Moorish Literature eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 393 pages of information about Moorish Literature.

Moorish Literature eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 393 pages of information about Moorish Literature.

He bought a sheep, which he killed; then he went to the two birds and threw them a part of it.  While they were quarrelling over it he passed by them and came near to the two lions, to which he did the same.  Approaching the two men, he found them asleep.  He went as far as the place where his wife was in prison, and attracted her attention by scratching her foot.  He was disguised and said to her, “I have sought you to tell you something.”  He took her by the hand.  They both went out, and he swore that if she made the slightest noise he would kill her.  He also asked her which was the swiftest boat for the journey.  She pointed out the best boat there, and they embarked in it.  There were some stones on board, and when he threw one at a ship it was crushed from stem to stern, and all on board perished.

He started to find the son of Keij.  While they were at sea a marine monster swallowed them and the ship on which they were sailing.  The chief took some pitch and had it boiled in a kettle.  The monster cast up the ship on the shore of the sea.  They continued their journey, proceeding by the seaside.

Behold one day they came to a deserted city.  They desired to take what it contained of riches, silver, and gold.  All of a sudden the image of an armed man appeared to them.  They could not resist or kill him at first, but finally they destroyed him and took all the riches of the houses.  When they arrived near the son of Keij he said to them:  “I want only the ship.”  So the other man took the treasures and returned home with his wife.

* * * * *

THE KING, THE ARAB, AND THE MONSTER

In former times there was a king of the At Taberchant (the son of a negress), whose city was situated at the foot of a mountain.  An enormous beast came against them, entered the city, and devoured all the people.  The beast established itself in the city and stayed there a century.  One day it was hungry.  It came out into the plain, found some Arabs with their tents, their sheep, their oxen, their mares, and their camels.  The beast fell upon them in the night and ate them all up, leaving the earth all white with their bones; then it went back to the city.

A single man escaped, thanks to his good mare.  He arrived at a city of the At Taberchant and, starving, began to beg.  The King of the Jews said to him:  “Whence do you come into our country—­you who invoke the lord of men [Mahomet]?  You don’t know where you are.  We are Jews.  If you will embrace our religion, we will give you food.”

“Give me some food,” said the Arab, “and I will give you some good advice.”

The King took him to his house and gave him some supper, and then asked him what he had to say.

“An enormous monster has fallen upon us,” said the Arab.  “It ate up everybody.  I will show you its city.  It has two gates, one at the north and the other at the south.”

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Project Gutenberg
Moorish Literature from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.