A woman who was named Omm Halima went one day to the stream to wash at the old spring.  Alone, in the middle of the day, she began her work, when a woman appeared to her and said:  “Let us be friends, you and I, and let us make a promise.  When you come to this spring, bring me some herma and perfumes.  Cast them into the fountain which faces the qsar.  I will come forth and I will give you money.”  And so the wife of Ben Sernghown returned every day and found the other woman, who gave her pieces of money.  Omm Khalifah was poor.  When she “became friends” with the fairy she grew rich all of a sudden.  The people were curious to know how she had so quickly acquired a fortune.  There was a rich man, the possessor of much property.  He was called Mouley Ismail.  They said to Omm Khalifah: 

“You are the mistress of Mouley Ismail, and he gives you pieces of money.”

She answered, “Never have I been his mistress.”  One day, when she went to the spring to bathe, the people followed her until she arrived.  The fairy came to meet her as usual, and gave her money.  The people surprised them together.  But the fairy never came out of the fountain again.

* * * * *

HAMED-BEN-CEGGAD

There was in a city a man named Hamed-ben-Ceggad.  He lived alone with his mother.  He lived upon nothing but the chase.  One day the inhabitants of the city said to the King: 

“Hamed-ben-Ceggad is getting the better of you.”

He said to them, “Tell me why you talk thus to me, or I will cut off your heads.”

“As he only eats the flesh of birds, he takes advantage of you for his food.”

The King summoned Hamed and said to him, “You shall hunt for me, and I will supply your food and your mother’s, too.”  Every day Hamed brought game to the prince, and the prince grew very proud of him.

The inhabitants of the city were jealous of him, and went to the Sultan and said:  “Hamed-ben-Ceggad is brave.  He could bring you the tree of coral-wood and the palm-tree of the wild beasts.”

The King said to him, “If you are not afraid, bring me the tree of coral-wood and the palm-tree of the wild beasts.”

“It is well,” said Hamed.  And the next day he took away all the people of the city.  When he came to the tree, he killed all the wild beasts, cut down the palm-tree, loaded it upon the shoulders of the people, and the Sultan built a house of coral-wood.

Seeing how he succeeded in everything, they said to the King, “Since he achieves all that he attempts, tell him to bring you the woman with the set of silver ornaments.”

The prince repeated these words to Hamed, who said: 

“The task you give me is harsh, nevertheless I will bring her to you,” He set out on the way, and came to a place where he found a man pasturing a flock of sheep, carrying a millstone hanging to his neck and playing the flute.  Hamed said to him:  “By the Lord, I cannot lift a small rock, and this man hangs a millstone to his neck.”  The shepherd said:  “You are Hamed-ben-Ceggad, who built the house of coral-wood?”