن مامالي ك ن ا ل ر ه ا ن عليه ممن ال زواج،
م ونت
و ال دة ا لأو ال د .و ه ك ذا ،ب ع د عث ر من و ا ت م ن عق د ق ر ان وال د ي ،فت ح اف عل يه م اب ا ب ا ل رزق>مف جئن ا نؤن س و ح دت ه م ا ونزيد م ن ثق ل المس ؤولية على ص ا ،ص■ إ ال أنن ا وخقيق ا ت ي الث ال ث ،لر ص ر و ط أ ة ا ل ع وز علين ا ط لق ا ،إ ال ص ل و ز وال د يف ج أةب ع د مر ض ئر ست ط ع مق ا و م ته ط وي لأ .ح ينذا ك ،و ك ت م السا دس ة عشرة م ن ع م ر ي ،هب ط ت
بن ا الدني ا ٦و جار علين ا الزم ن7لغذ ر
ب
م ف ه و م.
كن ت
م الص ف الث ا ل ث المت و ط ،أتش و ق ب ح م ا س إل نه اء درا ص
الجامعية ،غتر أف لر أ ك ن صل ب ا ل ر و ح و الق ا درأ عل ى مق ا وم ة ا ل م ا ب*ب بي ز ا ل عا لر؛ف ج ن جاء ص ا ح ب ال د ا ر ال ت ي كن ا س ك ن ه ا ي رررأس أ ل م أل)
بأ ط ر ا ف محل ة ررب ا ب ال شيخ))و و طالبن ا بأ ج ر ة ال ش ه ر ي ن الم آ ض ي ن ،م أمح-جهأع
224
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
us to pay him the two months’ rent we owed him, I was unable even to apologise to him in an appropriate manner, and for some reason 1 did not reaet to the rough and rude way he spoke to me. My eyes were filled with tears when 1 told my mother what had happened, and how that lowlife landlord had shown no respect for my father’s memory or our family’s reputation. She embraced me tenderly, and said: “May God forgive him! You’re right, my son, your family is honourable ... your family may not have a lot of money ... that’s not right, and no one should be expected to bear this. Come on, let’s get our act together.” We did indeed organize our affairs by moving into a smaller and cheaper house, while I quit my studies when my uncle found me an apprenticeship at a technical college to study petrochemical engineering in oil refineries. I was able to earn money during my studies. My illiterate but commonsensical mother did not remember the glory days she had experienced with my father, nor did she much regret what we had lost; instead, she lovingly and naturally focused her attention on what we had now, being her daughters and a son who was earning an honest living. She possessed this rare store of contentment and satisfaction. She celebrated my first wages when I was still in my mid- to late teens. She gathered us in the evening around a small table, on which she had placed a nice cake with one candle. She switched off the light and addressed us all: “Look at yourselves! Look how beautiful you are! Such lovely fresh young faces! Let’s forget eve^thing and celebrate what we have - our health and good looks!” It was a wonderful evening ؛my sisters and 1 would remember it for the rest of our lives. After that, we just had to accept whatever hardships, joys and troubles came our way. I did not graduate easily from the Institute o ^ ^ o c h e m ic a l Engineering, and I resigned myself to the fact that I had to repeat the year.
Fu *ad al-Takarli
5ق 2
ح ت ى أن أعتذر ل ه ب ش ك ل م الئ م ،و س م ح ت ل ه ،ال ؛در ي
ك ل م 1تف ظ ة وغنيظ ة لم أر د عل يه ام و م د ر ؛ ت ب' ي
^ ، ١بأن
"
^ ٤٢٠٢٠٠وأذ إ أرو ي ل و 'ليد ت • ا ج ر ى ل و ك ن أن
هذا المالك الو ض ع األ صل لري حرت م ذكر ى وال د ي و ال س ع ة ع اب ك. ا ح ضتن يب حن ا ن وقال ت ق: "ليغف ر افل ه؛ ول ك ن ا سم عيا ول د ي ،ع اتل تب ثمكري ة ٠..هدم أ مص م م ح، ع ائلت ك الت مل ك ما لأ .ه ذا أ م الي ص ح و اليقبل ه أ حد .تعا ل ندبر ح ى . وتدب رن ا حالن ا بالف عل ،ف انتقلن ا إ ل دار بر ى أص نر وأرخ ص أ م ؛ ،
وتركت دراستيبع د أن و ج د ل خا ز م كان ا م مع هدصن اعي أدرس ل الم كنن ة م م م ا م النف ط وأتن ا و ل أ ج و رأ أثن اء ال د راسة . لر ت ذ كر وال دت ي ا ل أ ب المتزنة م تف كي ره ا ،أيا م العزم^ ال تي ع ا ختهم مع وال د ي و ال تحس رت كثثرا عل ى مام ض ى،ب ل رك ز ت اهت ما م ه ا بتلق ائية محببة عل ى مان مل ك ا لآن .ه ي وبن ا ته ا وابنه ا ال ذ ي يشتغ ل وي ك س ب نق و ده بشر ف. كا ن ت ت مل ك ذ ل ك ا لخزين الن ا در م ن مش اعر القن ا عة ،ف عمل ت عل ى جعلن ا ن حتف ل بأو ل رات ب امحت ل م ت ه وأن ا ما أزال ،دين م ن ي المر ا هقة والقب ا ب .جمعتن ا، ز المساء ،ح و ل ما ئ د ة ص م ر ة ،وض ع ت عل يه ا كع ك ة ج ميل ةت علو ه ا ش مع ة
وا ح د ةئ م أط فأ ت الض وء ال ك ه رب ا ئ ي و خاطبتن ا : —
ان ظر وا إ ل أ ن ف ك م ،انظر وا ما لحمل ك م! ماأ ح 1ى هذه ا لو جو ه الش ابة
ال ضرة!
ك س ك ل ش ي ء ءن ي م1ن ملك س ص ح ة و ج ما ل . ك ا ن ت أ س ية رائع ة ،ر ضخ ت م أ ذه انن ا أن ا وخقيق ا ت ي ،طو ال ا ل عمر •
و ال محي صبع د ذ ك م ن أنمتضي ا لأيا م بن ا وتجل ب مع ه ا ما نجاب س م نغ صا ت و م ر ا ت و مت ا ع ب .لر أت خر جبس هول ة م ن مع ه د الم كنن ة
م
ه
ذاك ،وقبل تب ر حابة ص د ر ،أن أعيد س نة دراس ية أخر ى؛ ف ق د كا ت م
226
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
My mother had little doubt that there was great benefit to be had from repeating a year. When 1 graduated 1 got a job straightaway in one of the oil refineries not far from Baghdad. Our eircumstances improved, both materially and psychologically, and we were the e n ^ of many people. We did not move from our modest house, nor did we accept handouts from anyone. The passing of time did not affect family harmony or our close bond with a woman who overwhelmed us with love and understanding. 1 did not envy my sisters when they continued their studies. Quite the contrary, 1 was happy for them. I was twenty-five years old when one of my sisters married. Although at the time 1 did not think about marriage, I did discuss the idea quietly with my mother, reaching the happy and optimistic conclusion that it was not too late for me. After the revolution, 1 was put in charge of managing the service department at the Doura oil facility. Although my salary increased, my ambitions did not. I had the same kind o f feelings of contentment my mother had, and I felt comfortable. I was not philosophical about life. I thought that life, or rather the material possessions it offered, did not force people to pursue them, nor did it tempt them to do so; the fact of the matter is that people instil in themselves a desire and love o f ownership and control, committing crimes under the guise of legitimate ambition. 1 discussed this with my mother, who as 1 have said was illiterate ؛she appreciated my way of thinking and realized its implications. She was so touched by it that she came over to kiss me, praying God to keep me in good health. My mother and 1 lived by ourselves in our small house after my sisters got married, but we did not feel despondent as it was normal in our society for women to marry, live in their husbands’ houses and lead their own lives. That day was the start of autumn. 1 was twenty-eight years old. 1 was busy at work, not doing anything in particular, when Dr Ahmed
F u’a d al-Takarli
7ق 2
ا إلع ا دة،
حسب
ت خر ج ن
رأ ي وال دت ي ،ف ا ئ د ة كبيرة الش ك ءيه ام
و ي ن ب ا م ر ة ل ي ل م أ ح د المعام ب للتصفيق ا ل ت ر وي ة ي ع ز
ض ا حية غئربع ي د ة عن بغداد .كن ا نع ي ش يت وازن ما د ي و ش م لر ننتق ل ص دارن ا ا ل واض ع ة و م نق ل
م ا عدة من أ ح د؛
ض ,م د م
ك ا م إنغ ر ط ،
ال ز س- ،آلف ا و ال سن ا ح و ل تن ك المر أة الفي ا ضةبالمحبة وا ك ه م"،و م
ستمرلن م دراستهن ،ل تصا أخواي
د
خلام ة وى ما
والع ض ن م ن ع م ر ي -ص ن خ ط ب ت إ ح د ى خقيق ا تي وتزو ج ت .م
م
آن ذا كبال زوا ج .ن ا ق ش ت ال ف ك رة ،بهدوء* ،ع وال دت يف انتهين ا إ ل ش ح ة م ر.ئ و م شرقة هي أن الق ط ار ب يف تبع د عل ي. ١١ كن ت أ صم حمت،بع د الث و رة ،مس ؤ و ال عن إدارة ق م اك ص ل ح ا ت م منش ا ت ررال د و رة)) ١٢النف طية ،فزاد راتبي ل ك ن ط م و ح ي م يزد• ك ا ن ل دي ب ع ض اب زي ن م ن أ حا سي س القن ا عة ال ذ يتمل ك ه وال دت ي ،و ك ت مرت ا ح أ .ثر أكن غير أق و ج د ت الحي ا ة أو ،إذا أردن ا ال دق ة ،معروض ا ته ا،
ال
مص د
ل إلن س ا ن و الت س ع ى إليه ك ي تغ ريه،ب ل ا ل ح قيق ة ا لخفية هي أن ا إلن سا ن بذاته، ال ذ يي ح ر ض نفس ه عل ى الت م ن ي وا ال ث ت ه اء ،وعل ى وارتك ا ب
ا ل جرائ مباسم
ت مل ك ح ب ال
والسي طر ة
ا ل ط م و ح المش ر وع .ه ذه اخل ا ط ر ة قل ته ا ل وال دتي،
األم ية ال تي الت عر ف الق راءة و الالكت ا.دة ،ففه م ته ا وأدرك ت أب عا د ه ا وتأثرت به ا ،فق ا م ت لتقبل ن ي وتدع و ا س لي حف ظ ن ي .كن ا ل و حدن ا ز دارتن ا ا ل م عذرة، ب ع د أن تزو ج ت خقيقت ا ي ا لأخ ري ا ن خ ال ل ا ل ع ا م الما ضي ،لكنن ا لر نك ن نش عرب ا ل و ح شة ،ف ق د ك ا ن ت مح ن ة المجتم ع^ ال بشر ي أن تتزوج الشفيق ا ت، وأنم ي ضتن إ ل بيو ت أزوا ج ه نليع ش ن حي ا ت ه ن اخلاص ة .ذ ل ك ال نه ار، اخ ل ر ي ف ،كن ت م الث ا م نة وا ل ع شرين م ن ع م ر ي و ك ت م ن ك بأ عل ى ا نمل، غثر م ن ش غ ل بشيء ،ح تن طل بن ي الدكت ور أ ح م د راغ ب الم دي ر ا ل عا م
ؤء
ا
228
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
Raghib, the general manager ٠٢ the refine^ laboratories, sent for me. I went to wash my hands and ehange my clothes for the meeting with him. 1 did not wonder about the reasons for this somewhat strange invitation ؛I was not particularly bothered. I sat waiting for a few minutes in the reception area and was then shown into his grand office. He was a forty-something, sullen, well-dressed man with a sharp eye. He welcomed me, somewhat rese™edly, and stood up to shake my hand: “Come in, Mr Abdul Rahman. Be seated.” 1 had often heard about his integrity and managerial acumen. 1 speculated that, perhaps, he was going to ask me to move to a different plant. The matter did not concern me much. As it turned out, his request was far simpler than that. He knew about my practical experience repairing machines, and asked me to take a look at the oil heating system at his official residence before he started using it. It had been damaged the year before, and had not been repaired properly. He added that the house he lived in was owned by the state, and he feared that if he asked an ignorant worker to fix the system, he might do more harm than good. I concurred with his argument, and smiled. I asked him politely when he would like me to start. He told me he would like me to get on it straightaway, if possible. Then he called his secretaiy and asked her to tell his driver to take me to his house and bring me back afterwards. The general manager’s house was not far from the plant; it only took ten minutes by car before the driver pointed to a grand, white house with two floors, which appeared at the end of a clean tarmac road. It was surrounded by extensive gardens, with green trees seemingly glistening under the September sun. My arrival had been announced. The gardener was waiting near the outside door, while the housemaid stood on the balcony facing the main entrance. The maid showed me to the boiler room at the back of the house. She was a polite young lady in clean clothes, well versed in the art of addressing the likes of me with contempt.
F u’a d al-Takarli
و22
خلص ب ة ،ف ذ هب ت أغ ل ي د ي وأبد ل ثي ا ب ي س د ا دأ ك ^ ،دون؛ن ؛عامل ا أت ساءل عن أ ب ا ب ه ذه ال د ع و ة الغ ريبةب ع ض الغ رابة• لر أ م ظق ا ،ق ىو ن م ك زق ي ء • جل ت ح ظ رألمص غ ر فة ال ك ر "مة دق ا ئق ئ ة ،ا د خل إ ل م كتب ه ال ف خ م .ك ا ن م ح وإ ل ، ^ ^ ١ج ه م الطلع ة ،أ ن ش ا لل س، يف بز حي ب مت حف ظ! الن ظ ر ا ت،تلق ا -تفف
ل
س
ي د عبدا ل ر ح م ن .تفض ل ا ج ل س.
ت مق ا م بماف ح ي. كن ت سمع ت مرارأ عن استقام ته و ص البته ا إلدارية ،ف خ م ت أض رئ، يريد أن ينقل ت ي إ ل
س ر آ خ رب رض ا ي• م يه م ن ي ا ل أ م كمحرأ؛ إ ال أن ط د
يف ، ك ا ن أب س ط م ن ذ ل ك .ر ج ا
س ب ماي عر فه عن خ رتي ا لعم ليةبالم ك اتن
وتصلي حا ته ا ،أن أل ق ي ن ظ ر ة عل ى ج ه از ال ت دفئ ة النف ط ي يفر داره ا لخك و مية
قب ل أن ييدأ بتشغيل ه ،ف ق د أ صابه ع ط ب م ا ل م ن ة الما ص ة و ميت متصلي ح ه ك ا ي ج ب .ث م أض ا ف أن داره ه ذه م ن ممتل ك ا ت ال د ول ة ،وأنه ي خ ش ى أن س تق د م أع ا م ل ج ا ه آ ل فيف س د ا ل ج ه از بد ل أن ب مل ح ه .أيدته ز أق وال ه مبت س م أ و صا ك ب أ د ب م ت ى يفض ل أ ن أ ب دأ ا ل ع م ل فأ ج ا ب ؛ ح ا آل إ ن أ م ك ن ؛ ث م ك ل م الس كر تبرة
ور ج ا ه ا أن تخبر سا ئق ه أن ينقل ن ي إ ل بيته م وي عو د بيب ع د ذ ل ك. م ي ك ن م س ك ن ا ل س ي د الم دي ر ا ل عا مب ع ي دأ عن ا ل م ع م ل؛ إذ !٢مت ض إ ال دق ائق بم ينم ،ال ح تلن ا م نه اية عث ر ح تى أش ار السا ئق إ ل دار ف خ م ة ،بيض اءي ط ا طريق م ن ي ش ف • ك ا ن ت محاط ةب ح ديق ة واض ع ة ،ب د ت
ل
ض راء تت ال معح ن ت أش ج ا ره ا ا لخ
ش م س أي ل و ل؛ وك ان وا عل ى ع ل م .ممج يئي ،إذ راي ت ي طيف ينت ظ ر قرب الب ا ب اخ ل ار ج ي واخ ل ا د م ة واقفة م ال شرفة مق اب ل الم د خ ل ا ل رئي س ي .د ك ي ع د ؛ م م ن ا ل ج ه ازن ص بيفر ا ل ج هة اخ لل في ة م ن ال دا ر .ك ا ن ت ش ابة م ؤدبة بثي ا ب ذ ظةمة، ت ق ن ال ك ال مب ا حتق ار مع أمثالي .
230
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
I carefully examined the main b©iler for a while and discovered that it had a simple fault because some ignoramus had tinkered with it. I had no trouble repairing it. As I wanted to examine the rest of the system inside the house, I called the housemaid and requested that she inform the lady of the house and take me inside. It only took me a few minutes, and I did not find anything wrong with the rest of the internal heating system. I thought it would be a good idea to switch on the entire system and verify that it worked properly, and told the housemaid of my intention so that she could c a r^ the message to the lady of the house. She hesitated for a moment, then asked me to wait outside on the balcony while she informed her mistress. My hands were grimy from the black grease of the boiler, so 1 started to wipe them with a paper tissue. As I stood waiting on the balcony, لlooked at the vast garden extending seeming endlessly, its tall, swaying trees screening the horizon. I heard a familiar, warm voice before I could turn around. “Excuse me, is there really a need for ...” She stood in the doorway, looking radiant in a light-blue outfit. She looked at me as I turned towards her. “Oh ... Abdul Rahman! Mr Abdul Rahman? Is that you?” She raised her heavily beringed hand in front o f her mouth. Throughout my life, I’ve always believed that calm is never followed by a storm, and that it is possible to leave the past behind and to live a slow and easy life until the end. I was not ready to change my mind about this, but my mother disagreed. She said: “How could you forget Khadija? It wasn’t so long ago that she left us all of a sudden! But ... how silly o f me! It’s been ten years ... no ... it must be twelve, or perhaps more. Oh, God! It’s as if it’s been only hours! Did you say that she is very keen to see me?” I shook my head. ^ ٠^ and then, she used to come to our house, accompanying her mother; she was thirteenyears old then . . . a strik in g -lo o k in g g irl w ith
F u'ad a l-T a k a rli
1و2
ق ضي تبع ض ا ل و ن ت أف ح ص بدقة المحر ك األ م ا م ي،ف اكت ص ي م ئ ؤ
بسيط أ ن اجن أ عن عبث م ن قب لن ا س جا هلت ن .أ صلحته دون عناء مرخ ء أ رد ت أن أف ح ص بقية ال تأسي ا ت دا خ ل ا لهت ف ا د ي ت عل ى اخل ا دمة وكىرت
دمحاتق،ولم م نه ا أن ت ب ر الس يدة بذ ل ك وترشدن أل ال دا خ ل*متءاألمر أعم على أي خ ل ل في اآلال ت ال دا خلية ،فخطر ل أن أخغ ل ا ز ه ال ل1كمله لأتا ك د م ن أنه ي عملب انت ظام .أ خ ر ت اخل ا د م ة بف كر ت ي ك ي تعر ضهL
ر
ب د ت ه ا .ت ردد تقلي الن م ر ج تن ي أن أنت ظر ز ا لرتفه اخل ا ر ج ية رئ ط تممحبر <
كن ت ملط خ ال ي دي نببع ض ل ه ون ا ت ا-يه ازا س مداء ،فأ خ ذ ت أمسمح ه ا مندي ل و رق ي .ب د ت ل الح دي ق ة م ن الشرفة ،ش ا
ذ ال نه ا ية لح د و د ه ا ،وأخ ج ارمحا
العالية الت مايل ة ت خف ي خ ط ا لأفق .سمع ت الصو ت الداف ئ األل ي ف ق ل أن
أل تف ت. -
العف وس ي د ،ه لجن د ضرورة
٠ ٠ ٠
ك ا ن ت م ب دل ة خر و ج زرق اءف احت ة ،تق ف ،مشع ة بأ ل و انه ا ،ي إ طار الب ا ب . رأتني ح ئ ن اس ت د ر ت إل يه ا . ، ٥١ -
عبد ا ل ر ح م ن أ محس
د
عبد ا ل ر ح م ن؟ أن ت؟
ورف ع ت ي د ه ا ،المغ طا ةبخا ل و م ،إ لف م ه ا . كا ن
يف ر
ظ ن ي ،طو ا ل حي ا ت ي ،أن ال هد و ء التع قب ه عاص ف ة ،وأن م ن المم ك ن
أنيست م ر الشمسي ا ن والب طء والرت ا خ ي ز المع ي شة ح ت ى ال نه ا ية؛ و م أك ن مستع دا
م حر وأيي هذا ،غير أن وال دت ي لر تقب ل هذا الر أ ي من ي. قال ت: كي ف است طع ت أن تنس ى ررخدي ج ة)) وا سم ه ا ،و ممي ض وق ت ط و ل طتركتن اف جأة؟ ول ك ن . . .ما ! ،٣ ٢إنه ا عث ر ف و ا ت ،الب ل اثنت ا عث رة
ا
ورمما أ كث ر.يا ف .كأن ه ا محاع ا ت ! تق و ل إنه اتر ي دب إلحا ح أن؛ ^^ ١؟ فهزز ت هل ار ؟ س • ك\ ت ت أز \ م ق د زه ا م فت ة و ا ن د ه ا .ين ا لخن وا الخر ١٠٠ص بي ة ز ٠٠١
عث رة من ع مر ه ا .مت\كذه ا م وداء م\ نتين والثجر ،ناصع ة .يآ ض از جهم
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
2و2
black eyes, black h a ir a n d a p ale w hite com plexion . H erm otherusedto leave her w ith us.
/ never knew why. She used to help my mother and
sisters w ith the household chores. K h a d ija openly showed herfondness fo r me, never refused me an yth in g a n d was alw ays eager to please me.
/, on the other hand, was a t that w ild age offourteen, reserved\ shy an d too p roud to pay any attention to you n g g irls. K h a d ija would throw d a zzlin g glances a t me, her rosy cheeks blushing whenever
/
talked to her or asked h e rfo r something.
My mother added: “How can you ask who she was? But ... don’t you know? She’s the daughter o f Ali Asghar, a sergeantmajor in your uncle’s outfit and his aide. Her poor mother was very fond of me, and used to come and visit us and leave Khadija with us so that she could help me out around the house and play with the girls until her mother finished the housework at your uncle’s house. How destiny can change things! Did you say that she’s the wife of your managing director? Talk about a reversal of fortune!” Afterwards, I needed to restore the hidden balance of the simple and unexciting life I had always wanted. Unfortunately, the memories would not allow me to do so. We were free as birds that sum m er holiday. M y sisters, K h a d ija an d I fooled aro u nd an d played in ou r large house to ou r hearts9 content, w ith the innocence o f childhood. The gam e we used to p lay most was hide-and-seek. It was an e x citin g g a m e ,fu ll o fcu n n in g , an d we preferred it to a ll others. A s we played once that K h a d ija a n d
/’/ so often, // happened
/ were h id in g in a d ark corner behind a p ile
ofbedding in one o f the rooms. We were wedged together next to the w all, hunching in fe a r o fb e in g spotted by my youngest sister, when
/
suddenlyfelt the com bined heat o fo u ryo u n g bodies. N e xt to her, Ife lt my shoulder brushing up against her heaving bosom. H e r sh in in g eyes radiated w ith delight, fra m e d by the black h a ir th at cascaded around them.
مwas shaking , subconsciously w an tin g to move closer to her
and p u t my arm s around her. I fe lt deliciously d izzy a n d drew her close to my chest; I started pressing m yself strongly against her, feelin g the curves ofh er body w hile she gave herselfover to me.
F u ’ad a l-T a k a rli
وو ق
و و ك ه ا و ا ن د ه ا ندي ن ل ال أ د ر ي
م ل ف آ خ ذ ■ س م ح دة ض وخ غ ذ\ ز
ش د و ن الدار•،ث كان ت فع دنه -ي ج م
صي ؤ ز إل ي ج و ف^ ،تح
ر ن م لخد م ز .م ا ل ز ق ٦١ -آن ي إ أ ش م حه \
س من و ش .
ع م ي ن ز ح ز با ق ،ا زاس م عممآ ،م ن م الم خ م ل آ م ت ي ر ١ع ق
\ ين
الص م ا ت.ا وو ك\ ث(( خدي ج ه”اا ق اس ي ي ن ف را ه ااب ا مل ة ،و خ ب و د ئ و ٠ زدادا ح م ر ر ١ك ل ما ك لمته ااؤ خحز ؤ ق ا ه ي محنه ا ئا. تاب ع ت وال د ت ي ح ديث ه ا ;
-
تق و ل م ن كانت؟ ول كن ه ا• أ التعب؟ ابنة ري س ال م ذ ا« 14،علي أصد) )
ال ذ ي ك ا ن حت ت إمر ة خ ا ل ك و مرافقا؟ل ل ه ،وأ م ه ا ا ل م ك ي ن ة كا ن ت تأض ؤدد ق
ي
بي ،وتبقيه ا عندن ا كيت ما عد ز وت لع ب مع البن ا ت ر ث م ا تك م د
هي خدمته ا م بيت خ ال ك .يالل ق د ر ة أ تق و ل إنه ا زو ج ة م ديركم٢^ ١؟ يالل ق د ر! ك ا ن ع ل ئ ،بع د ذ ل ك ،أن أعيد الت وازن ا ل المر ت ي لحي ا ت ي ال ت ي أردته ا ،دائ ما،
بسي ط ة و م س ط حة .ول ك ز ال ذ كريا ت لررتت ك ل أن أنجح ش هذه الم ه مة . ك ا أ حر \ر \ك \ل ط و ر >،ي تل ك العطل ة \ضس ف ه ا \ ل\ وذ ذ ث \ ي وخدي جة، غر ح ون ل ع ب ؤ ي ت ن ا \ن ك وك م انش اءونش ا ء\ ذمل اءه مو\ ن ث واخت ال ط ا حور٠ وك ا ن ت ت ل ك \ذد م ة(( ا لمخب0ا 17اخل ميل ة وازاو ض"،
م ي\ذف جب ذ ب ن ا أ م من
ا أللع ا ب ا لأخرى• ومحع ه اوبمودي اد اخت ال ط ا ح ور منت ا ).صار ا م ؛ ا ئ زا جدن ل مأن ا ث ه ا محبين ؤ غ س ذاويةضيفة وراءن و مه من \ المنه
ب عض ا حذو ا لخدان ١٠خشه ق ز٧١ ؤ إ حدى غرف محت• ه صتن ا . ي\خف الصفرى ،واش ح مت حرزه \حس\دل\ الفتة عق حنغف لة .18ى ب م ج م هأال أ ح س .ب ك ت في مب ى ص د ر ه ا و ا ال ر ص اخل ج و ل د ه د ه اما د
س
عيننخ اير \ شن تش عان ا ،ده حه ا و خ ص ال ت \ ذ شم \ الم و د تل ت ف حو٠٠^ ١٢٠ ث م م مت ز ب ف م و د د ت م زمحي\\ ،ه ك س ا ه ا أك ث ؤ\ م ذ س م ا ب ي ا م م يك،ذكف دوار ن ن ب ذ ض م م ته ا ا ذ ص د ر ي ور ح ت \ض عط ي ش ده و ا م' 1سدا جس د ه ا و من حي اته و كان ت س ت ؤ ن ة ،إل
٠
2 4 و
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
Memories do not vanish from a person’s mind for no reason. Indeed, they can be a source of misery if one is not careful. I was in the middle of something, concentrating on my work, when I was once again summoned by the general manager. “Thank you so much, Mr Abdul Rahman. We turned on the heating yesterday, and it’s working fine. O f course, this is all thanks to you.” All the while, he was busy opening his desk drawer, and never looked up at me. “Were you and my wife neighbours some years ago?” I told him we had been, and he raised his head, holding ه parcel in his hands. I didn’t like his look. He offered me the parcel: “This is a small gift as a token of my deep appreciation. I hope you’ll accept it from me as a sign o f friendship.” I was embarrassed, and began to stammer. As he got up, he added: “Today you’ll be taken back to your house by my driver, so that he learns where it is, as my wife would like to visit your mother tomorrow. That is, if it’s okay with you, of course?” Afterwards, my mother gave me a full account of the visit: “She leaped at me and started to shower kisses on me, on my hands, cheeks, shoulder and hair. I was even afraid she might drop her young son she was holding in her arms. She’d called him Abdul Rahman, out of affection for you. Do you see? “I was saddened by the difficult times they’d had, and the terrible hardships they’d endured after her father retired, and, later on, after his death in their Turkmen village near Kirkuk. She told me how her mother, may she rest in peace, wanted to return to Baghdad, to us ... However, she became disabled through illness. “Finally, she got married five years ago. Now she’s settled here. She asked about anyone who was in some way connected with Bab El-Sheikh. She was on the verge of tears when she recounted that her heart had nearly stopped when she saw you in front of her, in worker’s overalls and your hands all grimy. She really is a genuine person! If only you could see how many presents she brought me and your sisters.”
F u a d al-Takarli
2 35
ال جت ىء ال ذ ك ر إ ت ء ن و ص اآن ا ن؛دون
ب ؛ فه ي م م د ر ي ئ
ميا ,خ ذ ح ذ ر ه ؛ ا ى ؛يفم ء م ؛ ا س م ،،أ ح ذ ر غ ي وأد ح نن أر م ل ا ل س ي د الم دي ر ا ل عا مب طل ب يت
ب ؛ د ال*ل ث
-شك ر ا ي د عبد ا لر ح م ن ،أل ف شك ر• شغلن ا ج ه از ا ك د ئ
أم س وحى ن
ع ب أ ح ش م ايرام ،؛الفض ل م ذ ل كيع و د ل كب ال طتع• يم ف .ولم يرغع ن ظ ر ه،ب ل بق ي م ن شغ ال بفت ح در ج م م كتبه! أكنت م جمران أه ل زو ج تي قب لض و ا ت ؟أ جبتهب ا إلي ج ا ب ؛ف ر ف ع رأس ه وه و ب م س كبلف ا فة ض يديه .ملرمح ي ق د م ل ى ال1ف افةت -ه ذه هديةب سي ط ة
كتعبيرا عن ع م ي ق شك ر ي .أر ج و أن ل ج ب مني
ع رب و ن ص دا ق ة بينن ا . خ جل ت م نتصرفه وت ل ج ل ج ت م ال ك ال م ب ش ك ل مزع ج .أردف و م يق ف:
ال ي وم ب و دب كس ا ئق ي إ ل بيتك مليس ت د ل عليه ،فزو جتي تروم أن تزورال س د ة والدت ك غدا ،إذا س م ح ت ب ذ ل ك . ح د ك ي و ال د’نيت م -ارت ت عل ي مل ه و فة وأ خ ذ ت تقبل ن ي قب ال ت ال تت ه ي ؛ م يد ي وو جي وكتف ي وق ع ر ي ،ح تى خ شي ت أن يق ع ابنه ا الم غتر م ن مح ن ذرا ب•
ذ
عبد ا ل ر ح م ن ي من اب ا س م ك .أترى؟ أب كت ي اخ ل ا ل ا ل ص عبة التي م وا بها، و ك ي ف ذاق و ا ' ' ا أل مر ي ن مح ن تق ا ع د أبيه ا ووف ا ته و ه م
م قريته م ا م كم أني ة
بن وا ح ي ك ر ك و ك " .تق و د ك م أراد ت أم ه ا ،ير ح م ه ا ا ذ ،أنتع ود إ لب غداد• إي ا ،إ ال أن
المر ض أقع د ه ا .ن م جا ءه ا ا ل ص ب
” أ ض؛ نتزو ج ت
ط
ض
ف و ا ت وا ث ر ت به ا الحي ا ة هن ا .ك ا ن ت ت أ ل عن ا ك ز م نل ه م ا ةبمءأل (رب ا ب ال ثءخ» إ
ال
أنه ا مت
م لإل
نتي ج ة ما .تق و ل وهي عل ى وث
ك
مء•
و غقل به ا إ ل ا لأرض ج ن رأت ك أمام ه ا ،واقف ا' م ل ط خ اند ه ن ه ا ب العطل• فت ا ة أصيل ة حق ا أ ل وت ر ى ما ج ل ي ت ل ول شقيق ات ك م ن هداي ا .
2 6 و
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
I did not know what to do with the memories that subsequently began to besiege me wherever I went, other than conjuring them up over and over again. Perhaps they would end up being consumed, their effect eradicated from my mind. It turned out that during our chance encounter she was more versed in the relations a n d delights that can exist between a man and a woman than / was. A s soon as مhesitantly p u t my lips ٠٠ her cheeks to kiss her, / could feel her arms around me, her hot lips seeking my mouth an d grabbing it. It was a gentle, yet burning kiss. It completely threw me, a n d took us away fro m the world. We wen not discovered, and, in the end, we left our h id in g place to rejoin the game, intentionally m aking a lot o f noise. N o t a trace o f my kisses remained on her hot, shiny lips as she ran her tongue along them.
After the meeting, I did not know what had happened to my universe. 1 had fallen victim to a constant state ofbewilderment, which worried me more than it did my mother. I was certain that nothing new had happened, so what caused my apathy at work and an unusual loss of interest in the machine world around me? Eve^thing was normal, and had been in its place since time immemorial, except that this heart of mine was continuously agitated. She invited all of us, by way of her im portant husband, to her grand house for dinner - all of us ... all of us: my mother, my three sisters with their husbands and children, and 1 ... 'A ll . . . a l l ofyou should come a n d v isit us." Faced with this overwhelming desire, we could not but gratefully accept the invitation. Our moment of seclusion and kisses, which appeared to me to be engraved on my forehead and in the sky, raced through my mind, conjuring up images o f other passionate encounters. 1 remembered my hunger for her - a special kind of hunger that consumes the mind and body and eve^thing in between. 1 could not bear to be away from her, except for the briefest of moments, and 1 did all 1 could to spend time just with her. It
ad a l-T a karltد F u
37ق
صرف حثمأ مئ ن ؛) أ ج د ما أ صل ه مع الذكريا ت التي أخذ تحنا ي أن أمحتع ي د ه ا وأمحتع ي د ه ا ،لع ل ه ذ ه ا الضتعا دا ت الم ت ك ر ٥ن ث ا / آ < م ا س مم ى .
م رل
ص تحل م م ي محذاق ،م ا س صيف ،ال .ين \ لمآ ه واإذ £ صال ت ون ذا ذا ت ،ض ا \دا ز سشا ن ي عق خلوسم ا قل ه\ م دد ،م ق م ت.بذ ب
ب محط ان .ي و -ب ن في ه ا الحا د ث ن ت ش دا ن ف ي وذهنت\د مي م .
ك\ ث غ الب اع م ة مشتعل ة رذذهما خ ذ ت •ببي د د ب ت ه ا • م د ا م ٣ ١ و إ ن ك ث ف وخر جن ا.،بع د ال ي ،د ا ك ف ي ن ش ا و د ا لل ع بمبضوض اء
وإقت ي م د ه’ ذ في ها ه م ف س هي م نص أر ي ص و م م بمل ي عي ه م ا.
لمر أدر ،مب د ذ ل ك ،ما ال ذ ي ج د م ه ذا ال ك و ن ،وجعلني مملو كأخلاالت ذه و ل م ظ.بم ،كا ن ت تقل قني أك ر مما تقل ق والدت ي .ل)ي ح م ل أ م ج د ه بال تأ كي د ؛ ف م ا
ب ه ذا الت إ ط ؤ
jا ل ع م ل وا اليتعا د ا ل ال ما ر ف عن عا م
ال كا ئ ن المح ي ط يي؟ ك ل ق ي ء كا ن معر وفأ ع ن ذ ز س ،كا ن مو نحو عأ
م م كانه ع ن ال زس
األز,لي ،مرى أن هذا القلب يين الضلوع ال ض يضطرب ويضطرب. دعتن ا ،كلن ا ،عم زو ج ه ا المرمو ق المركز ،لزيارته ا ز داري ال فخم ة ولتن ا و ل طعا م العش اء؛ كلن ا .كلن ا .ا ل وال د ة وآن ا وال ئ قي ق ا ت الث ال ث وأزوا ج من و؛ طفاله ن .كلك م .ك ن ك م ،ن ا مف \ د ن ا .و م ي ك نلن ا ،أ ما م هذا اخلمحم اب ارذ ا ، ض أن نقب لش ا كري ن • خ ل وتن ا ا لأو لت ل ك وقبلتن ا ،ال ت ي خي ل إ ل أنه ا ان طبع ت عل ى جمض و ش
"
صف ح ة ا ل م اء ،تدا خل ت م ذهن ي وأع ا د ت ل صور ا ش،ا ت ؛ألخرى ط .تذكرت ذلك انملشءم إ ي ه ا ،عطشأ ص توع ظص،بمس رجوح وا -ن
د و ما ي ه ما .ل ؛أ ء دق ا د رآ عل ى فراقه ا إ ال ب ت ظ ه ،ى
أع م ر ج ه د يمب د ئ ك ي أنفر د
لر ي ك ن ذ ل ك ط ح أ ط وال الو ث ت؛
وق8
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
was not always possible, and as soon as she left me, my hunger for her returned with a vengeance, burning my chest and my entire being. We had to be careful as we walked along the garden path towards the entrance of their house. Autumn had arrived and surrounded us, like the evening and sky with its poignant blue shades. I walked beside my mother, trying hard to control myself and to act the way I normally did at home. The dinner party was a festival of emotions, sad memories, never-ceasing yearning, bright lights, cheerful noises and children’s music. She appeared to be in harmony with her husband and her beautiful child. She only occasionally addressed me. Yet she would drop eveiything and hang onto my every word whenever I spoke. At times I noticed her looking at me with our usual glance, even if it did not last for more than one second, if that. She stood in front of the glass shelves in a black suit, embroidered with shiny pearls, looking at me with a contemplative, radiant look that was marred by a touch of hidden sadness. Whenever our eyes were about to meet, she elegantly moved to the other side of the room. It was the same look she used to have all those years ago. ! اwas on that noisy, jo y fu l m orning that we stole priceless momentsfrom time; or perhaps it w asfate tw isting the arm o f time so that it would grant those golden moments, against a ll odds. We quickly went up to the sm a ll room we used to c a ll “the K afsh kan ”. We d id not speak much, especially her. We rushed behind a wardrobty in a narrow corner, locked in an eager embrace. M y hungerfor her, this am azing girl, was at its peak. The kisses drowned us in a sea o f obliviousness to the world, a n d
/ was eager to remove her clothes with
my trembling hands. She gave in to my every movement, compliant ٠ silent, kissing me ardently an d drow ning herself in my eyes. Very soon we were naked an d kissing , in no doubt that we •were about to
/ was gripped / looked into her eyes a n d saw a hidden
perform the wondrous act o f creation, when suddenly with an unprecedentedfear as terror and deep sadness
...
F u 'ad a l-T a k a rli
9و2
يف كل ه أنتف ا رق ي حتىيع ود العط ش حادأي حرقص در ي وك إ ي
ض
ص ر ض نن حدر ا * س م ء م ر الح ديقة الى
ب
داره م .كا ن اخلر ي ف هن ا ك،ي حي ط ب آ ؛ وا ل —اء وا ل س ماء ذا ت الزرئ اإؤ
و ك ت أستر جن ب وال دت ي ،جا هدا أن أضبط إيق ا ع مس ى مم ض ال*ائل م
ا لما /ي ى .
كا ن ت دع و ة العش اء م ه ر جان ا م ن ا لعوا ط ف الت إ دل ة والن-كر إ ت ال ،م إ وا لخنتن ال ذ ي لر ي خ م د ،وا لأض واء والص خ ب المر ح و م وس يق ى ا لأءك ا ل؛ وك ا ن ت •ع زو ج ه ا و طفل ه ا ا ل ج م ل ،ب د و عل ى أعل ى در جا ت ا ال ش جام .م ت ك ن تو ج ه إ ل الح د ي ث إ ال لمام أ ،غثر أنه ا كا ن ت تن ط ع ا؛-نغال ه ا إ ي ي يء
ص ف يب ا النتب ا ه لما أقول .ولمحته ا عرة؛ جمعتن ان ح ن ا ال ض لمح ة هي ل ط . لت لر ت د م إ الث ا نية وا ح د ة أو جزءأ م ن ه ا ؛ كا ن ت واقفة أ ما م رف و ف الز جا جي؛ ت
فر ي
بدل ة م وداء مطر زة بآا ل للئ المشع ة ،تن ظر إ ل ن ظر ة ع تأمل ة ،عت المع ة،
تش و به ا م س ح ة م ن ح زن ال يبينم و لر ت د ع ل أن أل تق ي مع ه ابالن ظر ،وتحر ك ت ب خ طو ه ا الم تزن إ ل ج هة أ خر ى .ت ل ك الن ظر ة نف ج ا ه ي ال ت ي ماتزال تحمل ه ا م عينيه ا ا ل جميل تن ن م محن و ا ت الع ه د البعي د .عهدن ا .
ؤ ل ص \ كمى \دو ب.بالض ج ة و\ز ح ا ح ن برق ا من ان سخل ظات
الث من.ا ٢١لعله القدر ال ح ب ١٠م الذي زى درمنع اؤسن من ح ه عق غر ع ا دته ،ت ل ك ا ل ل ح ظ س \ ذذ م ةم صع دذزد ب ر عه“ آ ذ\ ق م نه \ لخشس ه \ شم آ
ي\ذف ك أ ن د عو ه ا لآكفش ك ان ااا ^إ ب ش ى م.ا إ ن ش تب ا دل \ذكر م ا ال
بلهفةوع ج دآ خلف ذو الب و الفي لآ ،خاص ة م .ان م من ا.
لل
ي
ذ س ،ؤ
ذا وية ضيقة .كن ت ي ق م ة من ن م هل ا ،,لهذه \ضس ه ا ه ذ ه م\ إه \ل ذ هله•
ب حر ص الش ا ب عن ،٣ ١رأ ت ش ي م ه م ح ث ■ أء تخرق ا ا ص ؤ . بس ه ا ي ه د م لجف ة .ك\ذ ت مست ل م ة لم .ب ا د رآ م ي .ا م ت م ال مب ش .سيمل \ ه ه وت م ص .د ذ زه \ ف ع ض .و خ الل مت\ذب ث
ي ،
س ا ا ط ل .ه ا
ت حمني ل ون ح ن ش الف ا ال،شذث ا ع ق ا م ت ك ما د ع م ي ة الح ش \ نمحم-ه ا دهم^’ ص د و هاا
ب د ي ىي ه
وا لعم ق م\ ن يق م .م ما ني ق •
< يو (ى ف ب ي ه ا
ه"ا
ش ت
س < ال
ث4 ه
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
It was that same 1 كاممshe exchanged with me at the party, standing at a distance, behind the sparkling glassware, أ ص مis the link between these two looks, so remote in time? أdid not know then, and I still do not know today. A t that moment ٠I p u lle d away fro m her إin aflash. I remember it w e ll ... Oh, how w ell I remember the w arm th o f her abdomen andber bosom, her tenderness a n d our intertw ined limbs. The storm passed peacefully. Unfortunately, my m ental state, lik e other aspects o f my life , took a tu rn fo r the worse thereafter.
The dinner ended as all great feasts do, with the exchange of presents and telephone numbers, kisses and promises of further visits. We were quite happy as we returned to our respective homes. I simply wanted to ignore what had happened, and was determined to draw from my store o f contentment and satisfaction in order to achieve this, if it had not been for another look from her. She was enthusiastically writing down her telephone number for my mother before we left, when she stopped writing as though she had forgotten something and raised her eyes, for a moment, towards me. Her face was radiant, and the way she looked at me revealed a hidden and obscure desire I was able to decipher despite my bewilderment. When we spoke on the telephone, she said, in her warm voice: “Thank you for this call, Abdul Rahman. Thank you very much. I wanted to talk to you, and you’ve made it easy for me. If only you knew how happy I was to see you all.” “To see us all?” “You don’t know what you all mean to me and how I value you all ؛you above everyone else, and, of course, the rest ofyour family. Forgive me, Abdul Rahman, that I won’t be able to see you. I’m indebted to you for everything.” “To me? I don’t know what you mean.” “Oh, how could you say that? Don’t you remember? You didn’t ruin me, though you could have done. Don’t you
Fu *ad al-Takarli
ا 4ق
ت ل ك ك ا ن ت ن ظر ته ا
ش ه ا ال ت ي ر م ت ه ا ع ل ئ ق ل مم ن ومح ي
ص
مع دة ،خل ف الز جا جي ا ت ال تأل قة مثل ه ا• أية دالل ة نجم ع بين م1دين الغإرءء ش ال ز ما ن ؟ لم أ ع ر ف ،و ال أ زا ل.
إ ال أن ال نكو ص منه ا بدأ آن ذا ك .مت ل ك البرهة الزمنية ل1لمح ة |ا^ 4 أتذكر جي م ؟ .آ ه .ك م أتذ كر ج ي دأ حرارةي طن ب وص دره ا ون عوم ته ا ،و م م أعض ائن ا وأف خ اذن ا .و مر ت العاص ف ةب س ال م ،ل ك ن أم و ر ي ال ش بة و غمهمإ،
انتكسسمت ا بيبع د ذللن ،ك ماي جب. انته ى م ه ر جا ن ا ل عش اء ك ما تنته ي الم ه ر جان ا ت الك ب ر ى .ب ا لهد ب و ص وب ال وع و د بزيا را ت أ خر ى وتب ا د ل أرق ا م التلف ون ا ت ؛ وكن ا سع داء ونمح ن ع ا ئ د و ن إ ل بي وتن ا . كن ت أ ريد أن أ ه م ل ك ز ما ح ص ل بهدوء ،مص ن م أ عل ى ا الستعا نة يخزيتي
م ن أ ح ا ب س القن اعة إل نجاز ه ذه الم ه م ة ،لو الن ظر ة أخر ى م ن عينيه ا .كا ن ت،
ب ح ما س ،س ج ل رن متليف ونه ا لوال دت ي قب ل أن نغ ادر “ ،م ن توقفت عن الكت ابة كأنه ا نس ي ت أمر أ ما ،ورف ع ت عينيه ا ،لحظ ة ،وت طلع ت إ ل جان ب ح ي ث أ ق ف .ك ا ن و ج هه اص ثي لآ ،رائع أ ،وان ط ا فت ه ا البسي ط ة ن ح و ي تو حي ب رغبة غ ا م ضة مس شرة ،است ط ع ت رغ م اض ط ر اب ي ،أن أفه م ه ا .
قال ت ،عبر ال ه ا ت ف ،بمو ته ا الداف ئ : أخكر كيا عبد ا ل ر ح م ن عل ى خم ابرت ك ه ذ ه .أ شك ر ك ركث ي أ ،ك ت أريدأن أ حدث ك ،فس ه ل ت ل ذ ل ك .لوت علم ك م سع د تبر ؤيت ك م .
-أن ث لآتفه م م ط ك م عند ي و مع زت ك م .أن ت أوآل وآخر أ وبقية العائلة .
اليتؤا خذ ف عبدا ل ر حم ن لأي ال أست ط ع رؤيت ك ،ول كن ي م دينة ل ك ب م
.ان ا ؟ ال م مف ط م م ا م ول ن .
-آ ه ،كي ف تق و ل ث ؟ أ ال ت ذ كر ؟ أ ث م ت
ص .كن ت ن ا درا ء د
ذ ك .أ ال تتذكر ؟ ل ق د حف ظتن ي .حف ظ ت ل حي ا تي ،ولر أ ش ذ ل ك• أن
242
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
remember? You spared me. You spared my life, and I can never forget that. You’re the one who granted me the life I’m living now. Anyway, how are you? Do you know what happened to me when 1 saw you ... that day ...?” She stopped talking for a moment, evidently struggling to continue the conversation. “Your mother told me that you’re happy with her. Is that true, Abdul Rahman? Tell me you are happy. Aren’t you happy?” “To some extent ؛to be more precise, I’m content with my circumstances. 1 have an ample store of such feelings.” “Is that enough? Is that enough for you?” “What else can 1 do?” I heard her sigh.”Can I help you in any way ...a s a friend?” I did not respond. An embarrassing silence passed. She asked me: “Are you still ill? I mean, you know ...” “More or less. I’m o f no use to anyone." “Really? Oh, God! Our happy times didn’t last for long." The next day I sought refuge in that store of feelings I had proudly told her about. I only found hunger, misunderstanding and hollow echoes, which rang out the name of “Khadija”.
Fu’ad al-Takarlt
43ق
أن ما م مطل قأ• أن ت ال ذ ي من ح تني حي ا ت ي هذه• ول كن• كي ف أن ت؟ ئ ؛ا ح ص ل ق وأن ا أراك• ر أ ي ذ ك الي و م .و ص م ت ت ،وك ا ن ت نمر ز ال ك ال م: ك ما ي د و ،ك ي
٠
ش هأ
ن؟؟ م ز ع؛د امل ر-ءح مص فال ت ز ا ل و ال د ة أنل ي م ع ي د مع ه ا• أ لي س ك ذ ل كيا عبدأنلثم محم د .ألس ت صع ي دا ؟ إ ل ح د أما .أن اب ا ل ح ر ىق ا ن ع.مم ا أن ا فيه-ل د ي خزين ع ن هذه ا-
و ه ل تكف ي
-و
م
هذه؟
ك ر
ه ل تكفي ك؟
ل إذا؟
سمع ت ه ا تتنهد؛ ألست ط مع م اعدت ك .كص ديق ة ؟لر أ جبه ا• مر ت بينن ا فتر ة ص م ت محر ج•س أل تن ي: ٠أ الت ر ا د م ريض ا ؟ أعني أ ثت علم . تق ريب ا .الف ا ئ د ة م ن ي كبيرة• ح ق أيا إل ه ي .لر ت د م أوق اتن ا السع ي د ة طوي لأ.استن ج د ت ،ز الي و م ا1تالي ،بذ ل ك ا لخزين ال ذ ي ح دثت ه ا عنه ا فت خ ار، ف لم أل ق ى إ ال ا لع ط ش وض وء ال أف ه م وا لص دا ء ا ل جوف اء .ك ا ن اسم ه ا ررخدي ج ة)).
244
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Language Notes
1. غزين: “storage” (> ( خزنi), “to store”). 2 . ال إل يي <ت الزئي ا ت+ (“not” + “seen” ؛cf . ا إلي ا ت, “the vis world”). The use of the particle الis a common feature in MSA, where it is joined with a noun ٠٢ adjective to render the £nglish “un/in-” or “non-”: e.g. “( ال م ك ز يdecentralized”), “( الم ا ديةimmaterialism”). Note that if the article is added, there are two ل, e.g. “( ا ل ال ن ن ؤ وليةirresponsibility”). The Arabic words ع؛رand ، غنcan be u؟ed in a similar sense: e.g. “( غذم ا ال نت غ ي اءshamelessness”), “( عأر ن ج و لunreasonable”). 3. ث ق ي ق ة: (pi. ؛نقيف ا تm. ف ق ي ق, pi. أشئ ا ة, ;) أ ب ب ةa blood-sister (i. e. same father and mother) as أ غ تcan be used for “stepsister”, “half-sister” or even as a form of address for an unrelated fem ale.
4 . ال ذ ن ر خ ا نه ا: lit. “Time has betrayed (the family).” 5. ث ح اف عل ي هم ا ب ا ب ال نزق: lit. “God opened livelihood to both of them” ؛in this context, however, it m؟ans that God had mercy on them. 6 . ين ا الدني ا ه ط خ: lit. “the world descended on us”, i.e. things declined in material terms. 7. جاز الزما ن ين ا: lit. “time was cruel to us”; ( جارu), “t tyrannize”, “to commit an outrage” > ي ز ر, “oppression”, “injustice”. 8. رأس ا ل ج و د: (pronounced r a ’s al-chot) a suburb o f Baghdad at the end o f Bab El-Sheikh (see next note). Note that the Iraqi dialect (like some Gulf dialects, as well as Palestinian) has the sound “ch” (as in “Charles”), which is usually represented in writing by the so-called “three-dotted jirrT y i.e. ج. This letter is originally Persian, which has provided other letters to render “European” sounds: ( بfor “p”) and ( كfor “g”). Note, however, that in Egypt جis used to denote “j” (as in “genre”) ؛c f . ج را ج, “garage” (since جis
Fu’ad al-Takarli
ت4 5
pronounced “g” in ECA). In Morocco “g” is represented by a three-dotted kaf, % as in the place-name .أثمادير ب ا ب ال ئ ن خ و: one of the densest populated areas, situated in the heart of Baghdad. Literally meaning “the door of the Shaykh”, it refers to Shaykh ‘Abd al-Q^dir al-Gaylanl, (1077-1165), whose tomb is in the Mosque that is named after him, and which attracts thousands of visitors each year. Fu’ad al-Takarl! was born in Bab El-Sheikh. 10. 3أثا م اأع: lit. “days o f glory”. 11. الق ط ار ل) ن م ن م نع د غ ل ئ: lit. “the train has not pass yet”, i.e. there is still time for me to get married. 12. ال دو رة: a small town some twenty kilometres outside Baghdad, known for its oil refineries. وا. ن ت ة الم خ ث ن ع: lit. “law of society”, meaning customary procedure. In another context ال ن ت ةor نت ة الثبيrefers, of course, to the S unna or conduct of the Prophet Muhammad. 14. زئي س الغزف اء: this military term corresponds to رقي ب أؤل (pi. ربجاءin many other countries (Egypt, Syria, Eebanon). The word غزف اءis the plural of ع ر ي ف, which is, variously, a “sergeant” (Iraq) or a “corporal” (e. g. in Egypt, Syria). 15. ن رافق: this term is restricted to Iraq ؛in many other Arab countries, the term ن الزمis used. 16. لل فذ ر يا: on the use of the vocative particle (with )لin this exclamato^ phrase, meaning: “Oh, what a (strange) fate!”, see كت ا ب المو ش, note No 5. 17. ا لخيبة: another common term in ١^ ٨ fof this game is ا لختيل ة ٠٢٠ ( الغ مايةin Egypt it is known as .(أنئن ن اية . ا8. ف ج اءة = حينم الغفل ة وا.أذائ وا ا ل مر ي ن: lit. “they tasted the two bitter things” (> ذاق (u), “to taste”). 20. نثة1فزتته م ا م ك م: “their Turkmen village”; most of populations of the villages around the city of Kirkuk are Turkmen (a Turkic ethnic group found also in areas
246
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
around Arbil and Mosul) and Kurdish. 21. ؛كنك وكan oil-rich city in the north of Iraq. 22. جا ث الن ص ب أخثرا: lit. “fate came to her eventually”, i.e. she got married in the end. 23. الن ط ش: note that in this figurative expression, the Arabic refers to “thirst”, whereas in English it is “hunger”. 24. مح ن ك ا نan old name for a room built inside another room in some traditional Iraqi houses, where the ceiling of the room is very high. Access is provided by a wooden staircase. In some cases, it is simply an attic. It is usually used /o r the storage of furniture, etc. It is also known as مال كم حيمة
Layla al-،Uthman
Born in Kuwait in 1945, Layla al-‘Uthman (Leila Othman) is a well-known novelist and short-stoty writer. She began writing at a very early age while still at school, and published articles in many local periodicals on social and literary issues. She is regarded as one of the most prominent female fiction writers of the Arabian Peninsula. Her collections of short stories include ( انزأة لمي إن اءA Woman in a Vessel, 1976), { ا إل ج لThe Departure , ل97 ) وa n d ا ئ بلن كمآمئ) ص ولH as M a n y Images, 1982). Her novels include ا ل ر أة وال قطه (The Woman a n d the C a t , 1985) and ( ون متة ن ذ ر ج م ن ال بمرSumayya Comes Out o f the Sea, 1986). Her most recent novel, ( المحاك م ةThe T ria l, 2000), portrays the various political and social conflicts she has experienced in her native county. In her fiction, al-‘U th m ^ deals with conflicts between men and women and with the outside world, often concentrating on specifically Arab themes and on the position of women in Middle Eastern society. Many of her works have been translated into a number of European languages (e. g. Russian, German and Swedish). The following story deals with the aspirations, dreams and frustrations of two women belonging to entirely different social and economic backgrounds. At the same time, it also affords the reader a glimpse into the complex social fabric of a society in flux, inextricably bound up with the theme of guest workers.
Night ofTorment With yearning eyes, she looked at the perfume bottle that had been left behind, next to one of the washbasins. She felt ه strong urge to grab it, open it and spray a little on her rough palm, in which she was grasping a quarter d in a r note given to her earlier by the owner of the perfume on her way out. She thought: “What if I took the bottle and sprayed it all over my body, so my enticing fragrance could spread like that of all other women?” Before she could give in to the urge, however, the owner of the bottle returned to the washroom, marched towards the bottle, put it in her handbag and gave her another quarter dinar, as if to reward her for finding the bottle in its place. Then she quickly left, her fragrance lingering in the air. Her veins seemed to extend like fingertips, gathering the smallest particles of the fragrance that made its way from her nose to her lungs, which were saturated with the toilet odour. However, soon after, the smell of disappointment dispelled every whiff of the fragrance. Since she had started her humble job as an attendant in the ladies’ room at the airport, she had been inhaling the black nauseating air that ؛lowed into her windpipe, soothed only by transitory fragrances. She was sitting in her plastic chair, taking in the daily arrivals with languishing eyes: women attired in colourful, elegant clothes, girls squeezed into tight jeans and short blouses, all of whom were in a hurry to relieve themselves. Her ears registered the rustling sound of women’s clothes sliding down their bodies, followed by trickling bladders and murmuring bowels, and then the waterfall of the flush expelling the waste, leaving only the odour in the air. When the women left the cubicles, they gathered at the
ليل ة ال ق ه ر١
عين ا ه ا تغ از ال ن الز ج ا ج ة المنسية ق ر ب المضل ة ،رغبة 'عني فة ني ي ' ١ ب د ض ٠٠ تندف ع إل يه ا ،تفت ح ه ا ،ترشقلي ال عل ى كف ه ا ا لخض ال ذ ي م الدين ا ر د ك ا ن ت ص ا حبة الز ج ا ج ؛ ق د أسق ط ته إل يه ا قب ل أن تمخ ر ج.
ء ن ؟
رر ما ذا لو آ خ ذ ت الز ج ا ج ة كل ه ا أرشه ا عل ى جم د ي فتف و ح را ح ي
ق هي م
ك ك ل ا ل م اء؟)). ات ه ت ن م م ن ش ي قب ل أن تحمل ه ا ص ه و ة ا ل ر غبة اقت ح م ت المر أة الم ك ا ن ،ج التق ط ته ا ،د ش ه ا م ح قيبة ي د ه ا ،واست ك ر ع دين ا رآ خ ر ك س يك افئه ا ع ر و ج و د الز ج ا ج ة ز م ك ا نه ا ،ث م غ ا د ر ت سرعةبع د أن نش ر ت ع طر ه ا م الف ر ا غ; امت ط ت ك ل أوردته ا مث ل أن ا م ل رقيقة نجم ع ذرا ت ا ل ع ط ر المنتشرة و نري به ا م ن ا لأنف إ ل ا ل ر‘ ص مب د ر ه ا ب د د ت ك ل ا لع طر .
كم خ؛ينب روائ ح المرا ح ض’ ،1ل ك ن ري ح الح ة
م ن ذ أن ب دأ ت عمل ه ا المت و ا ضع—ن ا ط و رة لخن ا م ا ل م اء ش المطار—
وأنفه ا
يتنشق هسو اد ا ل واء المعت ل ويدل ق ه ز ضب ا ت ص د ر ه اف ال تر طبه غثر ذرات ا ل ع ط ور الق ا د م ة والمغ ا درة. نجلس عل ى كرمح ي ه ا البالمح تي ك ي ،وبع ينيه ا ^^ ٠١؛ ^ ت ا ي ع الم ش ه د ال ي و م • نساء ي د خل ن بمالبس ه ن ا لأنيقة الملونة ،فتي ا ت ببن ط ل ون ا ت الجينز ا س ^
والب ل و زا ت الم صرة ،كل ه ن ع ج و ال ت لل ت خ ل ص م ن
تلت
ط أذ ا ئ
بع ه ا خ رير ( المث ان ا ت و مون ب بس ه ن وهي تنزل ق عن أ ج م ا د ه ن ،م ح في ف م ال أ
ا ل معاءم) ،ت م يممل ت ( السف و ن 0بشالل ه لي ج ر ف البق اي ا ويتر ك
ا لروات ح
منتث رة . ي خ ر ج ن م ن المر ا ح ض ي ز ا ح م ن عل ى المغ ل ة ،يش ط ف ن أ كف ه ن ٧ ١ خ
ب ا ل و م ،ي أمل ن و ج و ه ه ن ز المراي ا ،ي ص غن الشف ا ه،ي و ردن ا لخدود،
يخر" حم
250
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
washbasins to wash their beringed hands, examine their faces ؛٠ the mirror, put on lipstick, apply blush to their cheeks, and do up their tousled hair with colourful combs. Finally, they would douse themselves with fragrance from see-through bottles, and rush out in response to the announcements made over the public address system: “All passengers going to ... please make your way to Gate Number ...” She started work by picking up the pieces of paper scattered on the floor and those left on the lids of the bins. Then she checked the white washbasins, cleaned the scum left on the sides with a brush and poured a little Dettol down the plughole, tidied up the loose toilet rolls and generally readied the washroom for the hasty passengers. She would return to her chair, hopefully awaiting the generosity of some of the women - a quarter dinar, half a d in a r or some coins, maybe. Many of them, however, left without even noticing either her or her constant dreaming, and she would be left whispering to herself every time: “One day, I’ll own a bottle of perfume like that.” When she went out into the street after work, the combined smells of exhaust fumes, people and food rushing into her nostrils were sweeter to her than those she endured in the public washroom. As soon as she opened the door to the wretched annex where she lived, she smelled the suppressed odours rushing towards her like gaping maws, dispelling the street smells and thus leaving only the lavatory odour on her body and clothes. At night, she would be engulfed in grief and besieged by images of women clad in their expensive accessories and fashionable clothes. She would slowly exhale in an attempt to catch the slightest whiff of the ladies’ perfumes. However, they soon clashed with the smell of her snoring husband, lying next to her. She filled her lungs with the oily smell of sambousak and potato kibbeh , which her husband had eaten in the Indian restaurant where he works. She would suppress her ovei^vhelming grief: “Surely he must smell the toilet odours on me.”
L ayla al-'U thm an
ا 5ق
أمش ا ط ه ن الملونة ،ي سر ي ن خ ص ال ت ش عر ه ن التن اث ر ة•
و ما ل ل م ا ن ئء
ا لرش ا ت المتتال ية م ن ع ط ور الز جا جا ت الشف ا فة ي خ ر ج ن بم د ئ ملبي ا ت لل نداءا ت الم ت كر رة :ررعل ى ج م ي ع المساف ر ي ن ال ت ص ن ؛ ق ٠٠٠
٠
٧ ٢
٠
م
*تبدأ" ب ه ابالتق ا ط ا لأوراق المتن اث ر ٥عل ى ا لأرض ،وتل ك ا ،م ئ ن وق
أغ طية س ال ت الم ه م ال ت ،ت ط أر م ا ل ح وا ض البيض اء ،تكش
ط الك ر ،ا؛ ئ
عل قب ج وانبه ات ص ب قلي ال م ن الديت و ل ،أتمسح ا ل طر ا ف س و ي الم ت ه دل ة ،م هيئة ب ذ ل ك الم ك ا ن لق ا د ما ت آ خ ريا ت مست ع ج ال ت ٠تعو د الى
كرس ي ه ا م ؤمل ة بك ر مبع ضهن ،ريع دين ار ،نص ف دين ار• أو ف كا ت مع د ه وكثترا ت ي خ ر ج ن ض مرك تث ا تب و ج و د ه ا و الب حل م ه ا ال ذ ي ال يهل!
و ال
ي ورمح ته م س ل ف ج ا ك ز مر ة :ررذاتي و مس أمت ل ك ز ج ا ج ة ع ط ر))٠ ح ن ت خ ر ج إ ل الش ا ر عبع د إنته اء عمل ه ا ،رتت اك ض إل يه ا روائ ح ال م ارات والبش ر وا أل ط ع م ة مت م از ج ة ،لتتراك م دا خ ل أنفه ا ،فت ح سم ه ا أشهى م ن رائ ح ة نه ا ره ا ا ل ط وي ل دا خ ل الحن ا م .و ح ئ تفت حب ا ب الملح ق الب ا ض ال ذ يتم كنه، ت س روائ ح ه المكب و تة ت ه ب إل يه ا كأف وام مفت و ح ة تنف خ ري ح ه ا لت طر د روات ح ح الش ا ر عف ال تبق ىض و ى رائ ح ة الح ن ا م الالص ق ةبجس د ه ا و م ال بس ه ا•
م اللي ل ي س ج ه ا قه ر ه ا• تحاصر ه ا ص ور النساء بزيتهن و مودي ال ت مالس ه ن تكت م آ هة ،وشت ل ه شهيق ا لع ل ا ت ص طا د و ل و ذرة م ن روا
ح
ع ط و رهن-ل كن ه ات ص ط د مب رائ ح ة زو ج ه ا الث ا خ ر بق ر به ا تجئ رمحوارت ا * ذ دهن
(ا ل م م و
ه وكبة ا ل طا طا*) ال ت ي
ش ع
به ا ح ي ث.س
ل م الل م
ال هند ي .تت ح ر ق وت كب ت أف و اه حمسرته ا (( :بال تأ كي د ه و يش م يي ر ا ذ المر ا ح يض )).
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
ق5 ق
She was carried away by her desire, imagining herself ءم؛المط a perfume bottle, making her most hidden dream come true: *If I spray some of this fragrance on me, all our bad smells will vanish, and we will embrace each other tightly.” She went to sleep and in the corridors of her dreams found herself chasing tens of winged perfume bottles flying around. The day y o u dropped a dinar in the to ile t atten d an t’s palm, you thoughtyou gave her afo rtu n e , but she gave it back to you and surprisedyou by saying:i(l w a n ty o u r bottle o f perfume. ” You w anted to rem ind her o f her situ a tio n asyo u once again held
d i n a r : d i n a r is more useful to y o u than the perfum e.” How ever إshe continued to refuse, requesting the perfum e instead.
out the
You could not tolerate the naivety o f her w arped aspiration s asyou exam ined hershabby clothes a n d her sca rfth a t was fra y e d a t the edges. A perfume lik e you rs w ou ld not su it her. She sensed y o u r contempt. She slow ly rubbed her clothes w h ile starin g a ty o u r elegant outfit. You wanted to rem ind her o fth in g s other than the clothes. W ith a circular movement o f y o u r handy y o u in d icated the size o f the restroom and raised y o u r voice, in an attem pt to suppress her lu stfu l d esirefor the perfum e:s(W hat use is the perfum e toyou w h ile y o u are here?” She sm iled a t you, feebly trying to cu rryfavo u r, a n d then begged you, tears choking in her throat:“I ’d spray it on m yself a t night to attract my husband . " Overcome w ith astonishm ent a n d sadness, y o u fe lt the pangs o f regret that were about to m o llify y o u r heart. You d id not hesitate. You got the sm a ll bottle out an d g ave it to her. S h ejoyfu lly leanedforw ard to kiss y o u r slender palm , b u tyo u qu ickly p u lle d it aw ay a n d ran o ff w henyou h e a rd y o u rflig h t being called. In reality, yo u were ru n n in g aw ay fro m a memory, its moss embedded in the lake o f y o u r life. A t that moment, those d ifficu lt years that had been heavier to bear than a m ille n n iu m exploded in fro n t ofyou. The toilet attendant had u n in te n tio n a lly brought back memories, ju st asyou fin ish e d fa ste n in g yo u r seatbelt on the plane. You closed y o u r eyes a n d cast y o u r m in d back to those p a in fu l
L a yla a l-'U th m a n
و5ق
متت ط ي ح صا ن الت م ن ي ،ت خ ي ل أنه ا ممس ك ة ؛ز جا ج ؛ عهر ف ر ق < ^ ^ ١أ حي ى أر ش
ب عل ى
^
ك ل حر وا تن ا .محنكص ز
ببع ض ا أك ر ))م تن ا م و م د هاليز األ ح ال م جت د نفس ه ا ت طا رد عثرا ن الز جا جا ت ذا ت األ جن حة .
ص
ذا ت يوم أسق ط ت ز ك ف امر أة الحن ا م ” دين ا رك " تصو ر ن أ ش و ب ه اثر وةل ك ن ه ا ردته إلي ك وف ا جأت ك؛
” أريد ز جا ج ة ع طر ك. قص د ت أن تنبهيه ا لحا ل واقع ه ا وكف كمت ت دث ا نيةبالدين ار ; -ال د ي ا ر
ل كن ه ا أصر ت عل ى رفضه والت م س كب طل ب العطر ،م تحمل ي سذا ج ة ت طلع ه ا ا لأع و ج وعين ا كتسري ا ن عل ى ثي ا به ا الر ثة ،وغ طاء رأ م ه ا ذ ي اخل و ا ف
حا ل ال يناس به ع طر كعطر ك .شعر ت ا ح س ا م ك المرصو دحن د ه ا، بس ه ا بهدوء مق صو د وه يتر ك ز عل ى ثي اب ك ا لأنيقة ،أردت س ح ت عل ى م ال أن تذ كريه ا بشيء غير المالب س ،ب ح ر ك ة دائرية م ن كف ك أشر ت ل ما حة
الحن ا م ،أطل ق ت صوت كقاص د ة أن تكبت ي رغبته ا ال ن ب ق ة إ ل العطر; “ ما ذا يفيد ك العطر وأن ت هن ا . ص ل ال ي خ ل و م ن رغرغة دمع ابت س م ن ل ك بت و ذ دب ا رد نثر ث ك ل ما ته ا بت و
-أرخه م ص ي ج ذ ب زو ج ي .
أسق طت ك م دائر ة ال د ه ش ة والحزن .خعر ت دب ابي س ال د م مما ل ل دانة قلب ك مرتتد د ي .أ خ ر ج ت ز جا جت ك الصرغي ة و من ح ه ال ه ا ،ان ح ث يغ ر ب
إ ل كف ك الرح ي قلتقبل ه نكن ك ع ا ج ل تب ج ذب ه وفر ر ت ملبية نداء ال ر ث . و كن ت ي ا ل و اق ع تف ر ي ن م ن ذ ك ر ىتع ب ت طحال به ا مب حيرة حي ات ك .وا لآن
تف ج ر ت أ ما م كت ل ك السن و ا ت ال ت ي ك ان ت .ممرارته ا أثق ل من أل ف ع ا م . دفعت ك امر أة ا لخن ا م ضقاص د ة أن ت ف ك ي أ حز م ة ذاكرتلب ي ا لل ح ظ ة ادي أن هي ي رب ط ح زام األ ما ن ز ا ل طائرة .أ ب ل ت جفني ك ،وشر ع ت 0ستعرضخن د ل ال ق ه ر الموجع ة ال ت ي ك ا ن ت مت ف ي و أ ث مر ك ونة ش زوايا م ا ش،
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
54ق
nights that went by asyou la y cowering in the corner ofth e bed\ after having endured his d a ily rage. H e ignoredyou, even thoughyou were sweeter than an apple andfresher than a rose. H e ignoredyou,yet he longed fo r you a n d desired you. You had been w arned that he was a “w om aniser”,
“d rin k e r”, “selfish” a n d “bad-tempered”. Yet your
m in d was set. You had been sm itten by h isg o od looks a n d sweet talk , which drew yo u towards his deceitful\ shallow exterior. Your conceit was another reason: “ W ith my beauty a n d intelligence, he w ill prefer me above a ll other women a n d r i l keep him
the straight and
n arrow .” E a rly on, y o u r life changed a n d y o u r dream s were shattered; you d id not captivate him , n or d id he surrender. You sm elled other wom en’s perfumes on his clothes a n d washed o ff the traces o f their make-up. You im agined w hat they looked lik e , w ondering whether they were better lookin g or sm arter than you. The worst was the m om entyou discovered his a ffa ir w ith y o u r closest frie n d , whose fact, body a n d voice were s o fa m ilia r toyou. That p a rtic u la r night stretched in fro n t o fy o u u n lik e any other night, as he came home highspirited a n d drunk; u n usu al fo r him , he was carrying a parcel in a coloured w rapping. You were suddenly fille d w ith a jo y that touched the deepest o fy o u r dashed hopes٠ and you wondered: “D id he remember me a n d buy me a present?” You w aited u n til he went to bed a n d started snoring. Your overw helm ingcuriosity m adeyou open theparcel. Toyouram azem ent, it contained a luxurious bottle. You opened the p in k card a n d read his sweet dedication to y o u r treacherous frie n d : ‘Y o u r fa v o u rite perfume that makes my head spin a n d makes m eyour slaveforever. " Your deepest hopes were crushed as though they had been ground by a thousand m illstones a n d turned in to fra n tic g ra in s o fd u st besieging you, in fla m in g y o u r innerm ost jealousy a n d stin g in g y o u r soul w ith a stupid hope: “ W hat i f l captivatedyou w ith
// ton ig h t?”
You went into the bathroom an d rubbed y o u r soft body, which had been untouchedfor more than two months, a n d p u t on a diaphanous sky-blue nightdress. You held the perfume bottle an d poured h a lf its
L ayla a l-(Uthman
55ق
مغموسة ب وائ ل غضبه الي و مية• ي عوفلب لأنت أشه ى
م ن تف ا حة وأن صر
زه ر ة .أ ث ال ت ي ت ئ ه ا ه ام وتن ا ه ا ورغم ك ذ 'ل ذ م ت ن ا م ى إل ي ك عبه :ر(إنه زم ي أن،ف وعص ب ي ال ز اج)) -إ ال أن ك تجب بر؟يك .ض ن اء ،ع ا خ ق لل شرا ب بومحام ته وعذوبة ل ما ئه .جذب ا ك ن ح و لخينهبم الشف ا ب الم خ ا دع .غ رورلو م
ا لآخ ر أغ و اك :ر(بمجمالي وذك ا ئ ي
اخت م ه دون ك ز ا ل م اء وصا عد ل
حي اته ا ل ع و جاء)). محرع ا ن ما اع و ج ت أي ا م ك وتكسر ت أ ح ال م ك ،ب بأم ريه وتممتأثريه، ي فر ثن اي ا ه ،تغسل ين آث ار المساح يق الب ائته عل ى ثي ايه، كن ت تشت م ئ ع ط و رهن ق خ ؛ل ين أش كال ه ن و الت*رم ح إن ك ن أ ج م ل من ك أو أذكى• ل م ف؛يطغ ك ا ن تخل ظ ة اكتش اف ك ع القته ا ق ر بص د ي ق ة إلي كت ل ك ال ت يتعر ض و جههآ، تف اص ل جس د ه ا ،ورنة ص و ته ا . اق رأب ت أ م ا م ك دون ك ز ا س .ت ل ك الليل ة ال ت ي د خ ل به ا ال بي ت ب ح م ر ته .ل كن ه عل ى غير ع ا دتهي ح م ل م ي ده رزم ة ملو نة.ف ا ج أ كف ر ح
ظ ص
ع ر و ق آ م ا ل ك ا لم س حو قةت رتم م زا ل بدا خ ل كت رره ل تذك ر و ج و د يف ا خز ى ل ه دية؟)) انت ظ رته ح ت ى و ل ج الف ر ا ش وع ا ط شخيره ،ا مت ح و ذ ك فض و ل ك الشرس أن تفت ح ي ال هدية .أ ذ هلت ك الز ج ا ج ة الف ا خ ر ة .فت ح ت ا ل و رقة ال وردية ق رأ ت اهداءه الع ذ ب لص دخبقت ك ا ل ا ئنة: ررع ط ر ك المفض ل ال ذ ي يد و خن ي وي ج ع ف ي أستر ك دائ مأ)). ته ا و ت ع ر و ق أملل ي .ط حنته ا أل ف ر ح ىف ص ا ر ت مث ل ذرا ت غ إر غيرت ك ا لام د ة ،ولس ع رو ح ك بأ ر ء م' أه و ج حا ص ر ك ،أث عل فت ائ ل خ (ر ما ن ا لو أ م رت ك به أن ا الليل ة؟ )). د خل ت الح ن ا م .د ع ك ت جس د ك الب ض الم ه ج ور ل أ م م ن شه رثن، ا رتدي ت نميص آ صماوي ا خف ا فأ ٠أمس ك ت بالز ج ا ج ة وس ك سر ” عل ى أن ح اء جس د ك حتى أ ص ا ب ع ال ق دم ن ن .اند ع ط ر آه ا “ ا ل
ب س ب
ى
256
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
enticing content a ll over y o u r body, up to y o u r fingertips. You sneaked under the duvet an d moved close to him , reducing the distance that usually separatedyou, y o u r body tin g lin g w ith desire. You had hardly settled in when he started an d aw okefrom his deep sleep, as though he*i been stung. Your heart fluttered a n d y o u r hope grew: “H e 'll water nu after the drought an d cu ll my rip e fru it. This perfume is truly magic.* You were terrified by his savage reaction as he ripped the skyblue nightie w ith his hands, screaming: “H o w dare yo u wear her perfume?!” H is outburst was lik e that o f a thousand volcanoes. He threw the perfume away, a n d the only th ing left were noxiousfumes. H e pushed you out o f the bed a n d kicked y o u alon g thefloor, while you called o u tfo r help against th ep ain in y o u r heart. H e spat onyou, cursedyou an d draggedyou to the bathroom. H e threw yo u into the tub an d emptied the box o f w ashing pow der a n d any other detergents he couldget hands on overyou. H e started to d ro w n yo u w ith the hot shower water in order to remove a ll traces o f the perfum e fro m your body, w h ileyou flap p ed about helplessly lik e a fish . The door slam m ed shut, an d y o u spent a n ig ht that was worse than a thousand torments, in the tub, drow ned by liq u id s and the torture. H ow much tim e has gone by since y o u snatched you r soul from his brackish lake, the thick curtains o f o b liv io n cloaking the sm ell o fyou rform er torm ent?
She went from the restroom into the street, elated, her nose prepared for the onslaught of perfume and the mixture of the usual smells. It was a day unlike other days, and an eagerly anticipated night that would not he like other nights. She felt a great debt to that woman. She did not regret refusing a d in a r she greatly needed. Instead, she was holding something that was far more precious and coveted. She was on cloud nine, and dreams are not bothered by busy traffic. If it had not been for the sound of the horn from a speeding car, she would have been run over. She held on tight to her worn bag, where she kept the bottle that she guarded as closely as her heart. She reached the bus stop and sat down in the shelter. She pulled the
L ayla a l-‘Uthman
57ق
س د ك ٠ | fc, 7ر ا لل حا ف ،تعم د ت نجا وز ا ل م ا فة الف؛صل ة بينك ما ،وفي جنم ا ل رغب ا ت .ما ك د تتستت ر ي ن ح ت ى أنتف ض س نومه الثقيلكالمل د و غ ,ر ز ز ن ل ج وف ا ح ت أم بمك :ررسمرويتيم ب د الق ح ط ويق ط ف ش ا ري ال اض
ج ة إمم
لعطر ساحر حق ا)). أرعيت ك ردةفعل ه الت و ح شة ،إنه ا ك كف ا ه رق ا ن المسا و ي ،وت رضان مرم ر ك الم ك ش و ف وصراخه؛ رركيف نجر أ ت عل ى ع ط ر ه ا؟)) صراخ j j j
أل فب ر ك ا ن ،أ طا حب ال ع ط رف ما ع د ت تش م ث ن غير سمو م ال د خ ا ن .ن زئ ي من ص،
ت م ن ا للر قب ل ك، الف راش -دك ك بق دم يه عل ى ا لأرض ال ت ي استغ ا ث أ
خت م ،وسحل ك إ ل الح ن ا م .قذفلي بقل ب الب ا نيو أف ر غ علي ك علبة م،سعحوق ا ل س ل وبع ض ما طال ته يد ك م نس وائ ل التن ظ يف .أ خ ذ يغ رقلثبماء الرش الحا رل يزيل عن ج د ك ك ل أثر للعطر ،وأ ث ش ل سم ك ة تن ا ز ع م حوض ماء خ اب ط . ص ف ق الب ا ب .وأم ضي ت ليل ة األ ق ه ر ا ل ص ع ب م ن أل ف قه ر داخ ل الب انيو غ ا رقة سوائ ل ك والع ذا ب .ك م م ضى ا لآن م ن ذ أن انتزعت روحلب م ن ب حيرته ا آلم ن ة ه ا دل ة ست ائ ر النسي ا ن ا ل س م ي ك ة عل ى روائ ح فه ر ك ال ق د م ؟ خ ر ج ش ص ا لخت ا م إ ل الش ا ر ع،ف ر ح ته ا أوس ع م ن م داه ،أنفه ا الم هيأ ل ثم ا لع طر يذ ر ي مزي ج ا ل روائ ح المعت ا دة ه و نه ار غير ك ل ال نه ا را ت ،وليل ة منت ظ ر ة ش ك و ن ض ك ز الل يأليم خ عر ثب ا متن ا ن
همر لت ل ك المر أة .لر ت د م أنه ا
رف ضت دين ا رأ هيب ح ا جته .إنه ا ا لآن تق ض عل ى ا ل حا ج ة ا لأثم ن وا لأقهى• ت طثر وتحلم غتر ع ابثة بز حا م ا ل طريق -و ل و ال أن زعقب و ق السي ا رة ا د د ئ دا ئ ه اب ا ل ط ت .خ د ت عل ى ح قيبته ا ا م ح ،ة ل ك ا ث ا ل ع ج ال ت أ
ش
ص
الز ج ا ج ة وكأنه ا قل به ا ال ذ ي خ س ت عليه المو ت .و صل ت مو ف الب ا ص، جل م تح ت ت مظلته ،واس ت خ ر ج ت كن زه ا ^ ^ ١تن ا ج يه(( :ت ل ك الز ج 1ج ة! ٥١
258
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
precious treasure out of her bag, and whispered to it: “Oh, how I’ve dreamed of this bottle!” She stared at it, played with it. She took off its golden top and held the atomizer to her nose. Just as she was about to spray some perfume on her, the bus arrived and a mob of Asian workers like her, as well as those from other parts of the world, jostled to board. The bus filled with the odour of summer sweat on the exhausted workers’ bodies, mixed with the scent of coconut oil they treated their hair with, malodorous feet and pungent breath, h e a ^ with the customary aroma o f spices and ash. All of them invaded her nose, normally filled with the smell of the airport lavatory that stuck to her clothes and skin. She thought of the treasure in her bag, took it out and cupped it in her palms, like a mother cradling her child’s head. She smiled and lovingly stared at the bottle, filled with a desire to open it. She wetted the tip of her finger with the perfume and put some on the tip of her nose in order to subdue the smells in the bus. The man next to her moved in the seat. His elbow collided with her arm, jolting it ؛she closed her palms, fearful for the bottle, and clutched it to her chest so that it appeared she was reciting some sacred prayers. She entered her flat, and for the first time she felt that something valuable had come in with her. She rushed to take the bottle out of her bag and kissed it repeatedly, her heart filled with a hitherto unknown joy. She began to flirt with the bottle, praising it: “Finally, my love, you are mine, and my body will know no smell other than yours. Ah ... thank you, generous lady.” She danced with the bottle in the narrow room, dreaming of a night other than the ones she knew. How could she know the secrets of the perfume, its meaning and how to treat it? She did not even know how to celebrate its arrival in her home, the smell of the first spray on her fra g ra n ce free body. It did not occur to her to bathe first in order to remove the various odours, nor, for that matter, to change
L ayla al-'U thm dn
59ق
ك م حلم ت به ا)) تأمل ته ا .داعبته ا .ر ف ت غ طا ءه ا ال ذ ه م ،ألص ق ي إ ي ك ا د ت تضغ ط ال رأ س المس تدير ل ر ش م نه ا لو ال أن أق ل الب ا ص و ت ر م \ل
لعما ل ا لسي و يثن وضره م م ن جنسي ا ت أ خ ر ى. أمثال ه ا م ن ا آ اكت ظ الب ا صب روائ ح الت ع ب وع ر ق الص ي ف الم بي أتيفم ا لجسا د مت ماز ج أب روائ ح شع ور م د ه ونة “بالح ل " و س ا ل أقدام ال تيم ا-؛ م ن حش و اته ا الحام ضة ،م ن أف و اه تزف ر ج و ف المع دا ت ال ت ي أل ف ت ' ١^ ١^ ١ وا لآش آ ا وال كها ري• ك ل ا تقت ح م أنفه ا الم ش أ ص الب رائ
ح ة ثي ا.ده ا و ج االء ا
ب رائ ح ة حن ا م المطا ر .فكر ت ب كن زه ا المحف و ظ
ز ا لخقيبة
اس ت خ ر جته أرقدتهب ط ن كفي ه ا المت ال ص ض ،ب د ت مث ل أمحت ضن رأس وي ره ا . انف ج ر ت ابن مام ته ا وهي تتأ م ل الز جا ج ةب حن ا ن مشم عب ال رغبة أن تفت ح ي. تب ل ل طر ف إصبع ه اب ال ع ط ر وتمسح أرنبة أنفه الت ح ج ب عنه ا رائ ح ة الب ا ص. تحر ك ا ل ر ج ل المالص زل ه ا م المقع د .ا ص ط د م ت ك و عه بذراعه اف ا هتزت، أ ط ب ق ت كفي ه ا خ و فأ عل ى الز جا ج ة وألص ق ت ه ا إ ل ص د ر ه ا فب د ت وكأنه ا تتلو
ص ل و ا ت م ق دس ة . د خ ل ت مل ح ق ه ا ^ و لأول مر ة تش عر أن شيئ ا ج د ي دأ غال يأ يد خ ل مع ه ا،
سا رع تب ا م ت خ ر ا ج ز ج ا جته ا ،أخبعته ابالقب ال ت ،وص د ر ه ا يكرر بف ر ح إ تع ه ده ،نثرتتسابي ح ص و ته ا تغ ا زل الز ج ا ج ة؛ رر(أخي آيا حبيبتي امتلكت
ك
سيعر ف ج م د ي رائ ح ة غير رائ ح ت ه .آ ه .خك ر أ ل ك أيته ا المر أة املكرية)). و لي ا<فم دار ت ي الم ك ا ن ا م ح ق تراقص ه ا تغني حالم ةبليل ة غثرت ل ك الي م ن أينل ه ا أنتعر ف ب ر ا لع طر ومعن ا ه وأ ص و ل الت عامل مع ه ؟
هيجن ه ل
ح تى كيفية ا ال حتف اء ي خ ط وته ا لأو ل إ ل محته ا ،وب ر ق ت ه ا ا لأو ل ا ل أ م
ب
وهيت ص ب عل ى ج د بك ر م ن أ ي ع ط ر .لر ي خ ط ر ببال ه ا أنتست ح مل ت ك ^ ^
ت6 ه
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
her time-worn, kitchen-stained cl©thes, reeking o f the airport lavatory. She did not comb her hair, thick with stale, greasy lotions, or put make-up on her face, which was used to the dust and the bus exhaust. She was overwhelmed with immense joy, her long-held dream beckoning. The moment she decided to put on the perfume, the bottle she was holding in her hands turned into something resembling an insect spray pursuing the buzz o f a dull fly ؛she became the fly whizzing around and spraying herself randomly, not caring what she sprayed, whether it be parts o f her body, her hair or her garments. The sound of the atomizer spray mixed with her laughter, singing and the sighs of incipient delight. She emptied the entire bottle, apart from a little bit that remained at the bottom and could not be reached by the siphon. She was determined not to leave a single drop ؛with a pestle she broke the bottleneck, extracted the last drops and applied them to her hair and cheeks, oblivious to the small pieces of broken glass that were scratching her. She decided not to do anywork. She made herself comfortable on the cotton bed and relaxed in the knowledge that tonight he would not turn over, claiming he was tired. Tonight, the gulf of perfume would draw him to her hungry body, which would be cured from the pain of waiting. This magical fragrance would make him empty his hidden rain and spray his stored seeds. When he slipped into bed, he as usual began to snore from exhaustion. She felt his head twisting and turning, like someone chasing away silly ideas. He kicked with his legs as though pushing away a mouse or a cockroach that had climbed onto them. Then she heard him sniffing - fast, repetitive sniffs - like someone trying to ascertain the source of a particular smell. She realized that he had discovered a new smell. She was under the illusion that he was aroused by her. In her conceit, she moved close to him and grabbed his back; he shook, but did not turn towards her. She pounced on him, her body on
26l
L ayla al-'U thm dn
عن جس د ه ا أن واء روائ ح ه المرتاك م ة ،و ال أن خ رث و به ا الملط خ .ح را ن ا لآا وروائ ح الحن ا م ولب ق المط بخ .ملرتش ط جدائ ل ش عر ه ا المل ب د ة يد ب، ^ ١ و ال أن تزين ا ل و ج ه ال ذ ي اعت ا د غب ار الطبيع ة ود خ ا ن الحاف ال ت ؤ ر« وهإ الم شد وه و ح ل ب المل ه و ف ا متلب ا ه ا .
و م لحظ ة الق ر ار بالت عطر
الز ج ا ج ة ض يديه ا إ ل ما ي ث ب ه م بي دا حشرياي ال ح ق ي ث ن ذب ابة
ر ن
ملة م ،
صا ر ت هي الذب ابة تدو ر وت ر ش نفسه ابعش وائية ال تف ر ق مح ن من ا ط ق ش د والش عر والث و ب .ص و ت ا ل ر خي ش ا ل مر ح ي ما ز ج بض ح ك اته ا ،غن ائها٤ وتن هدا تف ر ح ه ا ا ل أول .أف ر غ ت ك ل الز ج ا ج ة بق ي م الق ا عقلي ل اليص د إليه ا لأنب و ب ال سا ح ب أص رت أ ال ت ز ك نق ط ة م نه أ ح ضرت ي د ال ه ا ون ك سر ت عنق الز ج ا ج ة وتل ق ف ت الق ط ا لأخيرة ل م س ح به ا ش عر ه ا وو ج نتيها ضر ع ابثة بذ را ت م ن فت ا ت الز ج ا ج الم ك س و و تخد ش ا نه م ا .ق ر ر ت أن ال تق وم بأ ي ع م ل .وارت ا ح ت عل ىف ر ا شه ا الق ط ي م ؤمل ة النف س أنه ل ن يستدير عنه اب ح جته الليل ة ررأن ا مت عب)) الليل ة ي ج ر فه تي ار ا لع ط ر إ ل جس د ه ا اي ا غ مح ت دا وي ه س أ لر الصب ر وا النت ظا ر .وبهذا ا ل ع ط ر ا ل سا ح ر محت جع ل ه يف ر غ مطر ه المكت و م ويرش بذاره الم خ زو ن. ح ن اند س ي الف ر ا ش ي ش خ ر م ن الت ع ب كعا دته خ عر تب ر أس ه ك م ن ي طا ر د أف ك ا رأ عبثية وي رف س بق دم يه وكأنه ي دف ع بفأر أو ص ر صا ر نسل ق
عل يه م ا .ث م سمعته ي ش ق نث ق ا ت متتالية محريع ة كم ن ي ح ث عن مص د ر رائ ح ة ما أ أد ر ك ت أنه ا كت ش ف رائ ح ة ج د ي د ة .راغت ت أنه ا استث ارته
وبك ل
غ ر و رهر ا اقت ب ت منه التص ش تب ظ ه ر هف ا هتز ولم يس ت د ر .ن ط ت عليه ،ئ ؛ ك
262
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
يof his, confident that he would reciprocate, attracted by her perfume and lusting for her body. Instead, he sighed twice and rolled over to the side she had vacated. He was restless, while his breathing came close to sneezing. She started to have doubts about the perfume: “Is it possible that no one other than the person wearing the perfume can smell it, or has he got a cold?” Suddenly he turned towards her ؛her heart sang, her body shuddered and her hunger grew, but in that brief moment, her smile evaporated as her dream shattered and his scream hit her like the plague: “You smell horrible tonight, I can’t stand it! Go and wash!” She felt as though her body was falling into a deep well, from which rose the stench of filled lavatories. The smells from the soles of her feet swept to the rest of her body, removing any traces of the perfume and taking its place.
و 6ق
L ayla al-'U thm an
ي ك ل جس د ه ا و ص و ره ا ا ل و اثق أنه ب ط عل يه ا مج ذ وبأ لعطر ه ا وو لهد
يس د ه ا .ل كن ه زفر زمحرس وامح تدا ر إ ل الن ا حية ^ ١أخل ته ا• وظل ت حر ى غير س تق رة وتنشق ا ته و صل ت ح د العطا س.
ش ب
م أ مر ا لع طر( :رس
م ي ك ن أ ال يش مه أ حل ضر ال ذ يت عطر به أم تراه م صاب ابالزك ا م؟)) فج أة ات را ر ^ خ^ , ١وفي ل طة محل وفة اله م ا ح ة ل ا م ن ال زس -ا لل ح ظ ة ال ت ي زغ ر د
ب
قل به ا .تهيأ ج د ه ا .ارتم ش ج و عه ا .انفل ش ت ابتسام ته ا وص د ح حلم ه اخ جا ء ت ص ر ختهل تنزل عل يه ا ك الب الء: —
رائ حت ك الليل ة ك ريهة ال أ ط يقه ا .ق وم ي اغتسل ي.
ف عر ت بك ل ج س د ه ا يه و ي إ ل ج ب ع م ي ق .تف و ح م نه روائ ح ح ما ما ت ض م ه ج و رة .ط ل ته ا ا ل رائ ح ة م ن أخ م ص ق دم يه ا إ ل ك ل الج د .جر ئ ت ك زأث ر للعطر .و ا حت ك م ك انه ا لق ا ر .
4ة ق
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Language Notes
1.
فه ر: verbal noun ( ) ش ذ رof the verb “ ت(أ ا)مح فهزto cause” or “to force”, as well as “to defeat” (e. g. “ جبز ا ل ح ز عدوهthe army defeated its enemy”). 2. دين ار: the local currency in various Arab countries, e.g. Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya. Its plural ون اييئis sometimes used in the sense o f “money” (cf. ف ل و س ). 3• نرا ح ض: pi. of م ر حا ض. “Toilet”, “urinal”. Other terms for “lavatory” or “restroom” include ( ثئ ت الرا ح ةlit. “the house of rest”), (خ ق ش ا ل الءlit. “the room of emptiness”) and the borrowing ت و ا ب. 4• : > ( خث زi, u), “to press”, “squeeze”. 5• محزون ا لأنعاء: lit. “the store of the bowels”. 6 . سيخون: colloquial (> Fr. siphon ) ؛MSA ئ ج ا ج ة المر حا ض. 7 . ن ن ث و ن ك: a common snack in many South Asian countries. It consists of a fried, triangular-shaped pastry shell stuffed with, for instance, onion, peas and potato. Depending on the stuffing, it can be either savoury or sweet. 8. كتة الي طاطا: a small, round, savoury snack o f mashed potatoes, l^eat and spices, deep-fried in oil. 9 . لخأن: very formal word for “silver” (cf.) ث. 10. ب ا ننو : colloquial (> It. bagno)\ MSA ح و ض ا ل آ ن ت غ ما م. 11. تواب ل: (pi. o f )ت اب ل, “spices” ؛cf . نه ا را ت. 12. ا ال ش: Iranian thick vegetable soup. 13. نل غ ق: (pi . ن ال ح قor ;)ن لخق ا تa reference to the fact that in the Gulf states, the secan ts’ quarters are usually located in an annex to the house or building they work in. In some cases (e. g. in Saudi Arabia), the word also denotes an extra floor to a house.
Yusuf Idris
Yusuf Idris (1927-91) is considered the undisputed master of the Egyptian short story. Originally trained as a doctor at the University of Cairo, he briefly worked at the famous Qasr al‘Aynl hospital in central Cairo. During his student days he was also, like so many of his contemporaries (e. g. Idwar al-Kharr^), active in the nationalist movement, and was imprisoned by the British authorities. Idris’s involvement in politics would remain a constant throughout his life. As with most Arab intellectuals, the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 was a watershed moment, and until his death Idris remained a staunch champion of the Palestinian cause. As an author, Idris’s career was extremely varied, spanning novels, criticism, journalism (he, for many years, had a column in Egypt’s leading daily, )ا لأه ر امand plays, as well as short stories. In addition to eleven collections of short stories, Idris wrote nine plays, the most famous of which is undoubtedly ( الف رامحرal-Farafeer). His stories invariably deal with social issues affecting the nation’s poor and dispossessed, without, however, descending into maudlin social realism or pessimism. Idris’s protagonists battle against the odds, and always manage to rise to the challenges with which they are faced. In terms of style, Idris was a trailblazer in that he was one of
266
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
the few to mix Standard Arabic with the Egyptian colloquial in the dialogue of the villagers whose lives he portrayed with such imagination and sensitivity ؛the Egyptian dialect even shines through in the Standard Arabic passages. Though this practice was condemned by some of his fellow literati - not least by Najlb Mahfuz, who continued to use Standard Arabic for both narrative and dialogue - it made Idris all the more popular among the Egyptian reading public. In addition to individual stories, the following works by Idris have been translated into English: ( أ ن غ صلي ا لThe Cheapest Nights an d Other Stories, 1978) ( ا لحر ام ؛The 'Sinners , 1984) ؛R ings o f Burnished Brass ( ا99 أ(ثand C ity o fL o v e an d A shes (ل99) و. He died of heart failure while in London for medical treatm ent-
The story that is presented here is culled from the collection entitled ( حا دثة فز فA n Incident o fH o n o u r ), which was published in 1961. It is a delightful example of Idris’ ‘house style’: witty - even comical at times - yet never condescending ؛socially committed, yet devoid of meretricious soapbox antics. The story is set in a sleepy fictional village (even though it shares its name with several others, the biggest being in Dakahlia province, near the mouth of the river Nile), with the events surrounding the protagonist seeing as a prism through which the author deals with a number of serious issues, such as poverty, solidarity, tradition and belief As usual, the prose is polished and the dialogues wonderfully vivid and evocative ؛this is Egypt’s master story teller at his best.
طبل ية م ن ا ل م اء
A Tray from Heaven
ق68
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
If you see someone running along the streets o f Munyat al-Nasr, that is an event. People rarely run there. Indeed, why should anybody run in a village where nothing happens to warrant running? Meetings are not measured in minutes and seconds. The train moves as slowly as the sun. There is a train when it rises, one when it reaches its zenith and another one at sunset. There is no noise that gets on one’s nerves, or causes one to be in a hurry. Evetything moves slowly there, and there is never any need for speed or haste. As the saying goes: “The Devil takes a hand in what is done in haste.” If you see someone running in Munyat al-Nasr, that is an event, just as when you hear a police siren you imagine that something exciting must have happened. How wonderful it is for something exciting to happen in such a peaceful and lethargic village! On that particular Priday, it was not just one person who was running in Munyat al-Nasr; rather, it was a whole crowd. Yet no one knew why. The streets and alleys were basking in the usual calm and tranquillity that descended upon the village after the Priday noon prayers, when the streets were sprinkled with frothy rose-scented water smelling of cheap soap; when the women were busy inside the houses preparing lunch and the men were loitering outside until it was time to eat. On that particular day, the peace and tranquillity were broken by two big, hairy legs running along the street and shaking the houses. As the runner passed a group sitting outside a house, he did not fail to greet them. The men returned the greeting and tried to ask him why he was running, but before they could do so he had already moved on. They wanted to know the reason, but, of course, were unable to find out. Their desire to know compelled them to start walking. Then one of them suggested they walk faster, and suddenly they found themselves running. They were not amiss in greeting the various groups sitting outside the houses who, in turn, also started running.
Yusufldris
و 6ت
أنت ر ى إنسان اي ج ر ي م ش ا ر ع م نش و ا ر ع م نية النصر ،ف ذ ل ك حا د ث، فالن ا س هن ا ك ن ا درا ما ي ج ر ون ،ولما ذا ي ج ر و ن و ل س ز الق رية ما س تحق اخل ر ي ،المو ا عيد ال ت حسببالدق ا ئ ق والث و ب
٠٠.
والق ط ا را ت ت ح ر ك م بطء
الش م س .ق طار إذا طلع ت ،وآخ ر حينم تت و سط السماء ،ومع مغيبه ا يف و ت وا ح د .و ال ض جي ج هن ا ك ي م ا لأع ص ا ب و ي د غ إ ل ال ته ور وا ل مرعة .ك ز شيءب طيء ،ه ا دى؛ا ،ع اق ل ،وك ل ق ي ء ق ا ن ع ستم ت ع بب ط ئه وهدوئه ذاك، وا ل مرعة ض مطلوبة أبدأ ،والعجل ة م ن الغي طا ن. ١ ان ترى وا ح د أ ي ج ر ي ز م نية ال ص ر ،ف ذ ل ك حا د ث .وكأنه ص و ت السإرلنة أيفر عرإةمبولي س ا ل ج دة؛ •ف ال بد أن وراء ج ريه أ مر أ م ت ما.
وم ا
أ ج م ل أني ح د ث م البل د ة ال ه ا دئة الب ط يئة أ مر مثير . ي وفر ي و م ا لجمع ة ذاك ،لر ي ك ن وا ح د فق ط ه و ال ذ ي ي ج ر ي
م منية
النصر ،ا ل و اق ع أنه ك ا ن ت هن ا ك ح ر كة ج ر ي واض ع ة الن طا ق .ول؛ ي ك ن أ ح د يعر ف ا ل س ب .فالش و ا ر ع وا لأزقةتسب ح
م هد وئ ه ا ا ل أبد ي ،وينت ا به ا ذ ل ك
ا لرك و د ال ذ ييستت ب ز ا ل عا دةبع د ص ال ة اي م ع ة ح ي ثت ر ش أرضه ا .مماء الغسي ل المخت ل ط ب ا ل رغ و ة
^ ^ ^ ٥ورائ ح ة ا ل صاب و ن ا ل رخي ص ،و ح ي ث
الن سو ةيفر ال دا خ ل م ش غ و ال تب إ عداد الغداء وا ل ر جاخل ز ا ل ا ر ج يتس كع ون ويتصعل ك و ن إ ل أن ينتهي إ عداد ال غداء .وإذا ب هذا ال هدوء كل ه يتع ك ر سق ان ضخ م ة غلي ظ ة تجر ي وتهز البي و ت• ويمر الجا ر يب ج ما عة جا ل ة أ ما م بيت ف ال ينس ى وه وي ج ر ي أنيل ق ي ا ل ال م ،ويرد الجالسو ن س ال م ه وي حا و ل ون ص ؤال ه عن س ب ا لجر ي ول كن ه يك و ن ق د نفذ .ح ينئ ذ يقف و ن وي ح ا و ل و ن معرفة ض ط ال ع إ ل الم م ، بع أ اليست طيعو ن .و ح ينئ ذ يدفع ه م ح ب ا ال السب ب ،و ط ث م م ب رح أ ح د ه م ا إل سر ا ع محسرع و ن وي ج د و ن أنفس ه م آ خ ر ا أل مري جرون، و ال ين سو ن أنيلق وا ال ال م عل ى -جماخع ا ت ا ل1لس ين ،فتق ف الجماع ا ت تل ب ث أنجت د نف ب نجر ي هي ا لأخ ر ى.
و ال
270
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
However obscure the motive, it was bound to be known ؛٥ the end, just as it is inevitable that people quickly start gathering at the scene of an accident. It is a small village. There are thousands of people who will give you directions. You are able to run its length and breadth without running out of breath. It did not take long before a crowd began to gather near the threshing floor. Evei^one who was able to run had arrived; only the old and aged remained scattered in the street. They preferred to saunter, as village elders do, and to leave a space between them and the youngsters. However, they were also h u rlin g , intent on arriving before it was too late and the incident became news. Like other towns, Munyat al-Nasr was superstitious about Friday, and any event that took place on that day was viewed as a sure catastrophe. The people of the village were, however, excessively superstitious. They were opposed to any work being done on that day for fear it would end in failure, and thus they postponed all work until Saturday. If you asked them why they were so superstitious about it, they would tell you it was because Friday is a day of misfortune. It was, however, clear that this was not the real reason; rather, it was merely a pretext enabling the farmers to put off Friday work until Saturday. And so, Friday became the day of rest. The word “rest” was considered ugly among the farmers, as well as an insult to their toughness and to their extraordinary ability to work indefatigably. Only townspeople needed rest, that is, those who had fresh meat and worked in the comfort of the shade, and in spite of that, still ran out of breath. Weekly rest was a heresy. So, Friday must surely have been a day of bad luck. As a result, work had to be postponed until Saturday. It is for this reason that people expected that the running meant a grave misfortune had befallen one of them. But when they arrived at the threshing floor they did not find a flat-nosed cow, a raging fire or one man killing another. Instead they found Sheikh Ali standing in the middle of the floor. He was in
Y usufldris
ا7ق
ضر أنه م ه م ا غ م ض ا ل س ب ،ف ال بد قي ال نه اية أن يعر ف .و ال ير؛ن يت جم ع الن ا س م م ك ا ن الحا د ثبع د ظي ل.ف ابل د ة ص م رة .وأل ف من
jjjjj
وقب ل أنت لهث تك و ن ق دق طع ته ا ط و ال وع رض ا . و ه ك ذا مم ي ض ون ت
طوي ل
ح تى ك ا ن ق د نجمخ ع عند ا ل ر ز عدد كب م من
الن ا س• ك ذ ص ز اش طا عته ابر ي ك ا ن ق د و صل ،و م ي ق ب ر؛ ز ال زي ق
م ا ش والوا حز ا م ن روا الت مشيا ص ي ا-وا م ارا م ال س
ض
و ح ى ي د وثم ةف ر ق ين ه م وي ن الشب ا ن الم غ ار والعي ا ل .ول كن ه م م ) أيضإ مبرع و نيوفر نيته م أني م ل واق لف و ا ت ا لأوان وق ل أنيصب ح الح اد ث
ر
خ ا-
و م نية
م نب ال د اش ا ل واض ع ة تتش اءم م ن يوم ا لجمع ة ،وأي
حا د ث يق ع فيه ال ب د أنه ك ارثة أ كي دة .لي س هذا فق ط،ب ل إنه م ،مبالغة م التش ا ؤم ،الي ج ر ؤو ن عل ى القي ا م بأ ي ع م ليفم هذا الي وم،مدال ذا ت ،محافة أن ي صبه الفش ل ،وعل ى هذا تؤي ل ا لأع ما ل كل ه ا إ ل يوم الم ب ت .وإذا مح أل ت لما ذا هذا التش ا ؤم ،ق ال وا ل ك لأن
م يوم ا ل جمع ة سا عةن ح س .ول ك ن ا ل ظا ه ر
ب ب الح قيق ي لي س هذا ،وا ل ظا ه ر أن ساعة الن ح س ه ذه ح ج ة لي س أن الس
إ ال ،ووسيل ة ست ط ي ع به ا الف ال ح و ن أن يؤ ج ل وا ع م ل الجمع ة إ ل الس ب ت، وبهذا يصب حي و م الجمع ة را ح ة ،ول ك ز ا ل را ح ة كلم ة بش ع ة عند الف ال حان• وقدرته م ا ل ا رقة عل ى ا لعم ل ال تي ال ت م . الرا ح ة إه انة لخشمون ه م خ
را ح ة ال
ي حت ا ج ه ا إ ال أبن اء الم د ن فق ط ذوو ا ل ل ح و م ا ل ط رية ال ذي ني عملو ن ز ا ل ظ ل؛ ومع ث و ن .ا ل را ح ة االسب و عية بدعة ،اذن أ ال ي ك و ن يوم الجمع ة شؤ ماموهته هذاي له ض ا عةن ح س ،و ح ينئ ذ فق ط م ن الجائز أن تؤ ج ل ا لأع ما ل ك م يي و م الس ب ت. ول ه ذا ك ا ن الن ا س يتوق عو ن أن ي ك و ن
ب ح ر كة الجر ي ه ذه م م,ميج ة
ك ر ى ح ب .ا ح د .ول ك ن م م حخثي ص ل وخن إ ل ا ل ر ز الي ج د و ن بهيم ة
تما م ح
و ال ح ريق اق ائ ما -و ال ر ج ال ب ح ر ج ال. ك ان و اي ج د و ن ال ش ي خ علي ا واقف ا م و ط الجر ن ،وه و ز حال ة ء ذ
ب
272
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
a fit of anger, and had taken off his jilb a b and turhan. He was holding his stick and shaking it violently. When people asked what was going on, the ones who had arrived first replied: “The sheikh will blaspheme God.” At that moment people began to laugh. This was undoubtedly another of Sheikh Ali’s jokes. In fact, he himself was regarded as a joke. His head was the size of a donkey’s, whereas his eyes were as wide and round as those of an owl, except that his were bloodshot in the corners. His voice was hoarse and loud, like a rusty steam engine. He never smiled. When he was happy, which was rare, he would laugh boisterously. When he was not happy, he would scowl. A single word that he did not like was enough to make his blood boil to the extent that it would be turned into fuel, and he would swoop down on the one who had uttered the word that had caused offence. He might even bear down on this person with his fat-fingered hands, or his hooked, iron-tipped stick, which was made out of thick cane. He was very fond of it and cherished it, calling it “the commandant”. Sheikh Ali’s father had sent him to al-Azhar for his education. One day, his teacher made the mistake of calling him “a donkey”, to which Sheikh Ali, true to type, had retorted: “And you are as stupid as sixty donkeys.” After he was expelled, he returned to Munyat al-Nasr, where he became a preacher and im am at the mosque. One day he mistakenly performed the prayers with three genuflections. When the congregation attempted to warn him, he cursed all their fathers, gave up being an im am and stopped going to the mosque. He even gave up praying. Instead, he took up playing cards, and continued to play until he had to sell everything he owned. At that moment, he swore he would give that up too. When Muhammad Effendi, the primary schoolteacher in the district capital, opened a grocery shop in the village, he suggested to Sheikh Ali that he should keep the shop open in the morning, which he accepted. However, this only lasted for
73ت
Yusufldrts
ش دي د وقد خل ع جلب ا به' وع ما مته وأ م كب ع صا ه وراح
يهزه ا
ض وممن
يب ا ل و ن عن الح ك ا ية .هيق و ل ل م السابق وزن ال ش ي خ ح يكف ر ر و كا ن ال ا س ح ينئذ يض ح ك و ن،خ ال ر ب أنت ل كن ا درة أخ ر ى م نن و ادر ال م خ عل ي ال ذي ك ا ن ه وتمس هن ا درة.ف ر أمح ه كبير ؛ ر أ س ا ل ح ما ر ،وعين ا ه واض عت ا ن مر ت ر ت^ن ك م و ن إم م ي قع ،ول ه ش ركن ك ل م ن جل ط ة دم• و صو ته إذا تك ل م ي خ ر ج
مب ح و حا ع ك ت و ما ك م و ت ا لواب و رأ إذا انكت م ن ي ه وف ح ر• و م تك ن ل ابش ا م ة ،ف ق د ك ا ن ال يبش م أبدا .إذا ا س ط ون ا درا ما ب م ط ،قهقه ،و؛ذا م ب م ط كث ر .وكلم ة وا ح د ة الت عجبه يتع ك ر دم ه ح تىيست ح ل إ ل م ا زوت وينق ض عل ى ق ائل ه ا .ق د ينق ض عليه بيده أ ذا ت ا ل ص ا ب ع الغلي ظ ة ك ال ص وامع. أ و ق د ينق ض عليهب ع صا ه ،وع ص اهه ك ا ن ل ا عقفة ،وك ا ن ت م ن خيزران غل ي ظ. وك ا ن هل ا ك ع ب م ن ح د ي د ٠وك ا ني ح به ا ويع زه ا وي س م ي ه ا الح ك م دا ر*. ١ أرمحل هأب و هليتعلم ز ا لأزه ر ، ١١وهن ا أخ ط أ شي خه مر ة وق ا لل هت أن ت بغ ل. ف ا ك ا ن م ن ال ث ي خ عل ي إ ال أن رد عليه وق ا ل :أب ت م ت ن بغ ل .ولما رفدوه
وع ا د إ ل م نية النصر ع م ل خ طيب ا للممسج د وإ ماما• ونس ي ذا تي و م وصلى الج مع ةث ال ث ركعا ت أ ا ،ولما حا و ل ا س و ن وراءه تنبيهه
لع نآ ب ا ءه م جميعا
لجام ع .و ل ج ل خ ا ط ر ه م طل ق ا ل ص ال ة. وطل ق م ن يوم ه ا ا المام ة وا أ
وتعلم
الجك و ت ت ة و ظ ليلع به ا حتىب ا ع ك ل ما يمل ك ه ،و ح ينئ ذ حل فب ال ط ال ق ^ أن يب طل ه ا .وك ا ن محم د أفند ي؛ ١الم د ر سبالم د رس ة ا ال يتداتية
م ال بند رف اتحا
دك ا ن بقال ة م البل د ة ،ع ر ض عل ى ال شي خ عل ي أن يق ف م ال د ك ا ن صا عا ت الصب ا ح فقب ل ،ول كن ه لري ع م ل إ الث الثة أي ا م ،و م ال ي وم ا لر اب ع ك ا ن محم د أ ف د ي
274
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
three days. On the fourth day, Muhammad Effendi could he seen standing in front of his shop, dripping with h a lv a ٠Sheikh Ali had discovered that Muhammad Effendi had put a piece of metal in the scales to doctor them. Sheikh Ali had told him: “Y o u ’re a crook.” No sooner had Muhammad Effendi said: “How dare you, Sheikh Ali! Shut up if you want to keep your ؛oh!” than the sheikh hurled a handful of h alva at him. From that day onwards, nobody ever dared to give Sheikh Ali any work. But even if anybody had dared, it would not have mattered as Sheikh Ali himself was no logger interested in working anyway. Sheikh Ali was also a very ugly man as well as irascible and unemployed, and yet nobody in the village really hated him. Quite the contra^; most of the villagers loved him and liked to exchange funny stories about him. Their greatest joy was to sit around him and arouse his anger, much to eve^fone’s merriment. When he got angry and his features darkened, unable to speak, it was impossible for any of the bystanders to control themselves and not collapse with laughter. They kept on egging him on, while he grew angrier and angrier. They would laugh until the end of the gathering. Everyone would utter: “What a character you are. Sheikh Ali!” They would then leave him alone to vent his anger on “Abu Ahmad”, which is what he called his poverty. He considered Abu Ahmad his archenemy. Sheikh Ali spoke about his poverty as if it were a person of flesh and blood standing in front of him. Usually, the tirade would be sparked if someone asked him: “So what has Abu Ahmad done to you today, Sheikh Ali?” Sheikh Ali would fly into a real rage at that moment, because he did not like anyone to talk about his poverty when he was talking to it. And whenever people talked about his poverty he would be driven to rage. Sheikh Ali was, in fact, quite shy, despite his stern features and words. He preferred to go for days without smoking, rather than ask any of the villagers to roll
Yusufldns
75ت
واقفأ أم ا م ال د ك ا ن يتصب ب ح ال وة ط ح ينيةه'م ف ق د ا كت ش ف ال ش ي خ عني أن محم د أفن د ي ي ف عقطع ة ح د ي د ز اليزانل يهل ب ،وق ا لل ه ال ث ي خ عل ي :أن ن حر ا م -و ما ك ا د محم د أفن د ي يق و ل؛ م الي ه اي ا ث ي خ عل ي واس ك ت و-خلر ئم تأك ل عي ش ،ح ت ى قذفه ال شيخ عل ي بكتل ة ا ل ح ال وة ا ل ط ح ينية• وم ن ي ومه م ب ه د لل ش ي خ عل يبع م ل• و ح تىل و ك ا ن ق د جر ؤ،فال شيخ ي جر ؤ أ ح د عل ى أن م عل ي ن ف ه م
ي ك ن من ح
ه ا لأي ع م ل.
وك ا ن هذا ال شي خ عل ي قبي حا ٠ضيق الص د ر ،ال ع م لل ه ،ومع هذا م ي ك ن م البل د ة م ن يكر هه .ك ا ن ا ل جم ي عي حب ونه ويعشق ونه ويتداو ل و نن وادره ،وألن محا عة هيتللث ال ت ي ي جل سو ن فيه ا حول هيس تفزونه ليغض ب ،وغضبه كان يض ح ك هم .ك ا ن إذا غض ب ،وا ربد ت مالمح ه ،وانكت م صو ته .ك ا ن ا لوا ح د م نه م ال يت م ا ل ك ش ه ويمو ت م ن الض ح ك ؟ وي ظلو ن يس تفزونه وي ظل م يغض ب .ويض ح ك و ن ح تى ينف ض ا ل م جل س .وعل ى ك ز ل سا ن ك ل م ة :اس (أب و
ي جازي ك ^ ي ا شي خ عل ي،ر ويت كونه و ح ي دأ لي ص ب جا م غضبه عل ى أ ح م د ) ف ق د ك ا ن يبس ي الفق ر (اب و أ ح م د ) و ك ا نيعتبره عد وه ا ل و ح ي د الل د ود.
ويت ح د ث عنه ك ما لو ك ا ذ آ دم يآ م و ج و دال ه اسم ولحم ودم• وك ا ن ت مجال ه تبدأ مي ن س أل ه أ ح د ه م: “أب و أ ح م د ع م ل في ك١٧^ ١يا شي خ عل ي ال نه ا ر ده ^ ؟ وك ا ن ال ش ي خ عل ي يغض ب ح ينئ ذ غض ا ح قيقيأ.
ذ ل ك لأنه لر ي ك ني ح ب
اني ح دث ه أ ح د عن فق ر ه ،إذاحت د ث ه و ك ا ن به أ ما أن يت ح د ث الن ا س عن فق ر ه ف ذ ل ك شيء ي دف ع إ ل الغض ب .فال شي خ عل ي ك ا ن خ آج و ل ج دأ رغ م
ق م ر ة مالمح ه وك الم ه .وك ا ن يفض ل أن يبق ى أيام أب ال د خ ا ن عل ى أن
بمللب
م ن أ ح د ه م أنيل فل هسي ج ا رة .وك ا ني ح م ل مع ه عل ى ال د وا مإب ر ة وفتل ة ر ز
276
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
him a cigarette. He always carried a needle and thread about his person in order to mend h is jilb a b in case it became torn. When his clothes got dirty, he would go far away from the village in order to wash them, and would remain naked until they were dry. Because of this, his turban was cleaner than any other turban in the village. $٠ it was only natural that the people o f Munyat al-Nasr laughed at this new drollery on that particular day. However, in this case the laughter soon died down and people fell silent, tongue-tied with fear. The word blasphemy was a terrible one to use, especially in a village that, like any other, lived in peace and tranquillity. Its people were good people, who knew nothing except their work and family. Just like any other village, there were petty thieves stealing corncobs, big thieves raiding cattle pens and snatching the excess cattle with hooks; big and small tradesmen; known and unknown loose women; honest folk and liars; spies; sick people; spinsters and righteous people. However, you found them all in the mosque when the m uezzin called the faithful to prayer. You would not find a single one of them breaking their fast during Ramadan. There are laws and guiding principles o f life that everyone must abide by: a thief does not steal from another thief; no one blames anyone for his profession; and no one dares to talk about things that would offend public feelings. And there was Sheikh Ali blasphemously talking to God in this way without hindrance. The villagers were laughing a little, but as soon as they heard what he was saying, they were dumbstruck. Sheikh Ali’s head was bare, and his short-cropped white hair glistened with sweat. In his right hand, he clutched his stick. His eyes were glowing like embers, while a look o f fierce and senseless anger had settled on his face. He said, addressing the sky: “What do you want from me? Can you tell me what is it that you want from me? I left alAzhar because of some sheikhs who act as if they are the sole
Yusuf Idris
77ق
جلب ابه إذامت زق ،وإذا اس خ ذ ه ببع ي دأ عن البل د ة و ل ح ل ثي ابه و ظ ر ح تىجن ف .ول ذ ل ك ك ا ن ت ع مام ته ا ل و ح ي د ة أن ظ ف ع مام ة في البل د ة . ك ا ن ح ر يأ إذن بأه ل منية الن م ر أن يض ح ك وا م ن ه ذه الن ا درة ^ ^ ١؛ ول
م الض ح ك ا ت ك ا ن ت تمو ت ز ا لحا ل ٠. .وا أللس نر تتا ج ع -؛ bتفة زق
ب ل دة م ر ا ل حل و ق وكأنما ل د غته ا عق ا ر ب .ف ك ل م ة ايكف ر ك ل م ة بش ع ة .وال
غيره ا ص الب ال دح تي ا م أما ن اف ،فيه ا ك ز ماح تف ل به س ائ ر الب ال د^, ١^١١ . الطيب و ن ال ذي ن ال يعرف و ن إ ال أعهما ل م وبي وته م .وا ل ل ص و ص الصف ار ال ذي ن ب ر ق و ن كيزان ال ذرة .والكب ار ال ذي ن ينقب و ن ال زرائ ب و س ح ر ن ال ب ه1
م ن
م ن أن و فه ابخا ل طا ط ي ف ،والت ج ار ال ذي ن يت ا ج ر و نبالغ ا ت .ونجار الق ر وش، بل د ة ك ل ا، وا ل م اء الملعب ا ت غير المعروف ا ت وأولئ ك المعروف ا ت عل ىن طا ق اله ف راء .والمر ض وا ل ع و ا ض وا ل صال حو ن: وا ل صادق و ن وال ك اذب و ن وا لخ ب ال د .ول ك ز ماح تف ل به م ائ ر ال
فيه ا
م ا ل ج م ي عج ت د ه م م ا لجا م ع إذا أذن الم ؤذن
لل ص ال ة ،و الجن د وا ح دا م ن ه مف ا ط را م رمض ا ن .وثم ة ق و ص مرعية
تن ظم
حي ا ة ال ك ل وي أس م و نه ا ا ل ص و ل،ف ال فتع د ى ا لل ص عل ى ل ص ،و ال أ ح ديعثر أ ح د آ مبنعته و الي جسر وا ح د عل ىحت د ي الش ع ور العا م .وإذابال شي خ علي يق ف وي خ ا ط ب ا ذ ه ك ذاب ال ا ح م و ال دست و ر. ك ان وا يض ح ك أو ن قلي ل ول ك ن ه م ما يك ا د و ن ي سمعو ن ما يقول ه حتى ل و الء م و س- آ ك ا ن رأمح ه ع ا ريأ وخ عر م القص مي لم عب ال ع ر ق ويالشي ب وا ل ع صا الح ك م دار زمبنه وعين ا ه تنفث ا ن حمم أ ،و ز و ج هه غض ب أ ح م ق ش دي د ،وك ا ن يق و ل م و ج ه ا ك الم ه إ ل المساء: “ أن ت ع ايزبم ١م ن ي ايه .تقد ر تق و ل ل أن ت ع اين م ن ي ايه؟ ا ال زه ر و ب ه عش ا ن ٢١خ ا ط ر شوية ٢٢المش ا ي خ الل ي ^ عامل ي ن أ آ اوسما ع ال دي ن :و مراتي
278
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
guardians of the faith. I divorced my wife, sold my house, and out of all people you chose me to inflict Abu Ahmad on. Why me? Who don’t you send down your anger, oh Lord, on Churchill or on Eisenhower? Or is it because you can only do it to me? What do you want from me now? “So many times in the past you made me hungry, and I endured it. 1 would tell myself: ‘Imagine it’s the month of Ramadan, and you’re fasting. It’s only one day, and it’ll pass. ’ But, this time, I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon, and I haven’t had any cigarettes for a week. I haven’t touched hash for ten days. And you’re telling me that in Paradise there is honey, fruit and rivers of milk, yet you don’t give me any ofit! Why? Are you waiting for me to die of hunger and go to Paradise before I can partake ofyour beneficence? No way! Save it! Let me live today and after that, take me wherever you like. “Come on, man, why don’t you get this Abu Ahmad off my back? Why don’t you send him to America? Is he my destiny? Why do you torture me? I have nothing, except this g allab iyya and this stick. What do you want from me? You either feed me right now, or take me now! Are you going to feed me, or not?” As Sheikh Ali uttered these words he was in a state of extreme fury; he actually began to froth at the mouth and became soaked with sweat, while his voice filled with fierce hatred. The people of Munyat al-Nasr stood motionless, their hearts almost frozen with fear. They were afraid Sheikh Ali would continue and become blasphemous. But that was not the only thing that scared them. The words spoken by Sheikh Ali were dangerous ... they would cause the wrath of God the Almighty, and it would be their village that would pay the price when His vengeance struck everything they owned. Sheikh Ali’s words threatened the safety of the entire village, and so he had to be shut up. In order to do this, some of the village elders began shouting placatory remarks from afar with a view to making Sheikh Ali regain his
Y u su fldn s
79ت
وطل قت ه ا .وال دا ر وبع ته ا ،واب و ا ح م د وسلخك عل ي
مالج
دون ا
عن بقية الن ا س .م
ز٦٦يف الدني ا د ي كل ه ا إ الياف .م ا ت ز ل غ ض كيا ر ب عل ى نف ر م
و ال زنه ا و ز ...م ش ق ا د ر ^ إ ال عل ي ا ق؟ < ر الل يف ا ت ت كن ت ي ج و عني يوم وباست ح م ل .
٠ ٠
م ايه د لو
ب ؟ ر ن
واق و لي ا واد كأنن ا م رمض ا ن،
و أ م يوم وينف ض المر ة د ي ^ بق ال ي ما كل ت ش مم من أول ا مب ا ر ح'آ ، ^ ١ و سجاير ممع يي ش سجاير بقالي ا س و ع .وم زاج™ ح د اش ما دقته بق ا ق عش رة أيا م ،وأن ت بتق و ل فيه م ا ي ن ة ع لن ح ل وف و اكه وانه ار ^ ٠ماميدنج ش ^ م نه م ل يه .س نن ي أما أ مو ت م ن ا ل جوآ ع علش ا ل أروح ا ي ة وآك ل م ن خثرك؟ ال ي ا س ي د ي يفت ح اش• ا ح ييني ال نه ا ردم وابق ىبع د كده ^ ودب ي م ط ر ح ما تولين ي• يا أ خ ي ما تبع د عني اب و ا ح م د ل ل أ م ما تبعته ا مر يك ا . ه و ك ا ن ان كت ب عل ي• أن ت بتع ذبن ي ل ي ه ^ .آ ي ما حل تي ش إ ل ا ل ج البيه دي. والح كم دا ر ع اين م ن ي ايه• ياتع دين ي د ل و قتي حا ال .يات ا خ دن ر ح دا ك عل ى < ل .ح ا س ل آ ي و ا ال ل أئ. ك ا ن ال شي خ عل ي يق و ل هذاب انف عا ل رهي ب ،حتىل ق د ت ك و م ال زبدف و ق ق ،وامت ل ص وتهب ح ق دف ا ض عن ح د ه .وأه ل م نية ا ل م ف م ه ،وط ما ه ا ل عر أ واقف و ن وق ل و به م ت ك ا د ت شل م ن ا ل ر عب .ك ان وا
أن ي سو ق ال شي خ
عل ي فيه ا ويكف ر .و م ي ك ن هذا فق ط مب ع ث خ و فه م .فال ك ل ما ت ال ت ي يقول ه ا
ال شي خ عل ي خ طيرة.
٠ ٠
ق د تغض ب الله محب ح ا نه وت عا ل ،وق د تحلببل د ه م م ن
ج راء ذ ل ك نق م ة تأتي عل ى ا لأخضر والي ا ص .ك ا ن ك ال م ال شي خ عل ي يهدد الآبل د ة ا لم نة كل ه ا ،وك ا ن ال بد م نمب ك ا ته .وعل ى هذا بدأ العق الءيطل قو ن م نبع ي د ك لما ت طيب ا ت ^ ير ج و ن فيه ا م ن ال ش ي خ عل ي أني عو د إليه رشده
ت8 ه
Modern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
senses and hold his tongue. For a while. Sheikh Ali turned away from the sky and directed his gaze towards the onlookers: “Why should 1he quiet, you miserable wretches? Should اhe quiet until 1 die of hunger? Why should لkeep quiet? Are you afraid for your houses, women and fields? It is only those who have something to lose that are afraid! As for me, I don’t have anything to be scared of. And if He is annoyed with me, let Him take me! In the name of my religion and all things holy, if someone were to come and take me, even if it was Azrael, the Angel of Death, himself. I’d bash his skull in with my stick. I’ll not be silent unless He sends me a table laden with food from heaven, right now. I’m not worth less than Maryam, who was only a woman after all ؛but I’m a man. And she wasn’t poor. I, on the other hand, I’ve had to suffer at the hands o f Abu Ahmad. By my religion and evetything I hold dear, I’ll not he quiet until He sends me a dining table right now!” The sheikh once again turned to the sky: “Send it to me right now, otherwise I’ll say whatever’s on my mind. A dining table, right now! Two chickens, a dish of honey and a pile of hot bread - only if it’s hot - and don’t you dare forget the salad! I’ll count up to ten. And if the dining table’s not sent down, I’ll not stop at anything.” Sheikh Ali began to count, and the people o f Munyat al-Nasr silently counted ahead of him, but they became increasingly nervous. Sheikh Ali had to be stopped. One o f them suggested they get the strongest youths of the village to throw him to the ground, gag him and give him a thrashing he would not forget. However, one look at Sheikh Ali’s fiery, rage-filled, mad eyes was enough to forget the proposal. It would be impossible to knock Sheikh Ali down before he lashed out once or twice with his stick. Every youth was afraid he would be the one to be struck, and that instead of Azrael’s head being splattered, it would be one of theirs. For this reason, the proposal foundered. One of them said, impatiently: “You have been hungry all your life, man, why pick today?”
Y usufldris
ا 8ق
و س ك ت ،وتر ك ال شي خ عل ي ا ل م ساءقلي أل وال ت ف ت إل يه م: “ اس ك ت ل يهيابل د دون .اس ك ت لما أ مو ت م ٤ال جو ع• ا س ك ت ل ه خ ا ي ض عل ى بيوتك م ون سو ان ك م وزرعك م .الل ي ح دا ه حا ج ه ي خ ا ف عليه ا، انما أن ا م ش خ ا ي ف عل ى حا ج ه . ٤١ان ك ا ن زع ال ن م ن ي
انما وديني
يخد ف انش ا ذ يك و ن عزرائ\ن ٤لم د شد خ ن ٤عل ى اعبد ان اي ج ه ح ديا
وئ
رأص
الح كم دا ر .وديني ما ي م ا ك ت إ ال أ ما ي ع ت ل ما ئ د ة م ن المسا حا الم ؛٧ ض أق ل س م ر م -ص م ه م ا ك ا ن ت ح ر م ة ،انما أن ا مر ' خ أ • ٤و ه ي
ش ره ،إنما ان ااب و أ ح م د طل ع ديني• وديني و ما اعبد ما ي محا ك ت إ ال أ ما ي عث ^ ١٢ما ئ دة. وال ت ق ت ال ش ي خ عل ي إ ل ا ل م ساء وق ا ل: هه ; حج ت ه ا حا ال د ل و قتي وا ال ما أخل ي و ال أبق ي حدايا إ ال ما اقول ه.ما ئ د ة حا ال• ج و لآ*ف ر ا خ و ط بق ع لن ح ل ووص ة عي ش م ا ض• عل ى خرط عي ش ^ م ا ض .وا و ع ^ تنس ى السلط ة .وديني لعا د د لغ اية عشرة وان
ما
زل ت الما ئ د ة ما ق محل ي و ال م ق ي آ •، وم ضى ال شيخ عل ييع د ،وق ل و ب منية النصرتع د مع ه م ق دم أ .وا لأع صا ب ق د ب دأ ت تت وتر ،وأصب ح ال ب د من ع م ل شيء إليق ا ف ال ش ي خ عل ي عند ح ده. ر واقت ح أ ح د ه م أن يل ت ف ج م اعة م ن خب ا ب البل د ة ا لأق وي اء حول ه وي وقعو ه أرض ا ،ويك م م واف ا ه ،وي عطو ه عل ق ة ال ينسا ه ا .غير أن ن ظ ر ة وا ح د ة ألق ا ه ا
ال شي خ عل ي م ن عينيه ا1شتعل تينبالغض ب المجن و ن أذاب ت ا رالقت ا ح .ف ش المست حي ل أن ين ا ل وا ال شي خ عل ي قب ل أن يخب ط ه و خب ط ة أو خب ط تنن برأس ب ط ة مح ت ك و ن م ننص يبه .وال ذ ي يهدد الح كم دا ر .وك لش ا ب ق د قد ر أن ا لخ بد شد خ ة رأس عززاثنن كفي ل بد شد ش ة رأس ا ل وا ح د م نه م ،وعل ى هذا ذا ب ا ال ت را ح .
وق ا ل أ ح د ه م زف ر و غب ا ل: ” ما أن ت ط و ل ع م ر ك ج عا ن يا را ج ل اش مع ن ى ١ال نه ا رده.
282
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin g u a l Reader
Sheikh Ali’s fiery gaze bored down at him, as he replied: “This time, Abd al-Jawwad, you weakling, my hunger has lasted longer.” Somebody else shrieked: “Alright then, man, if you were hungry, why didn’t you tell us? We would have fed you instead of listening to your nonsense!” Sheikh Ali then set upon him: “Me, ask you something? Am 1 going to beg to you, a village of starving beggars? You’re staging more than 1 am! Begjo#? 1 have come to ask Him, and if He doesn’t give it to me. I’ll know what to do! Abd al-Jawwad said: “Why didn’t you work so that you could’ve fed yourself, you wretch?” At that point, Sheikh Ali’s anger reached its peak. He flew into a temper, quivering and quaking, alternately directing his harangue towards the crowd gathered at a distance, and at the sky: “What’s it to do with you, Abd al-Jawwad, son of Sitt Abuha?! I’m not working! 1 don’t want to work! 1 don’t know how to work. I’ve not found work. Is what you do work, you bovine prat?! The work that you do is donkey’s work, and I’m not a donkey! I can’t bust my back all day long ؛I can’t hang around on the field like cattle, you animals. To hell with all of you! I’m not going to work! By God, if I was meant to die of hunger, I still wouldn’t do the work that you do! Never!” In spite of the sheikh’s anger and the terrifying nature of the situation, people started laughing. The sheikh was shaking, and said: “Ha! ... I’ll count to ten and, by God, if I don’t get a dining table, I’ll curse God and do the unspeakable.” It was clear that Sheikh Ali was not going to change his mind, and that he intended to go ahead with his intentions, which would have unimaginable consequences. As Sheikh Ali started to count, droplets of sweat poured down people’s foreheads, and the noon heat became intolerable.
Yusufldris
و8ق
وأ ص ابتهن ظ ر ةن ارية م ن ال شي خ عل ي ،وأ جابه؛ المر ة د ي إ عبد الج وادي ا س د '“ الح ك اية طال ت.وزءق ف =ه ض —
ي ' يا أ خ ي لما أن ت جعا ن ض تق و ل لن ا وا ح ا ،هت وكل مك ب رد
ال ك ال م الف ا رغ الل ي أن تق ا عد تق و ل ه ده. و ه ن فيه ال شي خ عل ي : ” اي اطل ب م ن ك م ،انم اش ح ت م ن ك مياب ك جعانة ،دا أنت وءم جما من أ م م ن ي ،اق و م أش ح ت م ن ك م ،اي جا يامم أطل ب م نه ه و ،واذا ما ادانيش؟م ح اقد ر اع ر ف خغل ي.
وق ا لل ه عبد ال جو اد: — ما كن ت تشتغ ليا أ خ ي وت اك ل .ي خف ي و ج ه ك . وهن ابل غ الغض ببال شي خ عل ي م نته ا ه ،وتزربن وراح ي ه م ويصرخ ووزع ك ال م ه ض ا ل جم ع المح ت ش د عنبع د وبيني ا ل س ماء: — وائ ت م ا ل كيا عبد ا لجو اديا ب نس ت أ ب و لأم .م ا ني شا؛ه م شتغ ل ،م ش ع اين اختغ ل .ماب عر ش اختغ ل .م ش ال ق ي خغ ل .ه و خ غل ك و ل ه خغ ل.يا ع الر بق ر .دا
شغل ك و
ل ه شغ ل حمير،يواف م ش ح ما ر .اف ما اقدر ش
يتق طم
و ط ي طو ل ال نه ار ،ما اقدرخ ي اتعل ق م الغي ط زي البهي م ة .يا به ا ميلع ن اب و ك وكل ك ي ما ني ش م شت غ ل .وال نب ي ^ ل و ح ك م ت ا م و ت م ا ل جو ع
ما اشتغ ل
شغل ك و أبدا. و كا ن غضبه خ دي دأ إ ل ال د ر ج ة ال ت ي جعل ت الن ا س تض
ح كب ا ل رغ م م نه ا
وب رغ م المو ق ف ا ل ر ه ي ب ال ذ ي ك ان وا فيه.
وانتف م ن ال شي خ عل ي أنتف ا ضة ع ظي م ة وق ا ل. ف ر وع ا م ل ما ال — ه ه .ح أ عد لغ اية عشرة وال نبي ان ماب ع ت ل ما ئ د ة ل ك ا
س ل-وك ا ن واض ح ا أن ال ش ي خ عل ي ح قيق ةل ن يترا ج ع ،وأنه ين و ي أنيل ب خ إ ، وي ح د ث ح ينئ ذ ما ال تحم د عقب ا ه. وبدأ ال شي خ عل ييع د ،وب دأ ت نق ا ط ا لعر ق تنب ت عل ى الجب ا ه ،وأصب ح *م
284
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Some started to whisper that the vengeance o f God had begun to unfold itself, and that this terrible heat was but the beginning of a terrible conflagration, which would consume all the wheat and crops. One of them made the mistake of saying: “Why don’t any of you get him a morsel of food, so he’ll come down?” Although Sheikh Ali was counting loudly, he heard these words and turned around, towards the gathering: “What morsel, you louts? A piece of your rotten bread and stale cheese that has all been eaten by worms? You call that food? I’ll only be quiet if a dining table arrives here, with two chickens on it.” There was a lot of grumbling in the crowd. Suddenly, one of the female bystanders said: “I’ve got a nice okra stew ؛I’ll bring you a plate of it.” Sheikh Ali shouted at her: “Shut up, woman! What’s this okra nonsense, you ...! Your brains are like okra, and the smell of this village is like that of acid okra!” Then Abu Sirhan said: “We’ve got some fresh fish, Sheikh Ali, which we’ve just bought from Ahmad the Fisherman.” Sheikh Ali roared: “What’s this miniscule fish of yours, you bunch of minions! Do you call that a fish? Damn it, if He doesn’t send me two chickens and the other things I ordered, I’ll continue cursing - and hang the consequences!” The situation became unbearable. It was a question of either remaining silent and losing the village and eveiyone in it, or of shutting up Sheikh Ali by any means possible. A hundred people called out to invite him for lunch, but he refused each time. Eventually, he said: “I can’t continue with this poverty, people. For three days, no one has offered me even a morsel. So, leave off with the invitations now. I won’t shut up until you give me a dining table full of food sent by the good Lord.”
Yusufldris
285
الظ ه ر الي طا ق ،ح تى أنبع ضه م تهام س أن الق م ة ال بد ق د ب دأ ت حنل ،وأن ذ ل ك اب ر الفف ل ح إن ه و إ ال م ق دم ة الحر يق ال ه ائ ل ال ذ يض و ف ينش ب و ي م ا ل و اق ف وا لمح صو ل. وأخ ط أ أ ح د ه م مر ة وق ا ل؛ “ ما تث وف ول وا لق م ةي ا و ال مدي ك ن يهب ط . ويبدو أن ال كلم ة و ص ل ت إ ل أذن ال شي خ عل ي مع أنه ك ا ن يع دي ص و ن ع ا ب مر تف ع ،ف ق د ا ش دا ر إ ل الجم عمحات الI
~ لق م ة أيهيابل د غ ج ر .لق م ة م ن عيث ك و المع ف ن و ج بنتك م املقدي ة ال ر
ماف م ا ك ت إ ال أما تنزل ل الما ئ د ةلغ اية ه ا ه4 كل ه ا دود ،وده أك ل ،وديتي ي و ي ض ر ا خ• وم ر ت ه م ه م ة ك م ة م الج م ع وق ال ت ول ية م ن ا ل واقف ا ت: “ اي طا ي خ ةش ويةبام ية حل و ي ني ا خ وي ا ا جي ب ل ك ص ح ن. وص رخ ف ه ا ا ك ء خ عليت ” اخ ر م يي ا مر ة•ب ا م ية أيهيابل د كل ه ا قرون -دا عقول ك و بق ت كل ه اب ا مية وري ح ةبل د ك و زي ري ح ة الب ا م ية ا لحام ضة. وق ا لأب وسر حا ن: ” حدان ا مملث صاب حيا شي خ عل ي ش اريينه لس ه ٦٤م ن أ ح م د الصي ا د. وزأر فيه ا ل م خ ض؛ — سمك أيه بما ع ك وم 1دم الل ي ق د العقل ةيابل د (صير). ه و ل ه س ك ،وديني ان ماب ع ت ج وز خ ر ا خ والطلب ا ت الل ي قل ت
لك
عل يه ا لث ا ؛ وزي ماي ح ص لي ح ص ل. وأصب ح الوح ن ع الي حت م ل ،إ ما الس ك و ت وضي ا ع البل د ة وم ن ف ي
ه ا ،وإم ا
إس ك ا ت ال ش ي خ عل ي بأ ي طر يقة ،وانطل ق ت ما ئة حن ج ر ةتعزم عليه يالغداء، وانطل ق صو ته ما ئة مر ة يرفض ،ويصر عل ى الر ف ض ويق و ل؛ “ ماف ق ا ع د عل ى ا ل ك يي اب ك ،بق ى لت ال ت ايا م ٠،ما ح د ش عزم علي بلق م ة ،حل ي ت الع زوم ة د ل و ق ي ،وديني ما ي سا ك ت إ ال أ ما تي ج ي الما ئ د ة من ع ن د ربن ا .
286
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Heads turned around to enquire who had cooked that day, as not everyone cooked daily; indeed, it would have been highly unlikely for anyone to have meat or chicken. Finally, at Abd al-Rahman’s house they found a ra ti of boiled veal, and they took it to Sheikh Ali on a tray together with some radishes, two loaves of crisp bread and onions. They told the sheikh: “Is that enough for you?” Sheikh Ali’s eyes alternated between the sky and the tray; when he looked at the sky his eyes gleamed with fire, whereas every time he looked at the tray his anger grew. The onlookers stood by in silence. Fventually, Sheikh Ali said: “All along I wanted a dining table full of food, you useless lot, and you bring me a tray? And where’s the packet of cigarettes?” One of the villagers gave him a packet of cigarettes. He stuck out his hand and took a large piece of the meat. He wolfed it down, and said: “And where’s the hash?” They told him: “How dare you? That’s rich!” Indignantly, Sheikh Ali said: “Right, that’s it!” Then, he left the food, took off his jilb a b and turban and once again started brandishing his stick, threatening that he would start blaspheming again. He would not be silent until they brought him Mandur the hash dealer to give him a lump of hashish. Mandur said: “Take it. Take it, Sheikh, you deserve it! We didn’t see, we didn’t know you’d be embarrassed to ask. Feople sit with you and they seem happy, but then afterwards they’re not interested anymore, and leave you. We have to see to your comfort, Sheikh. This is our village, and without you and Abu Ahmad it would be worthless. You make us laugh, and we have to feed you ... What do you say to this?” Sheikh Ali again launched into a raging fury, at the height of which he lunged at Mandur, shaking his stick at him and almost hitting him over the head with it. “Laughing at me? What is so funny about me, Mandur, you donkey brain? Damn you, and your father!”
Yusufldrts
7ة ء
س أ ل ع م ن ط ب خ م هذا ال يوم ،إذ إن ك ز ا ص يم واس ت دا ر ت ا ل ر ؤو ست ي طبخ و ن ك ز يوم ،وأن ي ك و نل د ى أ ح د ه م (زف ر ) أوف ر ا خيع د حا دثأ ■؟ط لأ، وأخترا و ج د وا عند عبد ا ل ر ح م ن ري ل ل حم ة (بت ل و ) م سل وق اب حا ل ه ،فأ حضروو عل ى طبل ي ة ...وأ حضروا س هف ج ال ،جو زين عي ش م ر ح رح ،ومخي صل، وقال وا لل ث خ عل ي: — يقضي ك ل ه. وترددبصر ال ب ي خ عل ي .بن المساء والطبل ية وك ل ما ن ظ ر إ ل ا ل م اء ق د ح ت عين ا هحمتررا و ؛ ل م ا ن ظ ر إ ل الطبلية ا ح ت ق ن و ج هه غضب ا ،و ب ل ع يغ م ر ه الس ك و ن ،وأختران ط ق ال شي خ عل ي وق ادت “ بق ى ٦٧اي ع اين ما ئ د ة ي ا بل د غ ج ر ،نجول طبلية ،ومحااا ،عب ا ل م ج اي ر .
و أع ط ا ه أ ح د ه مص ن د و ق د خ ا نه. وم د يده وتن ا و لقطع ة كبيرة م ن الل محم ،وقب ل أن يت ا ويه ا مف م هق ا ل؛ -و ذ ا
ال ض ؟أ
فق ا ل وال ه :ح ق ة إ ال د ي . وه ا ج ا م ح خ عل ي وق ا ل؛ ط ب هه• وترك ا ل طعا م ،وخل ع جلب ابه وعمام ته وراح يهز ع صا ه ويهذببالكف ر م ن ج دي د .و ميس ك ت إ البع د أن ؟ حف روا م ن د و وت ا ج ر المر ،وب ل حل ه نما ،وق ا ل ل ه: — خ دا ر خ د يا شي خ م ش كن آا
خ ا رة في ك .أ ص ال ما حدن ا ش ن ظ ر،
وما
ي رن ز م ان ك م ب كس ف ^ تط ل ب ،الن ا س تقع د وي ا ك وتنبس ط ل عا
وبع دي ن ت دل د ل ودانه اموت ش ي وتسيب ك ،وا حن ا ال زم نش و ف را حت كيا شيخ. هيبلدن ا م ن غيرك أن ت واب و ا ح م دت سو ي بمل ة .أن ت
تضحكن ا وا حم ا
ن اكلل ث م ب ي ر س فيمم ه ؟ا وغض ب ال شي خ عل ي غضب ا شديدأ ،و طار وراء م ند و ر وه
و زقم ة الغي ظ
س ه ويق و ل؛ وم ض يهز الح كم دا ر و م يك ا د يه و ي به ا عل ى رأ — ان ا أض ح ك وا .ه و اي مض ح ك ةي ا م ند و ري ا ابن اأ إغةم /ام ش با تلعن ك وتلع نأب و ك.
ب
288
Modern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Mandur was running in front of Sheikh Ali, laughing. The bystanders were watching the chase, laughing. Even when the sheikh came after all of them, reviling and cursing them, they kept on laughing. Sheikh Ali remained in Munyat al-Nasr, and things still happened to him every day. He was still short-tempered, and people continued to laugh at his bouts of anger. However, from that day on they made allowances for him. When they saw him standing in the middle of the threshing floor, taking off his jilb a b and turban, grabbing hold of his stick and starting to shake it at the sky, they understood that they had been oblivious to his problem, and had left Abu Ahmad alone with him for longer than was necessary. Before a single blasphemous word left his mouth, a tray would be brought to him with everything he asked for. Occasionally, he would accept his lot, with resignation.
Yusufldris
و 8د
وك ا ن مندور ي ج ر ي أمام ه وه و يض ح ك ،وك ا ن الن ا س يتف ر ج و ن على المطا ردة وه م يض ح ك و ن ،و ح تى ح ن طار ال شي خ عل ي وراءه م جميع أ و م س ه م ويلع نه م ك ان وا ال يزا ل و ن يض ح ك و ن . و ال يزال ال ش خ ط ي ي
حا
م ش ة ا ل م ر ،و ال تزال ل ه ز ك ذ يوم
ن ا درة ،و ال يزال س ع الغض ب ،و ال يزال الن ا س يض ح ك و ن م ن غضبه .ض أنه م م ن يو م ه ا ع رف وا ل ه ،غ م ا يك ا دو ن يرونه واقف ا و ط ا لجر ن وقد خل ع جلب ا به وع ما مته وأ م كبالح كم دا ر م يدم وراح
يهزه ا
م و ج ه السماء،
ح ت ى يدركوا أنه م ب أم ر ه وترك وا (اب و ا ح م د ) ينفر د به أ م ص ا ل الزم، و ح ينئذ ،وقب ل أنت س ر ب م نف م ه ك ل م ة كف ر وا ح د ة تك و ن ا لطبل ية ق د جاءته، وعل ي هأ مايطلبه ،وأ حي ا نأ يرضى.مم ا ف م وأم ر ه إ ل اف.
Modern A rabic
2 9 0 ، ^؟٠٢/
Stories: A B ilin gu al Reader
Language Notes
1. م ن الغي طا ن ال ن يل ة.*part of a saying: العجل ة من الشي طا ن وال غ ز م ن “( و خ م نhaste is of the DeviJ, patience is divine”). 2 . الث رينة: “siren” (ECA) ؛MSA .متر تبيه و. شة.“ مcar” (ECA); MSA ني ا رة. Note that this word also means “cart” (both in ECA and MSA), whereas the usual word for “car” in ECA is عزنة. 4 ب و ل س (المم دة) م: “police” (ECA); MSA >ط ة. The وي س الن ج د ة (lit. “emergency police”) may be compared to the civil defence in that it is a special section of the police force on hand to help in case o f emergencies. Note that الن ج د ة...ال ج دة means “Help! Help!”. 5. ال ر ز م: (ECA) a blueing agent (for laundry). Cf. ECA ون ر ي, “blue”. The word نغ زةcan also, o f course, mean “rose” (as it does in MSA). 6 . جلب ا ب: (pi. ) ج المحبa loose, robe-like garment. Interestingly enough, the author chooses to use this term rather than the ECA ( ي البيةpi. خ ال ل ب,)ي البي ا, as it is this quintessentially Egyptian male dress the protagonist is presumably w؟aring. 7 .يكف ر خ: “he will blaspheme” (ECA); cf. MSA ن ؤ ف ري ك تor نيك ف ر. In ECA, the prefix راح>) ح, “to go”) is added to the imperfect ( ) ا ش ا ر عto denote the future aspect (often implying intention). It is also used interchangeably w؛th راح or ( را مwhich has the feminine and plural f ؟rms رائ ح ةand ء(راي ح ينe. g. خنكت ب، راح ن كت ب، راي ح ين ن كت بall mean “We’re goine to write*. 8.ق ويق ام: “owl” (ECA); cf. MSA (ث و مcoll.). In contradistinction to European lore, the owl is associated with highly negative symbolism (stupidity, untrus ؟vorthiness) in Arab culture, and it is referred to as “( غراب اللث لnight crow”). و. الوائ ور: (< It. vapore or Fr. vapeur, “steam”) in ECA, as in a number of other dialects, this word can have a variety of meanings, e. g. “steam engine” (MSA )ك ر ك, “steamship”
Y usufldris
2 و1
(MSA o^Lj, pi . “ء(ئ واخنlocomotive” (MSA .(ق ا ط ر ة ها. ا ل خكندار: (ECA < Turkish bukiim dar, pi. ) ح ك م دأ ر هdenotes anyone in executive authority (e. g. chief of police, school prefect). 11. ا لأزن ر: one of the most ancient universities and undoubtedly the ؟lost famous mosque-university in the Islamic world. 12. زكعا تث ال ث: this refers to the number of genuflections (also see ) ح ك ا ه القندي لthe faithful have to perform in prayer. In this case, as it is the Friday prayers (i. e. the prayers performed in the mosque at midday), it should have been two (whereas it is^our for ordinary midday prayers performed at home). 13. ب ال ط ال ق خل ف : (lit. “to swear by divorce”); a strong oath, the use ofwhich is not restricted to marital issues! It reflects the highly neg^jive connotation attached to divorce in Muslim culture. 14. ه د ي: (pi. )أث دي ةoriginally an Cttoman title and honorific for various dignitaries, in Egypt it is a term/reference of address used for all persons with a certain standard of literacy. 15. ا ل ط حينية الحال وة: a sweetmeat made of honey and containing sesame seeds, nuts, rosewater, etc. (the English word “halva” is, of course, derived from the Arabic خ ال وة, “swe؟t ^ a t ’)؛. 16. اش ي جازي ك: variants of this expression include جزاك اش ك ل ( خأرlit. “May God reward you with evetything that is good”) and ( زثن ايمحزي كlit. “May our Lord reward y©u”). 17. ايه: (pronounced eeh,) “what” (ECA < CA أ ق, “what”, “which”) ؛MSA .م اذا ا8. ال نه ا رده: “today* (ECA); cf. MSA ال يؤم. The ECA word is derived from “( ال ثه ارday”, as opposed to “night”) and the demonstrative “( ذهthis”). 19. ع اين: see شعور ا أل س ال ف, note No 10. 20. س ق: “I left it” (ECA < سا ب, “to,leav )”؟MSA ر ئ. 21. عش ا ن: “b؟؟ause” (ECA < CA غل ى فأ ن, “on those grounds”); ءءMSA لأن. 22. غ وثه: “a bit, more or less” (ECA < CA diminutive o^ شيء, “thing”) ءء ؛MSA ق ل ل. 2و. الل ي: the invariable relative pronoun in ECA (and indeed in the overwhelming majority of colloquial varieties). It
292
Modern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
corresponds to the MSA ( ائذ يmasc, sg.) ( ا شfern. sg.), ال ندا ن (masc. dual nom .), ( اللت ا نfem. dual no m. ), يئ ن، ( الmasc. dual gen. /acc. ), ( الل ثفfem. dual gen. /acc. ), ( ال ذي نmasc. pi. ), ا يال ت/( ا ماث يfern. pi.). , 24. ع ام د ذ: active participle (< ع م ل, “to work”): ( ع ائل ةf. ), ع ان ك 2أ. مر ا ت ى: “my wife” (ECA = CA إنر؛تى, “my woman”) ؛cf. MSA • رؤ جي 26. ما ب ش: “nothing” (ECA < CA ذيه شيء+م ا, “not in it a thing”), cf. MSA ال شزء. 27• ( م ش (ق ادر: (ECA negating particle < CA م ء+ ما, “not a thing”), cf. MSA, م ما٠٢ ( الwith verbs), and الwith nouns. The .ECA particle can be pronounced م شor ن ش. 28. دل زقتي: “now” (ECA < CA هذا ال زق ت, “this time”), MSA آ لآن، Note also that in ECA قis pronounced as a glottal stop. 29. ل ي: “this” (ECA feminine demonstrative); cf. MSA ه ذه. Note that the ECA demonstrative comes after the noun, whereas in MSA it precedes it: e.g. ECA = ا لعر ن ة د يMSA هذه السي ا رة (“T^is car”). 30.كل ض ما: “I haven’t eaten”, ECA split negative construction + ما ش+ ;أكل تcf. MSA لر اك ل. The split negative is an alternative to ( ضsee above) in that it can also be attached to prepositions and even pronouns: e.g.“( ما م ح شI don’t have any ...”), نق ا ش “( جا ي نعان ا ؟Aren’t you [m . أcoming with us?”). 31. امب ا رح أول: see ش عور ا لسال ف. أ 32. م زاج: “hashish” (ECA); MSA خ ش ش. It is interesting to note the reference to drugs in combination with an oath involving God ( !) ح د اشNote also that in ECA (and in Omani Arabic) جis pronounced as “g” (as in the English “go”). 33.) ثدني ش ما.): “you’re (not) giving me” (ECA: ش+ تد ف+يب ). The particle بis used in ECA with imperfect verb forms to denote a continuous or habitual action (there is no equivalent in MS^). MSA: حن ي ي 34• غلش ا ن: (ECA < CA غل ى فأ ن, “for (what) matter”, a variant of ظ (see above). 35. ن ن ذ ك ذه: “afterwards” (ECA ك د ه, pronounced kedah < CA
) ك ذا, cf. MSA ت ن د ذل ف. Also note the expression رم ش ك د ه ؟ “isn’t that so?” (< MSA ) ألي س ك ذ ل ك. In the affirmative (ض ) ك د هit simply means “not like that”.
و6. ذم: “this” (ECA maseuline demonstrative); cf. MSA .ن ذ ا و7. ليه: “why?”(ECA, pronounced leh); MSA .لم اذا و8.( ;وا ال ل أECA < CA زا ال, “otherwise”) MSA آ ذلا و9كلما ت طي ا ت م: “nice words”; this is an example of a sound fem. pi. in ECA for inanimate things, which corresponds to a fem. sg. in MSA: طيبةo U i “( ؛nice words”). 40.م: (ECA) abbreviated form of م ن. 4ل. حا ج ة: see شع ور ا لسال ف. أ 4ق.عزرا س: “A^rael”; corrupted form of عزرائي ل. This substitution o f “n” for “1” is not uncommon in ECA, e.g. ( ف تحا لfor MSA س ا ن, “cup”), ( ث ه ا نfor MSA ر م ا ل, “oranges”). 43. “ ب م ال شsmashing”, ECA (> ذ ئ ذ ز, “to smash, shatter”); MSA ( خ ط ؛. 44. “ ؛را ج لman” (ECA) MSA 45. “ ك ف ت ي ؛ماyou weren’t”; ECA split negative (> ;(ي+ ش+ك ان ت+ما مح ة$ملم ث ك ق ج 46. ي وز: “two”, “a pair” (ECA) MSA ج3 “( زcouple”, “set of two”). This is an example of metathesis, i.e. the swapping around of consonants. 47• عي ش: “bread” (ECA), MSA ن ز. 48. اؤ ع: “watch it, you!”; masc. imperative of “( وعىto heed”, ‘!)ear in mind”). Cf. MSA اثبهor ا خثذ ر. 49. ئف ض و ال ب ي ي: (ECA) MSA ل ن أ رك ولمن أي ي شي؛. 50. ن ا ذ ج: “hungry” (ECA); MSA جزع ا ن. 5ا ذ م نث ى •ل: “why” (this one and not another one) (ECA); MSA: لما ذا/
'
52. نع ف ن ر: lit. “dyed in safflower”. 53. ط ب: “right” (ECA); MSA ط ي. 54• بما: “we” (ECA); MSA س. 55• أث و: “you”, m. pi. (ECA); MSA أ ق م. 5 ي •ة، ج: “coming”; ECA present participle or < جاء, “to come”; cf. MSA جشت. 57• ؛ما ا دان ش،،he didn’t give ااا، ” أECA split negative
294
M odern A rabic Short Stories: A B ilingual Reader
ف ي س+ادى+ )م اMSA:
بمط ي. ث م: a typically E^rptian name (associated especially with the Upper Egyptian countryside), which literally translates as “Mrs Her Father”! 59. ني ش ما: ECA split negativ( ؛see above), involving the first person singular pronoun (ش+ ان ا+ )ماand meaning “I don’t ^ave”. 60. ))كو شغل: “your” - m. pi. (ECA); MSA ( ك مe. g . زئنل ك م. 61. أئ وك و كل ك ر: “all your fathers” (ECA); MSA أب وك م كل ك م ( =اب اؤك م ) ي ميعا. 62. ومح ي: an oath (lit. “by the Frophet”), with variants such as 58.
ها
63. 0 د خ:"“ أperplex” (ECA); MSA رب ك,( ختu), ا د ه ل, ئ ؤ س. 64. ل ن ه: “not yet” (ECA < CA ن(إل سMSA ق ز ط. 6أ. بت ا ع ك و: “yours” - m/f. pi. ؛ECA possessive particle <( يت ا عCA ت خ, “to ^elong to”) with the second person pi. morpheme م (MSA )ك م, i.e. ”yours”. 66. ايا مت ال ت: “three days” (ECA); MSA ث الثة أيا م. Note the absence of so-called gender polarity for numerals in ECA. The word ت ال تalso reveals the common pronunciation of ثin ECA as ( تor sometimes )ص. 67. ثق ى: “so, then”; ECA invariable particle (not to be confused with the verb ت م, “to stay”!). 68. ض: “where” (E^A); MSA أنن. 6و. ح ئ ة: “piece”, “morsel” (ECA, p i. ;) ح ث تMSA: ( قطع ةpi. •)ق ط ع 70. “ مhashish” (ECA); MSA خ شي ش. Also see no^e above on 71.
غ د: “take” (ECA); MSA ( غ ذimperative). The ECA form reflects the common pronunciation of ذas ( دor )زin Egypt. 72. كن ا ش ما: “we weren’t” (ECA split negative); MSA م ن ك ن. 73• ع ارض: active ؛articiple (< عزف, “to know”): ( ع ازفةf.), ع ارض (pi.). 74. ف كس ف.: ECA ت كس ف+ the continuous particle ب. 75• اب ن اليلخة: lit. “son of a slipper”.
Bibliography
The Authors Bakr, Salwa ( ت(وممقS h u (u ra l-a s la f, Cairo: Maktabat Madbull al-Faqlh, Ahmad Ibrahim (1976): A k h ta fa t al-najm wa ayna anti?, Tunis: al-Dar al-‘Arabiyya li-l-Kitaba. Idris, Yusuf (1981): H a d ith a sharaf\ Beirut: Dar al-Adab. al-Kharrat, Idwar ( ت(هوولM a kh lu q a ta l-a sh w a q a l-ta ’ira wa m ahattat al-sikka al-h adid , Beirut: Dar al-Adab. al-Madanl, ،Izzal-Dln (1982): H ik a y a th a d h ih i ٠l-zam dn , introduced by Samir al-‘Iyadl, Tunis: Dar al-Junud li 1-Nashr. Mahfuz, Najlb (1982): R a 'aytu fim a y a rd a l-n d ’im , Cairo: Dar Misr li ،1-Tiba‘a. al-Shaykh, Hanan (1982): W ardat al-sahra Beirut: M u' asassat alJami‘iyya li ،1-Dirasat wa ‘1-Nashr wa ‘1-Tawzl‘. ShukrI, Muhammad (2003): al-K haym a , Casablanca: Ma؛ba‘at alNajah al-Jadlda. al-Takarll, Fu^d (2004): K h a zin a l-la m a r'iy y a t , Damascus: Dar al-Mada. Tamir, Zakariyya’ (ل97)و: D im ashq a l-h a ra ' iq , Damascus: Manshurat Maktabat al-Nurl. al-‘Uthman, Layla (2005): L a y la t al-qahr, Cairo: Dar Sharqiyyat li ،1-Nashr wa ‘1-Tawzl‘. al-Zafzaf, Muhammad (1980): al-Shajra al-M uqaddasa , Beirut: Dar al-Adab.
296
M odern A ra b ic Short Stories: A B ilin gu al R eader
References ‘Abd al-Rahman, Y. (2003): M a w su 'a t a l-'a m iyy a al-Suriyya: D ira sa Lughaw iyya N a q d iy y a , Damascus. Arabic Language Academy (2004): A l-M u ja m al-W asit, Cairo, 4th edn. al-Buzurkan, R ifat Ra’uf (2000): M u ja m al-alfd £ a l-d a k h ila f t ‘l-La h ja a l-Ira q iy y a a l-D a rija , Baghdad: al-Dar al-‘Arabiyya li ‘1-Mawsu‘at. Elias, Elias A. and Edward E. Elias (1994): E lia s 9 M odern D ictio n a ry ; E n g lish -A ra b ic , Cairo. Encyclopaedia o f Islam , 2nd edn, Leiden/London (E. j. Brill), i960-. al-Flruzabadl, Muhammad b. Ya’qub [n. d. ]: al-Q am us al-m uh it, 4 vols, ed. M. M. b. al-Talamld al-TurkuzI al-Shinqlti, Cairo: al-Matba‘a al-Yamaniyya. Hinds, Martin and El-Said Badawi (1986): A D ictio n a ry o f Egyptian A ra b ic. A ra b ic-E n g lish , Beirut: Librarie du Liban. Ibn M a n ^ r, Jamal al-Dln (1299/1881-1308/1890-1): L isd n alA ra b , 20 vols, Bulaq. Pickthall, Mohammed Marmaduke (1996): The M e a n in g o f the H o ly Q u r'a n , London: UBSPD. Wehr, Hans (1994): A ra b ic-E n g lish D ic tio n a ry , 4th edn, Urbana, IL: Spoken Language Services Inc. al-Zabldl, Abu Muhammad M u rta ^ (1306-7/1888-90): Taj alSarus m in s h a rh ja w a h ir al-qam iis , 10 vols, Cairo.
Twelve Stories by Contemporary Masters from Morocco to Iraq
The stories collected here are by leading authors ofthe short story form in the Middle East today. In addition to works by writers already wellknown in the West, such as Idwar al-Kharrat, Fu^d al-Takarli and Nobel Frize winner Najlb Mahfuz, the collection includes stories by key authors whose fame has hitherto been restricted to the Middle East. ^ i s bilingual reader is ideal for students of Arabic as well as lovers of literature who wish to broaden their appreciation ofthe work of Middle Eastern writers. ظcollection features stories in the original Arabic, accompanied by an English translation and a brief author biography, as well as a discussion of context and background. Each story is followed by a glossary and discussion of problematic language points.
Ronak Husni is a senior lecturer at Heriot-Watt University where she teaches Arabic language, literature and translation. Daniel ا. Newman is Course Director ofthe MA in Arabic/English Translation at the University of Durham. He has also published An Imam in Paris (Saqi).
780863 564369 >
Cover Painting: The Memory ofthat House by Iman Maleki
SAQI www.saqibooks.com
