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4 Tale of a Lantern 18 Arabic (Morocco)19 There was once a man, a rich merchant of Fez, who had a very beautiful wife to whom he was greatly devoted. He gave her all that her heart desired and never allowed another woman, whether white or black, to share her place in his life. One day, while they two were sitting over the evening meal, he drew from his bag a pair of very beautifully wrought silver bracelets and gave them to her, saying, “See if these will fit your arms, beloved, for this afternoon my fellow merchants refused to buy them from the auctioneer, saying, ‘No woman has wrists small enough to slip them on,’ and I knew in my heart that my Fatumah would find them a world too large.” And Fatumah, smiling, slipped the bracelets on with ease, for surely they fitted her as though they had been made to measure. Then Fatumah said, “Oh, my lord, grant me one request.” He said, “It is granted, on my head be it.” And Fatumah said, “Should it please the Almighty that I should die before my lord, will my lord promise that he will marry again the one whom these bracelets, his munificent gift, will fit?” And the merchant promised. “No,” she said, “but you must swear to it, and Dada here shall be witness.” And he swore a solemn oath, and Dada, the old black woman who had been Fatumah’s nurse, was witness. Shortly after, it was decreed that Fatumah give birth to a daughter and die. But the baby lived, and it was given the name Shumshen N’har,20 and the old Dada cared for her and brought her up, even as the daughters of sultans are brought up. And she grew daily more beautiful, so that she surpassed even the loveliness of her mother. And her father regarded her as the apple of his eye. 15 Now, when Shumshen N’har had reached the age of fourteen, the relations and friends of her father spoke to him very seriously, saying, “It is necessary that you should marry again, Tajur.21 Your daughter is growing up, and she ought to have a husband found for her. And who could arrange for her wedding as fittingly as her stepmother would? Would you leave such an important matter to Dada? Moreover, when your daughter is married, your house will be empty, and you will require more than ever a wife to cherish you and care for your welfare.” The merchant saw that they spoke the truth, and he said, “It is well; I shall wed.” That evening, when Dada stood before him to give an account of her stewardship that day and to hear his wishes, he told her what his friends’ advice was and that he had determined to follow it. Dada said, “Has my lord forgotten the oath that he swore to Lilla Fatumah, on whose soul be peace?” The merchant said, “No, prepare the bracelets, so that when I hear of a suitable bride, you make take them to her and see if they will fit her arms. If they do, we will know that she is the wife Allah has destined for me. And, if not, we shall seek further.” Dada kissed his hand, and said, “On my head be it.” Soon after, the merchant told Dada, “Go to the house of such a one. I hear he seeks a husband for his daughter. Maybe she is the one who will do for me.” And Dada did as her lord commanded, but it was in vain. When the young woman tried to put the bracelets on, they stuck on her thumb bone, though she pushed until her hand was as white as milk. And this happened many times, so that Dada grew weary of going from house to house with the bracelets. All who saw the bracelets marveled at their beauty and at the smallness of the wrists for which they had been made. When Dada had returned from her tenth or twelfth effort, it was late in the evening, and she put down her haik22 and the handkerchief containing the bracelets in one corner of the kitchen while she hastened to prepare the evening meal. And Lilla Shumsen N’har entered the kitchen to speak with her and to help her. She said, “I shall fold your haik for you, Dada, and put it away so that it...

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