Moorish Literature: Comprising Romantic Ballads, Tales of the Berbers, Stories of the Kabyles, Folk-Lore, and National Traditions
General
Moorish Literature: Comprising Romantic Ballads, Tales of the Berbers, Stories of the Kabyles, Folk-Lore, and National Traditions
Spanish literature -- Translations into English
There are 3,500 men in the Aglou country. They have 2,200 houses and 960
horses. This district is on the sea-coast and possesses a stone-harbor.
There are barks which are used in fishing. The inhabitants were living in
tranquillity when one day, as they were starting out to fish, a ship
arrived off shore. They fled in fear and left it in the sea. The ship
waited till midnight. Then it entered the port and ran up a red flag. It
remained at anchor for fifteen days. The people of Aglou assembled day and
night, big and little, even the horsemen before it. No one was missing. The
chiefs of the town wrote letters which they sent to all the villages. They
sent one to Sidi Hecham couched in these words: "Come at once. The
Christians have made an expedition against us, and have taken this port."
Sidi Hecham sent messengers to all the provinces over which he ruled and
said in his letters: "You must accompany me to the country of Aglou, for
the Christians have made an expedition against us." All the neighboring
tribes assembled to march against the Christians. When Sidi Hecham had
joined them he said, "You must raise a red flag like theirs."
They raised it. When it was seen by those on the ship, a sailor came ashore
in a small boat and approached the Mussulmans there assembled.
"Let no one insult the Christian," said Sidi Hecham, "until we learn his
purpose in landing here."
They asked him, "What do you want?"
The Christian replied, "We wish to receive, in the name of God, pledges of
security."
All who were present said, "God grants to you security with us."
The Christian then continued, "My object is to trade with you."
"That is quite agreeable to us," answered Hecham. Then Hecham asked the
Christian what he wanted to purchase."
"Oil, butter, wheat, oxen, sheep, and chickens," said he.
When the Mussulmans heard this they gathered together wheat, oil, oxen, and
everything he had mentioned. He made his purchases, and was well supplied.
The master of the ship then said:
"Our business is finished. We must go back home. But we shall return to
you." Hecham answered:
"That which I have done for you is not pleasing to the people of Aglou. It
is only on account of the pledge of security that I have been able to
restrain them. I have given you all you asked. Next time you come, bring us
fifty cannons and ten howitzers."
"Very well," answered the Christian, "I shall return this time next year."
"Do as you promise," replied Hecham, "and I will give you whatever you want
in the country of the Mussulmans."
V
A STORY ABOUT THE COUNTRY OF AIT-BAMOURAN
There arrived in this country at the beginning of the year another ship
which stopped at a place called Ifni, in the tribe of Ait-Bamouran, and
stayed there three days. Then one of the sailors got into a small boat,
came ashore, and said to the inhabitants, "I will buy bread, meat, and
water from you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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