A man entrusted a jar of gold, disguised as butter, to a Jewish friend before traveling. On his return, he found only butter and concealed his sorrow. His brother devised a plan: after hosting the Jew at a feast, he swapped the Jew’s child with a monkey. Believing it divine punishment, the Jew returned the gold, and the child was restored, resolving the deceit.
Source
Moorish Literature
romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
London, New York, 1901
► Themes of the story
Cunning and Deception: The Jew’s initial act of stealing the gold and the brother’s clever scheme to retrieve it highlight the use of wit and deceit.
Divine Punishment: The Jew and his wife interpret their child’s transformation into a monkey as a supernatural retribution for their dishonesty.
Family Dynamics: The interactions between the brothers and the Jew’s family underscore the complexities of familial relationships and the lengths one might go to protect and support loved ones.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Berber peoples
Translated by J. Rivière
and Chauncey C. Starkweather
A man went on a journey. At the moment of departure he placed with a Jew, his friend, a jar filled with gold. He covered the gold with butter and said to the Jew: “I trust to your care this jar of butter, as I am going on a journey.” On his return he hastened to the house of his friend. “Give me the jar of butter that I left with you,” he said. The Jew gave it to him. But the poor traveller found nothing but butter, for the Jew had taken the gold. Nevertheless, he did not tell anybody of his misfortune. But his countenance bore traces of a secret sorrow. His brother perceived it, and said to him: “What is the matter with you?”
“I intrusted a jar filled with gold to a Jew,” he answered, “and he only returned a jar of butter to me. I don’t know what to do to recover my property.”
► Continue reading…
His brother replied: “The thing is easy. Prepare a feast and invite your friend the Jew.”
The next day the traveller prepared a feast and invited the Jew. During this time the brother of the traveller ran to a neighboring mountain, where he captured a monkey. During the night he entered the house of the Jew and found a child in the cradle. He took the child away and put the monkey in its place. When day had come the mother perceived the monkey tied in the cradle. She called her husband with loud cries, and said to him:
“See how God has punished us for having stolen your friend’s gold. Our child is changed into a monkey. Give back the stolen property.”
They immediately had the traveller summoned, and returned his gold to him. The next night the child was taken back to the cradle and the monkey was set free. As I can go no further, may God exterminate the jackal and pardon all our sins!
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