1. Introduction

1 For Moroccans the name of Sidi Hmad U Musa [2] of Tazerwalt (South Morocco) is inextricably bound up with the troupes of acrobats that one can see on the Jma‘ al-Fna, the famous square in the centre of the city of Marrakesh. This square is a real showcase of popular performance with a wide variety of attractions and among them are the boys and men dressed in colourful, circus-like costumes known as Ulad Sidi Ḥmad u Musa in Moroccan Arabic or as Ayt Sidi Ḥmad u Musa in Tashelhiyt Berber. They not only perform at the Jma‘ al-Fna in Marrakesh but in many other locations. In fact the Ayt Sidi Ḥmad u Musa perform all over Morocco, in countries of North Africa and the Middle East, as well as in European countries. Reports on their trips to Europe reach back over more than one century. The well-known Berberologist-Arabist Hans Stumme (1864-1936) met the Ayt Sidi Ḥmad u Musa on various occasions in Germany and Sweden in 1894 and benefitted greatly from their presence in Europe. With their help he was able to write some extraordinary contributions to Tashelhiyt Berber linguistics and oral literature, see the bibliography below.

2 The French officer Léopold Victor Justinard has devoted much scholarly attention to the historical Sidi Hmad u Musa and his role in Tashelhiyt Berber oral poetry. He called this saint le plus grand des saints du Sous [3]. Sidi Hmad u Musa was born in Bou Merouan in the Idaw Semlal region south-east of Agadir. His father was Sidi Musa, his mother Lalla Tawnut [4]. The date of his birth is unknown. He died, at an advanced age, in 971 AH (1563 AD) and was buried in his zawiya outside the village of Iligh in the Tazerwalt region [5]. Popular oral accounts say that Sidi Hmad u Musa went to Baghdad to visit the famous mystic Sidi Abdelqadir al-Jilani (1078-1166) [6], who lived more than three centuries earlier.

3 The saint and his adherents also played a political role in their time. Sidi Hmad u Musa was among the marabouts who fought against the Portuguese who, during his lifetime, tried to establish commercial settlements on the Moroccan coasts. Doyle Hatt depicts this period succinctly as follows [7]:

4

In any case, the reaction to the Christian ‘‘commerce’’ along the coast within Morocco was intense and, during the 16th century, a movement grew up that would culminate in what some historians call the ‘‘maraboutic crisis’’. Throughout Morocco, local religious leaders preached against the Portuguese incursions and raised small armies of followers to wage a jihad against them. Many of the charismatic reformers who were swept up in this movement were later to become revered as saints (‘‘marabouts’’), although their modern reputations have little to do with the irridentist jihad. These were the famous ‘‘saints of the tenth century’’ (tenth Muslim century): an entire generation of religious reformers who sprang up at one critical time of political ferment and ideological revisionism, and who made their mark on local religious practice in Morocco, and whose tombs have since become the prime landmarks in the ‘‘sacred space’’ of the Sûs: Sidi Sa‘id u ‘Abd an-Na‘im, Sidi Muhammad ben Sliman al-Jazuli, Sidi u Sidi (of Tarudant), Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, Sidi Brahim u ‘Ali, Sidi Megdul, etc.

5 In the first half of the seventeenth century the adherents of Sidi Hmad u Musa founded an independent marabout petty kingdom in the Tazerwalt region that lasted for more than one and a half centuries [8].

6 Still today, the tomb of Sidi Hmad u Musa is an object of veneration, particularly during the moussems, the annual fairs held in commemoration of this great saint [9]. One text from the Fonds Roux [10], states that three moussems are held each year for Sidi Hmad u Musa [11]:

7

Many people still visit the tomb of Sidi Hmad u Musa. They say it is the ‘‘Mecca of the poor’’. Three moussems are held there each year: one in August, one in March and the one they call the moussem of the Mejjat [12] for the following reason: Once Sidi Hmad u Musa was with the Mejjat. One day when they were fighting, throwing stones at one another, Sidi Hmad u Musa got wounded on his head, blood flowed from his wound. They asked him: ‘‘What can we do to compensate for this wound?’’ He said to them: ‘‘You must organize a ritual meal (lmεruf) each year, during which you eat porridge and throw stones at one another. Your harvests will be abundant and you should give a part of this to my descendants.’’...

8 Another Tashelhiyt Berber text says that the moussem of Sidi Hmad u Musa used to be a famous slave market [13].

9

Once upon a time we were travelling to a country far away in order to buy male and female slaves. We wanted some slaves for ourselves and some to resell at the annual fair of Sidi Hmad U Musa, where many slaves are sold.

10 In oral literature of South Morocco this saint still plays a great role, both in songs and in oral accounts in prose. His name is invoked quite frequently by itinerant singer-poets (Moroccan Arabic and Tashelhiyt Berber: rrways (plural of rrays)) in the first lines of their songs. In her precious Recueil de poèmes chleuhs, Madame Galand-Pernet states [14]:

11

Sidi Ahmed ou Moussa... est aussi un des grands saints du Maroc et le plus célèbre patron des chanteurs et, comme tel, souvent mentionné dans les chansons chleuhs. Cf. Our. 22, 23,
Sidi Hamed ou Moussa, nta kaf ntzor d awal / ifoulkin
‘‘Messire Ahmed ou Moussa, c’est auprès de lui seul que je viens en pèlerin pour demander le don de belle parole’’.

12 Another example is the song of Rrays Ubiḍar ‘‘The crippled singer’’, cited in one of the articles of Justinard [15]:

13 In the forties of the 20th century Jean Podeur, an Officier des Affaires Indigènes, stationed at Tanalt, a village south of Agadir, recorded [16]:

14 Another song about Sidi Hmad u Musa, recorded by Corjon, another Officier des Affaires Indigènes, starts as follows [17]:

15 In Tiznit, 100 kms south of Agadir, I recorded a song in March 1990 by the 72 year old rrays Boumia Aâchour. It begins as follows [18]:

16 The poem given in section 3h of this article is a poetic account of a part of the oral stories in prose (see 3a, 3b and 3f).

17 The name of Sidi Hmad u Musa is linked also to oral prose stories. Robert Montagne [19] reports that descendants of Sidi Hmad u Musa roam around in the region of Massa, a town south of Agadir, telling stories about the journeys of their forefather Sidi Hmad u Musa and telling, among others, the story of the ogre (see 3e below), the story about the pullers of the sun (see 3c below), and about Sidi Hmad u Musa seeing Bahmut, the legendary monster that carries the earth [20].

2 Motifs in the popular oral stories about Sidi Hmad u Musa.

18 In the translated fragments on the saint Sidi Hmad u Musa, given below in section 3, various themes and motifs, sometimes partially overlapping, can be observed:

3 Popular oral stories about Sidi Hmad u Musa.

20 The transcription used in the Tashelhiyt Berber texts below, follows in all details the one used in my earlier Tashelhiyt text-editions. I give a reanalysed, homogeneous transcription of the cited texts. I have deleted the schwa, written by Roux, Laoust and Justinard in various vowel qualities (e, ä, a), since it is not phonemic in Tashelhiyt. Moreover I have deleted the hyphen as an indicator of morpheme boundaries. In my translations I have tried to keep as close as possible to the Berber original as English usage permits.

3a. Sidi Ḥmad u Musa lliγ iga ahyyaḍ. [22]

21 Sidi Ḥmad u Musa γ ššbab nns ikkattinn iḍḍṣṛ bahra. Nnan ur a ittuqqaṛ ḥtta yan zγ willi t ugrnin; d yan ur ittuqqaṛn wida t ugrnin, ur a t ttasin mddn f ttmaṛt.

22 Iwa ihum γ ddunit Sidi Ḥmad u Musa lli. Aylliγ iruḥ ntta d kra ihyyaḍn yat tmazirt. Afn inn gis yan urgaz yug^wm kra n wiyddidn n waman. Iγṛ srsn, inna ysn: ‘‘I Ṛbbat, a ṛṛma, εawnat yyi ad asiγ ayddidn ad f lbhimt ad.’’ Nnan ṛṛma i Sidi Ḥmad u Musa: ‘‘Zayd, aws as!’’ Walaynni ur rin abla ag gis hḍṛn γ urgaz lli, igllin. Iftu Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, yall ayddidn n urgaz lli, walaynni inqb as tn s ššfi! Zaydn waman ar d ttffin, ar ṭṭṣṣan ihyyaḍn. γayann ka yadlli ran!

23 Lkmn inn daγ yat tfqqiṛt, tusi yan waryal n uknari. Tnna yasn: ‘‘Lḥurma nnun, allat yyi taryalt ad d umadl ad!’’ Nnan daγ ihyyaḍn i Sidi Ḥmad u Musa: ‘‘Asi yas, a wddi, taryalt ann i tfqqiṛt ad!’’ Walaynni ur daγ rin abla ad hḍṛn. Yasi yas tt ar iggi n umadl. γ ḍḍuṛ ad ila lεql nns, issfrḥ tafqqiṛt. Lliγ a ittazzal γ umadl lli, tnna yas tfqqiṛt lli: ‘‘Zayd, a yiwi, ak k issrbḥ Ṛbbi ar d a tssrbaḥt mak k iwalan!’’ Inmma iwrri d, ar ittεbad.

3a. When Sidi Hmad u Musa was an acrobat.

24 Sidi Hmad u Musa was very naughty in his youth. They say that he did not have any respect for people older than himself; one who does not respect older people is not taken seriously.

25 This Sidi Hmad u Musa roamed around in the world. Then, one day, he and some acrobats arrived in a village. They found a man there who was busy drawing water from a well by means of several leather waterbags. He called them saying: ‘‘Please, O archers [23], help me carry these leather waterbags to my beast of burden.’’ The archers said to Sidi Hmad u Musa: ‘‘Come on, help him!’’ They only did this to mock this man, poor fellow! Sidi Hmad Musa came, lifted the man’s leather waterbags up, at the same time piercing them with a needle! Water started to flow out and the acrobats started to laugh. This is really what they were looking for!

26 They also met an old lady (on the road) carrying a basket full of figs. She said to them: ‘‘Please, carry this basket up this hill for me!’’ The acrobats said again to Sidi Hmad u Musa: ‘‘Carry this basket up for this old lady, O son!’’ They only wanted to have some fun again. He carried the basket to the top of the hill. This time he remained sensible and pleased the old lady. When he had climbed that hill (for her), the old lady said to him: ‘‘Go, my son, and may God bless you and bless your future actions! ’’ Then he came back (to his companions) and (decided to) devote his life to God.

3b. Sidi Ḥmad u Musa. [24]

27 Ar ttinin mddn Sidi Ḥmad u Musa ikkattinn iḍḍṣṛ bahra lliγ sul imẓẓiy. Tigut as tdwwayt. Iγ illa gr tarwa n lmuḍε nns, taft t inn, yuti tn kullu γ taqquṛt, aylliγ ittussan s tdwwayt iggutn. Iγ a ttlεabn tarwa n lmuḍε γ kra n mani, imil izri fllasn kra n lxlq, irin ag gis ḍṣṣan, ar nn fllas ssak^wayn Ḥmad u Musa lli s ssnn is a ur ittḥššam.

28 Ar yan wass mmaγn ṛṛεyan takurtt. Izri fllasn yan ufqqir išiban, iṛmin, irba yat taryalt, yall tt, tlla gis lfakit n tazart. Ibdd, inna i ṛṛεyan ann: ‘‘I Ṛbbi, a ifrxan, is illa ma iẓḍaṛn ay yyi gigun yasi taryalt ad ar tigmmi nu? Hati, ṛmin ixsan inu. γwa nna yyi tt yusin, rad as dεuγ at t issrbḥ Ṛbbi!’’ Sawln ṛṛεyan ann, nnan as: ‘‘Ḥmad u Musa a iẓḍaṛn ad ak tt yasi!’’ Ran nttni ag gis ṭṭnaẓn, zεma, ašku ssnn iz d Ḥmad u Musa is bahra idwi. Nnan ak imil rad uk^wan yamẓ taryalt ann lli γ tlla tazart γ dar ufqqir ann, iluḥ tt, izluzzu lfakit lli gis illan. Uk^wan grun tt nttni iγ tluzza; sul xmmṛn, γakudann, ammas n bab n taryalt. Mašš Ḥmad u Musa, ikfa as Ṛbbi lεql nns γassann, ihdu t. Ur d issḍhir tadwwayt nns. Ar gis kullu ttεjjabn middn lliγ ihddn, ur iluḥ taryalt! Imun Ḥmad u Musa d ufqqir lli ar tigmmi nns, ifk as taryalt nns. Isawl d ufqqir ann, inna as: ‘‘Ak k issrbḥ Ṛbbi!’’

29 Mn γassann lli γ as idεa ufqqir ann at t ihda Ṛbbi, ifl tadwwayt lli tt isala d tarwa n lmuḍε. Uk^wan ilmma, isala agayyu nns aylliγ iga lwali imqquṛn.

30 Ittyara γ lktub n mddn lli zrinin iz d Sidi Ḥmad u Musa is tt inn ikka [25] isiyyḥ bahra γ tmizar n ddunit. Sidi Ḥmad u Musa ur d Taẓrwalt lli γ ittumḍal a igan darsn s laṣl. Tamazirt n Ida u Smlal a igan darsn; nttan a γ ilul, ittumḍil gis babas Sidi Musa. Ida u Smlal gan ššrfa ttyaṣlnin.

31 Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, illa ma innan iγra lεilm, illa ma innan iγra aγar lq^wṛan waḥdat. Tawwuri nns a stt igan γ zzman nns, ar immala i mddn aγaras s Ṛbbi. Nttan iga amddakk^wl n ššix Sidi Mḥmmd u Brahim u Tmanart, ašku ntta dids llan γ yan zzman! Ar ttinin γ ass lli γ immut Sidi Mḥmmd u Tmanart idda Sidi Ḥmad u Musa ar Tamanart, inna yas: ‘‘Ḷḷa ihnni km, a Tamanart, a mm usttif, a mm unsrif, a mm uzkkif! γinna iffaγ umddakk^wl i yan, iffγ t!’’

32 Ar daγ ttinin middn, ar ittini Sidi Ḥmad u Musa: ‘‘Is nniγ iz d middn a yuqqṛn Ḥmad u Musa, zziγ Ḥmad u Musa a yuqqṛn agayyu nns!’’

3b. Sidi Hmad u Musa.

33 People say that Sidi Hmad u Musa was very naughty when he was a little boy. He was very mischievous. When he was among the children of his village, you could see that he surpassed them all with his big mouth (lit.: in noise), so that he was, in the end, quite well known for his naughtiness. When the children of the village were playing somewhere and (if) some person then passed by whom they would like to mock, they encouraged Hmad u Musa, who, as they knew, had no scruples (to occupy himself with the passer-by).

34 One day the children were playing football. A tired grey old man [26] passed by, carrying a basket containing figs. He stopped and said to those children: ‘‘Please, O children, is there someone among you who can carry this basket to my house? I am very tired (my bones are tired). For the one who will carry it for me, I shall ask God to make him prosperous! ’’ The children spoke to him, saying: ‘‘Hmad u Musa can carry it for you!’’ (Of course) they wanted (Hmad u Musa) to cheat on him, because they knew that he was very impertinent. They thought that he would take that basket with figs from the old man, that he would throw it down and scatter the figs that were in it. Then they would pick up the figs when they were scattered and they would mock the owner of the basket. But that day God gave him understanding, (God) guided him. Hmad u Musa did not show his naughtiness. The people were amazed to see him act so calmly, he did not throw down the old man’s basket at all! Hmad u Musa went together with the old man to his house and gave him his basket. The old man said to him: ‘‘May God make you prosperous!’’

35 From the day onwards that this old man had asked (God) to guide (Hmad u Musa), Hmad u Musa quit his naughtiness that he had practised (so often) in the presence of the children of the village. He devoted his life (to God) and became a great saint.

36 It is written in the books of the people from the past that Hmad u Musa had once travelled much in countries all over the world. Sidi Hmad u Musa was originally not from Tazerwalt, where he is buried. He was born in the region of Ida Usemlal, where his father, Sidi Musa, is buried. The Ida Usemlal are famous sharifs.

37 Some people say that Hmad u Musa studied (religious) sciences, others say that he knew only the Koran. It was his job in his time to point out the road of God to the (common) people. He was a friend of Si Muhammad u Brahim of Tamanart [27], as they lived at the same time! They say that on the day Sidi Muhammad of Tamanart died, Sidi Hmad u Musa went to Tamanart and said to (this village): ‘‘Farewell Tamanart, provider (lit.: mother) of stones, clothes and soup! One should leave (the place), where one loses a friend!’’

38 People say also that Sidi Hmad u Musa used to say: ‘‘If people respect Hmad u Musa (that is all right, but) look, Hmad u Musa also respects himself! ’’

3c. Ssabab n litihal n Sidi Ḥmad u Musa. [28]

39 Nnan aγ mddn Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, γ ššbab nns, iḍalb i Sidi Ṛbbi, at t ihdu s lεibada. Ihdu t Ṛbbi. Izayd ar ittεbad. Ar yan wass iḍalb i Sidi Ṛbbi a ig zγ injbad n tafukt, zεma: zγ wida lddinin tafukt. Yazn as d Ṛbbi lmalayka, nγdd lmluk lli lddinin tafukt. Imun didsn, zaydn, ar stt lddin. Iγ rad d tγli, ar tt jbudn, ard tkkis kra f idrarn. Munn dids, ard nn tḍṛ. Mašš, iγ tra a nn tḍr, ar tt daγ jbudn, ar stt laḥḥ.

40 Imil yan wass ar tt lddin, tag^wi; ur tri ad asn tfttu γmklli myarn. Isqsa Sidi Ḥmad u Musa yan zγ lmluk lli dids llanin. Inna yasn: ‘‘Mat tufa tafukt, aylliγ ur tri γassad a tfttu?’’ Nnan as lmluk lli: ‘‘A wddi, yan ddriwš llan dars tarwa mẓẓiynin, nsn iḍgam bla imnsi. Inkr babatsn, iddu isuq, afad ad asn d yawi ma s a ttεtaqn. Kln daγ γassad bla imkli. Ikṣuḍ babatsn iγ daγ nsan bla imnsi ḥtta γiḍad ag gisn ifat lfut. Iḍalb ddriwš ad i Ṛbbi ad ur tṛuḥ tafukt, ard isslkm i tarwa nns ma s a ttεtaqn. γayann a f ur tri tafukt a tzzigiz!’’ Isawl d inmma Sidi Ḥmad u Musa lli, inna ysn i lmluk lli: ‘‘Maxx? Illa nit γ iggi n wakal ma mmu tẓḍar dduεa nns at tḥṣṛ tafukt γ ignwan?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Maxx? Is ur tssint, iz d lxyar n lεibada n Ṛbbi i yan, iγ a ittazzal f tarwa?’’ γakudann inmma ad d igg^wz Sidi Ḥmad u Musa bεd a isjd i Sidi Ṛbbi, inna yas: ‘‘A Sidi Ṛbbi, ad yyi tamṛt, ad gg^wzγ s wakal ad skrγ tarwa nu.’’

41 Lliγ d igg^wz, ismun d imddukk^wal nns d ayddars, inna ysn: ‘‘Riγ ad tahlγ. Ẓṛat yyi kra n tmγart igan taddriwšt, sri iṣlaḥn.’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Tlla flant tga bahra tamγart ilan lεql nns!’’ Yazn tn srs, walaynni inna yasn: ‘‘Hann, imxxaṛn γ uγaras. Hann dda fllawn iqḍεa kra!’’

42 Imil lliγ lkmn dar tmγart, awin tt id. Lkmn d ngr kra n iγarasn, afn d gis yan urgaz išibn, inna ysn: ‘‘εla sslamt kum, a yaytdarnγ!’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Ḷḷah isllm k!’’ Inna ysn: ‘‘Mani tram?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Nra dar Sidi Ḥmad u Musa.’’ Inna yasn: ‘‘At t irḥm Ṛbbi, igllin!’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Maxx? Immut?’’ Inna yasn: ‘‘Bḥḥra t inn uk^wan nmḍl γ lqbṛ nns, γir rarat tamγart s dar aytdars.’’ Biddn mddn lli, ar swingimn. Tnna ysn tmγart lli igan tasliyt: ‘‘Ṛwaḥt ar dars. Iγ nn nufa awal n γwad iṣḥa, hatinn ddad urriγ s dar ayddari; iγ t inn nufa iga tikrkas, γayann nit an nra!’’ Inmma tnna ysn: ‘‘Iniyat: ‘Aεudu billah zγ Ibliṣ’ ’’Nnan t, uk^wan s asn laḥḥ argaz ad. Zaydn lkmn inn Sidi Ḥmad u Musa. Inna ysn: ‘‘Tuf k^wn kullu tmγart ad kra tgam!’’ Izayd Sidi Ḥmad u Musa yili tamγart lli, yaru inmma tarwa nns. Zγ gisn Sidi Lḥsn u Ḥmad n Imṭεiyn. Nnan aγ: Llan wiyyaḍ yaḍnin. Yuzn tn kullu γ tudrt nns s tmizar. Kraygat yan gisn yazn t s yat tmazirt. γid ad ssnγ γ lqiṣt ad. Nfl tn inn γ ugadir n lhul, našk id s ugadir n lhna.’’

3c. Why Sidi Hmad u Musa married.

43 People tell us that Sidi Hmad u Musa asked God, in his youth, to guide him towards a life of pious devotion. God did guide him to this. He did devote his life (to God). One day he asked God to make him one of the pullers of the sun, that is: one of those who pull the sun. God sent (some) angels to him, notably those who pull the sun. He accompanied them and they went to pull the sun. When (the sun) rises, they pull until it separates itself (from the earth) above the mountains. They accompany it, until it goes down. But if the sun has to set, they have to pull also, until it disappears.

44 One day they pulled (the sun), but it refused (to go further); it did not want to go (by the path) they were used to. Sidi Hmad u Musa asked one of the angels who were with him (about it). He said to them: ‘‘What does the sun find (on its way) when it does not want to proceed (like it does) today?’’ The angels said to him: ‘‘O friend, (perhaps it was stopped by) a poor man with small children, who went to sleep yesterday without a proper meal. Their father had gone to the market to bring them something with which they could feed themselves. Also today they spent the (whole) day without any food (in their stomachs). Their father fears that one of them may die of hunger, if they would go to sleep without food again tonight! This poor fellow asked God not to move the sun, until he has brought home something to eat for his children. That is why the sun refuses to go down!’’ Sidi Hmad u Musa spoke and said to the angels: ‘‘How come? Is there really someone on earth whose prayer can stop the sun in heaven?’’ They said to him: ‘‘Why not? Don’t you know that the best way to devote oneself to God is when one looks after one’s children?’’ At that moment Sidi Hmad u Musa wanted to descend to earth after he had prostrated himself before God, saying: ‘‘O God, command me to descend to earth and to have my children.’’

45 When he had descended (back to earth) he assembled his friends and family and said to them: ‘‘I want to marry. Find a modest woman for me, who is compatible with me.’’ They said to him: ‘‘There is Miss So-and-so, a very clever woman! ’’ He sent them to her, but he said to them: ‘‘Be cautious, there are thieves on the road. Someone might (try to) rob you!’’

46 When they had come to that woman, they brought her (along to him). (On the way back) they arrived at a fork in the road and found a grey (old) man who said to them: ‘‘Peace on you, O relatives of ours!’’ They said to him: ‘‘May God keep you healthy!’’ He said to them: ‘‘Where are you going?’’ They said to him: ‘‘We are going to Sidi Hmad u Musa.’’ (The old man) said to them: ‘‘May God have mercy on him, poor fellow!’’They said to him: ‘‘Why? Is he dead?’’ He said to them: ‘‘We buried him in his grave only a short time ago; take the woman back to her parents.’’ The people stood there thinking. The woman, the (future) bride, said to them: ‘‘Come on, let us continue our way to him. If we find that the words of this person are true, I will go back to my family; if we find that they are lies, well that is just what we wish them to be!’’ She said to them also: ‘‘Say: ‘I take refuge in God, away from Satan’ [29]’’ They said this and immediately this man disappeared before them. They went further until they reached Sidi Hmad u Musa. (They told him what had happened on the road and) he said to them: ‘‘This woman surpasses you all!’’ Sidi Hmad u Musa married this woman and brought forth his children. Among them Sidi Lahsen u Hmad of the Imeta’iyyn tribe. They told us: There are other (children as well). He sent them all to (various) villages, during his life-time. He sent each one to a different village. I know this story until here. We left them in Castle Troubles and we went to Castle Peace [30]!

3d. Lqiṣt n Sidi Ḥmad u Musa d Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub d urqqaṣ nnsn. [31]

47 Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, ar ttinin, ikkattinn iga amddakk^wl n Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub; ar bdda ttnṣaṛṛafn gratsn s lmuṣaṛafa iggutn. Ar yan wass yazn Sidi Ḥmad u Musa yan urqqaṣ s dar Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub, inna ys i urqqaṣ: ‘‘Zayd s dar Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub, ad ak d ifk kra n ixnaf.’’ Taẓṛwalt, lli γ illa Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, tmgala d zzawiyt n Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub ugg^war n kkuẓ wussan n twada. Yašk d urgaz lli s dar Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub. Lliγ t id ilkm ismrḥba srs. Inna yas: ‘‘Ma ihuwwln lxaṭṛ?’’ Inna yas uṛqqaṣ: ‘‘Inna yak Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, azn as d kra n ixnaf, ira tn.’’Ifk as d Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub i urqqaṣ smmus ixnaf. Yawi tn d urgaz lli igan arqqaṣ ar aγaras, iḥḍu yan gisn, ifk kkuẓ i Sidi Ḥmad u Musa. Isawl d Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, inna ys i uṛqqaṣ: ‘‘Mnnaw ad ak d ifka?’’ Inna yas uṛqqaṣ: ‘‘Kkuẓ ay yyi d ifka!’’ Iεawd daγ Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, isqsa t; γaylli ittini uṛqqaṣ lli ka ukan ittini. Inkr Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, inna i uṛqqaṣ: ‘‘Qql sri ar d ṭṭuḍḍaγ.’’ Iggawr urgaz lli, ar ittqql aylliγ d iṭṭuḍḍa. Iεawd daγ, isqsa t γ wawal lli izwurn, inna yas daγ uṛqqaṣ γaylli yas ittini. Iγṛ Sidi Ḥmad u Musa: ‘‘Wa Sidi Mḥnd u Iεqqub!’’ Inna yas d: ‘‘Nεam!’’ Inna yas: ‘‘Mnnaw ixnaf ad d tfkit i uṛqqaṣ?’’ Inna ys: ‘‘Fkiγ as smmus!’’ Lliγ issfld uṛqqaṣ i γayad kullu nnan, inna yas inmma uṛqqaṣ i Sidi Ḥmad u Musa: ‘‘Lliγ kullu tgam γmkad, ma s yyi tṣḍḍεam ar sri tkkatm iγarasn nkki! Fk as nn afus nnk, ig ak d gis aynna trit, txxam yyi nkki ad ssunfuγ.’’ Igr as nit uṛqqaṣ lli s uxnif lli issntl. γid a γ tḥudda lqiṣt.

3d. The story of Sidi Hmad u Musa, Sidi Mhand u Yaqub and their messenger. [32]

48 They say that Sidi Hmad u Musa once was a friend of Sidi Mhand u Yaqub; they always kept a friendly relationship. One day Sidi Hmad u Musa sent a messenger to Sidi Mhand u Yaqub saying: ‘‘Go to Sidi Mhand u Yaqub, (tell him) that he must give you a number of burnouses.’’ Tazerwalt, where Sidi Hmad u Musa lived, was at a distance of more than four days by foot (lit.: march) from the zawiya of Sidi Mhand u Yaqub. The messenger went off to Sidi Mhand u Yaqub. When he arrived, he was warmly welcomed. (Sidi Mhand u Yaqub) said to him: ‘‘What is on your mind (i.e. what can I do for you?)’’ The messenger said to him: ‘‘Sidi Hmad u Musa asks you to send some burnouses to him, he needs them.’’ Sidi Mhand u Yaqub gave five burnouses to the messenger. The messenger took them with him on the road, (but) he hid one of them and gave (only) four to Sidi Hmad u Musa. Sidi Hmad u Musa spoke to the messenger saying: ‘‘How many burnouses did he give you?’’ The messenger answered: ‘‘He gave me four! ’’ Sidi Hmad u Musa repeated his question and the messenger answered in the same way. Sidi Hmad u Musa stood up and said to the messenger: ‘‘Wait for me until I have finished my ritual ablutions.’’ The messenger waited until Sidi Hmad u Musa had finished the ablutions. Sidi Hmad u Musa asked him the same question again and again the messenger gave the same answer. Then Sidi Hmad u Musa cried: ‘‘Hello Sidi Mhand u Yaqub! ’’ (Sidi Mhand u Yaqub answered him from far away) saying: ‘‘Yes!’’ (Sidi Hmad u Musa) said to him: ‘‘How many burnouses did you give to the messenger?’’ (Sidi Mhand u Yaqub) said to him: ‘‘I gave him five!’’ When the messenger heard what they said (to each other) he said to Sidi Hmad u Musa: ‘‘If you are (capable of doing things) like this, why did you bother me (and order me to make such) a difficult journey! Stretch out your hand to him and he will give whatever you want and you can leave me in peace!’’ The messenger threw the hidden burnous to him. The story ends here.

3e. Sidi Hmad u Musa in the cave of the man-eater. [33]

49 Nkrn sin lxlayq, Sidi Ḥmad u Musa d usmun nns, siyḥn γ ddunit. Lkmn ttmi n ddunit, ag^wln tawlkt lli γ illa lεwin nnsn s yan itri. Irwl asn srs. Ar ttẓẓin. Ha yan lxlq inna yasn: ‘‘Ma k^wn yaγn?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Laḥ aγ tawlkt n lεwin!’’ Inna as: ‘‘A ur tẓẓim! Rad id tašk ar γi. Nsat γi ar ṣbaḥ, tamẓm tt!’’Nsin, ṣbaḥ lli tašk id; amẓn tt γmklli, ur gis laḥ yat.

50 Ar fttun, nsin dar ugrzam. Ḍalbn as tingbiwt, inna asn: ‘‘Mrḥba!’’ Iškšm tn s ifri lli γ izdγ d lbahim nns ggutnin. Isrγ asn lεafiyt, inna asn: ‘‘Mat tram at tššim?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Aynna aγ tfkit!’’ Inna asn: ‘‘A awn fkiγ tifiyi, tfkim yyi tayyaḍ!’’Ar smuqquln ingratsn, nnan: ‘‘Maγ tt nufa?’’Ar ttmšiwirn, nnan: ‘‘An nšš, ukan iftḥ aḷḷah!’’

51 Lliγ ššan, inna asn: ‘‘Is tššam?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Iyyh!’’ Inna asn: ‘‘Nkki ur ta ššiγ!’’ Inna asn: ‘‘Fkat yyi yan gugun [34] !’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Waxxa! An ng tisγarin manwa gignγ.’’ Gin tisγarin, tawi t Sidi Ḥmad u Musa at t išš ugrzam. Inna as usmun nns: ‘‘Uhu! Nkki ar ra išš!’’ Inna as: ‘‘Uhu, ajj yyi a išš nkki!’’

52 Lliγ yujad at t išš, yasi d yat tmurt, ig tt nn γ lεafiyt aylliγ tnwa, isntl as i tiṭṭ lli iṭṭaf, immas tt γ tiṭṭ. Ikks tiṭṭ nns, ur sul isfaw, inna as: ‘‘Waxxa! Ha k^wnin γ ug^wns n ifri, ha yyi γ imi. Ar ṣbaḥ njmεa!’’

53 Ṣbaḥ γrsn i izimr, lsin abḍan nns, lsin sin. Yan ššan t, yan fln t. Kšmn gr wulli. Ffγnt lbahim. Ar tnt ittḥasab ugrzam. Wa nna yumẓ s ufus nns, iḍi t s bṛṛa, aylliγ akk^w ffγnt. Ffγn gr wulli, iffγ Sidi Ḥmad u Musa d umddakk^wl nns.

54 Kksn ibḍann, utn t dis, nnan as: ‘‘γikad a iskr yan ingbi, iγ dars insa.’’ Rwln, fln t. γinna γ t inn flγ d wrriγ d nkkin!

3e. Sidi Hmad u Musa in the cave of the man-eater.

55 Two people, Sidi Hmad u Musa and his friend, roamed around in the world. They then arrived at the end of the world; they hung their knapsack, containing their provisions on a star. The star then disappeared with (their knapsack). The two men started to quarrel. Then someone (appeared who) said to them: ‘‘What is wrong with you?’’They said to him: ‘‘We lost a knapsack with our provisions! ’’ The man said to them: ‘‘Don’t argue about that! The knapsack will come back to this place. Sleep here and tomorrow morning you will have it back!’’They spent the night there and the next morning it came back; they got their knapsack again, nothing was missing.

56 They went on and wanted to spend the night with (a person who turned out to be) an ogre, a man-eater. They asked him hospitality and the ogre said to them: ‘‘Welcome!’’ He made them enter the cave where he lived with his enormous herd. He lit a fire for them and said: ‘‘What do you want to eat?’’ They said to him: ‘‘Whatever you want to give us!’’He then said to them: ‘‘Let me give you some meat, then you must give me some other meat!’’ The men looked at one another and said: ‘‘Where would we find (other meat)?’’ They discussed the matter and then said: ‘‘Let us eat first, then God will bring us an answer to your question! ’’

57 When they had eaten, the ogre said to them: ‘‘Have you eaten?’’ They said to him: ‘‘Yes!’’ He then said to them: ‘‘As for me, I have not yet eaten.’’ He then said to them: ‘‘Give me one of you to eat!’’ They said to him: ‘‘All right! Let us draw lots who of us it will be.’’ They drew lots and it was Sidi Hmad u Musa who was to be eaten by the ogre. His friend said to him: ‘‘Oh no! He must eat me! ’’ Sidi Hmad u Musa said to him: ‘‘Oh no! I will be the one who is eaten by the ogre!’’

58 When the ogre prepared himself to eat him, (Sidi Hmad u Musa) took an iron rod, put it into the fire until it was hot and then stabbed it into the (one and only) eye that the ogre had and stirred (the rod) in his eye. The ogre took out the eye (from pain) and could no longer see. He said to them: ‘‘All right! You two are inside the cave and I am here at the entrance. We will meet tomorrow morning!’’

59 In the morning (Sidi Hmad u Musa and his friend) slaughtered a sheep and put its hide over both of them. They ate one sheep and they left the other one. (Having covered themselves with hides) they went among the sheep. The sheep were about to go out. Sitting at the entrance of the cave, the ogre counted them. He took all of them in his hands and then pushed them out of the cave, until all the sheep had gone out. Sidi Hmad u Musa and his friend had gone out also, (hidden) among the sheep.

60 Outside, in the open, they took their sheepskins off and hit the ogre with them, saying: ‘‘This is what a guest does, after he has spent the night with (a hateful host)!’’ They fled and left the ogre behind. I left him there and I came back here [35].

3f. Sidi Hmad u Musa and the old lady. [36]

61 Inkr Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, iskr rrbiεt nns, iga ahyyaḍ, ar ittlli γ ddunit. Ilkm yan lmakan, afin gis yat tfqirt, tusi taryalt n uknari. Tnna asn: ‘‘I Ṛbbi, a tarwa nu, ma yyi ittalln taryalt ad d umadl ad?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Hann, Sidi Ḥmad u Musa ntta ar rad am yall!’’ Ikkattinn iḍḍṣṛ. Lliγ d ilkm, tnna as: ‘‘I Ṛbbi, a yiwi, all yyi taryalt ad!’’ Inna as: ‘‘Waxxa!’’ Yasi tt, ikk d f ixf nns, yawn srs i umadl. Aylliγ tt isslkm, isrs as tt inn. Tnna as tfqirt lli: ‘‘Sir, a yiwi, ak k issrbḥ Ṛbbi, ar d a tssrbaht imuslmn!’’

62 .

63 Iddu Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, iftu s yan lmakan, ar gis ittεbad. Ar yan wass izri f yan lxlq, yaf t inn ar ikrrz. Inna as: ‘‘Aḷḷah iεawn!’’ Lxlq lli, tiwi yas d mas ma ištta. Iγra i Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, inna as: ‘‘Ašt, an nšš imkli!’’ Iskkiws. Aylliγ ššan, inna as: ‘‘γr yat lfatḥa a stt nfk i lwalidin nnγ!’’

64 Inkr Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, ilkm γilli ar ittεbad. Inna i ayt dars: ‘‘Nkkin ad ukan iskkiwsn γ ddunit, ur skirγ tarwa. Mad yyi ittṛḥamn iγ mmutγ?’’

65 Iftu, itahl. Iṣrf mddn ad as d awin tamγart. Inna i wi lli iṣrf: ‘‘εqdat ixfawn nnun, hann iqṭṭaεn γ uγaras!’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Waxxa!’’ Awin d tamγart. Aylliγ lkmn aγaras, mmaggarn gis d yan lxlq, inna asn: ‘‘Mani tram s tmγart ad?’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Sidi Ḥmad u Musa a mmi stt id niwi!’’ Inna asn: ‘‘Immut igllin! Bḥra ukan fllas nẓẓuḷḷ!’’ Biddn mddn lli, ar ttεjabn. Nnan as: ‘‘Ad nrar tamγart!’’ Tsawl tmγart lli, tnna asn: ‘‘Zaydat, nεlat ššiṭan!’’ Ššiṭan ifta, ašku lxlq lli mmi mmuggurn a igan ššiṭan. Zaydn d uγaras. Tnna asn tmγart: ‘‘Iγ nufa Sidi Ḥmad u Musa immut, iwrriγ f lḥaltati; iγ ur immut, γwann an nra!’’

66 Lkmn inn. Immaggar didsn Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, inna asn: ‘‘Aḷḷah iεawnat, a irgazn, tuf tmγart!’’ Nnan as: ‘‘S mit ma s aγ tuf?’’ Inna asn: ‘‘Yak, niγ awn: ‘Hann iqṭṭaεn rad awn mdin γ uγaras!’ ’’ Nnan as: ‘‘Ur nẓṛi yat mn γir yan lxlq ad dinγ immuggur. Inna yaγ: ‘Mani tram s tmγart ad?’Nenna yas: ‘Nra tt i Sidi Ḥmad u Musa.’ Inna yaγ: ‘Hati immut!’ Tsawl tmγart, tnna: ‘Nεlat ššiṭan!’ Lliγ tnna: ‘’a‘ûdu billaḥ’, laḥ argaz lli!’’ Inna asn: ‘‘Hati, γwann a f k^wn uṣṣiγ!’’

3f. Sidi Hmad u Musa and the old lady.

67 Sidi Hmad u Musa had formed a troupe and became an itinerant acrobat. Once he had come to a place where (he and his friends) met an old lady carrying a basket full of figs. She said to them: ‘‘Please my children, who will bring this big basket uphill for me?’’ They said to her: ‘‘Look, Sidi Hmad u Musa, he will do that for you!’’ Well, Sidi Hmad u Musa used to be very naughty in those days. When he had come to her, she said to him: ‘‘Please, young man, bring this basket uphill for me!’’ He said to her: ‘‘All right!’’ He took it, placed it on his head and walked uphill with it. When he had escorted her home, he put (the basket) down for her. The old lady said to him: ‘‘Go now my son, may God reward you so that you may reward all Muslims!’’

68 Sidi Hmad u Musa went off to a place where he started to pray and live a pious life. One day he passed a man, he saw him busy ploughing. He said to him: ‘‘May God help you! ’’ The mother of this man had just brought something to eat. He invited Sidi Hmad u Musa saying: ‘‘Come on, let us have lunch!’’ (Sidi Hmad u Musa) sat down. When they had finished, he said to (Sidi Hmad u Musa): ‘‘Let us pray one fatiha [37] for our parents.’’

69 (After his lunch with this man) Sidi Hmad u Musa stood up and went to the place where he use to pray. He said to his companions: ‘‘I sit here in this world and have not made any children. Who will ask divine mercy over me when I am dead?’’

70 He went off and decided to get married. He sent people out to bring him a woman. He said to those he sent away: ‘‘Watch out, there are robbers on the road!’’ They said to him: ‘‘All right!’’ They then found (lit.: brought) him a woman. While they were on the road, they met a person who said to them: ‘‘Where are you taking this lady?’’ They said to him: ‘‘We are taking her to Sidi Hmad u Musa!’’ He said to them: ‘‘The poor fellow has died! We prayed for him a few moments ago!’’The men stood there shocked. They said to him: ‘‘We will take the woman back!’’ Then the woman spoke saying: ‘‘Go on! And curse Satan!’’ (When they had cursed him) Satan went off, because the creature they had met, was Satan himself. They went on. The woman said to them: ‘‘If we see that Sidi Hmad u Musa has died, I will go back to where I come from; if he is not dead, well that is exactly what we hope for.’’

71 They arrived. Sidi Hmad u Musa met them and said to them: ‘‘By God, O men, the woman is better than you!’’ They said to him: ‘‘In what respect is she better than us?’’ (Sidi Hmad u Musa) said to them: ‘‘I told you: ‘Beware, there are robbers on the road!’ is that not so?’’ They said to him: ‘‘We saw only one person who met us. He said to us: ‘Where are you taking this woman?’ We said to him: ‘We want (to take) her to Sidi Hmad u Musa! ’ He then said to us: ‘Look, (Sidi Hmad u Musa) has died! ’ Then the woman said: ‘Curse Satan!’ When she had said: ‘I take refuge in God!’ the man disappeared! ’’ Sidi Hmad u Musa said to them: ‘‘Look, I gave you advice precisely about this! ’’

3g. Sidi Hmad u Musa d ulg^wmaḍ. [38]

72 Yan wass izri Sidi Ḥmad u Musa x yat tmazirt illa gis yan lεin zund asif mqquṛn. Yili gis yan ṛṛgg igaddan zund annrar, ibdd ag gis iẓẓaḷḷ. Lliγ ikmml, issfld i mad as innan: ‘‘Itti nn gigi, hati tḍṛṛit yyi!’’ γaylli isawln iga yan ulg^wmaḍ bahra mqquṛn, iggawr f ḍḍhṛ nns. Inna yas urgaz lli: ‘‘Mak k yaγn? Ma s tettawḍṛṛat?’’ Inna yas: ‘‘Ittawnna yyi γ dar Ṛbbi is rad ftux s jahnnama. Qllqγ bahra aylliγ yyi tkks yat tiṭṭ s tugtt n imṭṭawn.’’ Inna yas urgaz: ‘‘Ad akk^w ur tallat! Ṛbbi iga ṛṛaḥim!’’ Aywa, ibbi ulg^wmaḍ imṭṭawn.

73 Iwrri Sidi Ḥmad u Musa s tmazirt lli x d yufa lεin mqquṛn d mddn ggutnin. Yaf tt id tx^wla, iqqaṛ lεin. Ar iswingim x ssibbt n γayad. S d srs iḍhṛ Saydna Jibril. Inna yas: ‘‘Kiyyi a igan ssibbt n γayad! Imṭṭawn n ulg^wmaḍ a issngayn lεin.’’ γakudann yini urgaz i ulg^wmaḍ: ‘‘Ufix nn x lktub, iz d wa nna iran jahnnama, iqqan t id ay yalla imṭṭawn n walln nns kullutn!’’Izayd dax ulg^wmaḍ ar yalla, ingi dax lεin.

3g. Sidi Hmad u Musa and the snake.

74 One day Sidi Hmad u Musa passed by a place where a well was situated as big as a river. Near to it was a plot of land, flat like a threshing floor. He went to pray there. When he had finished his prayer, he heard someone say: ‘‘Go away from me, you annoy me!’’ The creature that had spoken was a very big snake and apparently Sidi Hmad u Musa was sitting right on top of its back. Sidi Hmad u Musa asked: ‘‘What is wrong with you? You are annoyed at what?’’ It said to Sidi Hmad u Musa: ‘‘God told me that I will go to hell. I am so distressed that I have already lost one eye because of the many tears that I have wept!’’Sidi Hmad u Musa said to the beast: ‘‘You must not weep, God is compassionate! ’’ The snake stopped crying.

75 Sidi Hmad u Musa went back to the region where he had seen the big source and many people. But now he saw that this region was empty and that the well had dried up. He went to look for the reasons of all this. Then the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said: ‘‘You are the reason of all this! The tears of the snake made the well flow!’’Then Sidi Hmad u Musa said to the snake: ‘‘I have found in a book that the one who must go to hell must weep all his tears out! ’’ The snake started to weep again and the water of the well started to flow again.

3h. A poem on Sidi Hmad u Musa. [39]

76 1 Ida bismillah u ṛṛaḥman, ak km d awiγ,

77 2 a lqiṣt n yan lxlq ma s ikka ddunit.

78 3 Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, ur akk^w ili zzawit,

79 4 ula lan timzgida, rrbaεt kad d imun,

80 5 ur igi bla ahyyaḍ, rrbaεt kad d imun.

81 6 I nna γ nn tlla yat tmγra, yasi d allun,

82 7 I nna γ nn tlla yat tarragt, yasi nn aburi.

83 8 I nna γ insa, i nna γ ikla, i nna γ iṛuḥ.

84 9 γ ass lli ira Ṛbbi at tn issrbḥ,

85 10 smdin as luliyt imqquṛn d waεkkaz nnsnt.

86 11 Ha nnit fllas lšašra wa lli d imunn.

87 12 ‘‘A iwi, lḥurma nnun, all yyi nn aryal ar tamggrṭṭ ann!’’

88 13 Sawln kullu s lkibr, ur iri yan

89 14 ay yasi aryal ula at tn slin ibrdan nnsn.

90 15 Tγr i Ḥmad u Musa. Inna ukan: ‘‘Nεam!’’

91 16 Ta lli ittyaqann s Ṛbbi nns a γ ššrjant [40].

92 17 Ha nnit fllas lquṭub lli biddn srs.

93 18 Tnna yas: ‘‘A yiwi, lḥurma nnun ad yyi nn

94 19 tasim aryal ann, an nγli f tamggrṭṭ ann.’’

95 20 Inna: ‘‘Bismillah!’’ Igr s tilluna zγ ufus.

96 21 Yals ašḍaḍ i ixf aylliγ d usin.

97 22 Itrm as umṭṭa n ik^wzarn tudmt nns.

98 23 Ha aryal lli iγli ar f tamggrṭṭ ann.

99 24 Tnna yas: ‘‘A xuya, hann rrbḥ iḍmn ak.’’

100 25 Igr tiṭṭ s uflla, isfaw akk^w ignwan.

101 26 Isfaw akk^w lεrš ula kra gis iggiwrn.

102 27 Sidi Ḥmad u Musa, ṛẓm d i tagat nnk,

103 28 ad dis utγ anwwaš, ilha gigi d lεaṛ

104 29 ig iyt umγar nγ lqayd nγ ur igi yat.

3h. A poem on Sidi Hmad u Musa.

105 In a poem published by Justinard one again finds some motifs seen in the preceding fragments:

106 1 In the name of God, I will tell you

107 2 a story of a man (whose name) went over the world.

108 3 Sidi Hmad u Musa did not have a zawiya,

109 4 nor did he possess a mosque, he simply joined a troupe.

110 5 He was nothing but an acrobat, he simply joined a troupe.

111 6 Wherever there was a wedding, he brought along his tambourine.

112 7 Wherever there was a big group of visitors at a wedding, he brought along a rifle.

113 8 Wherever he spent the night, wherever he spent the day, wherever he went.

114 9 On the day God wanted to bestow favours on him,

115 10 He confronted him with a great woman saint who carried her stick.

116 11 The troupe (of acrobats) that had joined Sidi Hmad u Musa approached her.

117 12 (The old lady said: ) ‘‘O sons, have pity on me and take this big basket of figs up the hill for me!’’

118 13 They all talked proudly, no one wanted

119 14 to carry the big basket for her nor for (the sticky basket) to touch their clothes.

120 15 She then called Sidi Hmad u Musa. He said: ‘‘Yes!’’

121 16 She who believes in God, may surely expect hope from Him.

122 17 He went to her and there the ‘‘Pole’’ [41] stood in front of her.

123 18 She said to him: ‘‘My son, please,

124 19 carry this big basket for me and let us climb that slope.’’

125 20 He said: ‘‘In the name of God!’’ and he threw the tambourine from his hands.

126 21 He rolled a piece of cloth around his head on which he carried (the basket).

127 22 The juice of ripe figs dripped down on his face.

128 23 He carried the basket uphill.

129 24 She then said to him: ‘‘O brother, a reward is guaranteed for you.’’

130 25 He looked up: he could see the Heaven,

131 26 he could see the divine throne and Someone who was sitting on it.

132 27 Sidi Hmad u Musa, release your pledge,

133 28 so that I may use to hit the jealous person who spreads scandal about me,

134 29 whether he be a chief or a caid or nothing at all.