A servant tending sheep played his flute, causing the sheep and later his master to stop grazing and dance uncontrollably. When tied to prove this, the master danced to his death. The master’s son sought justice, but each challenger succumbed to the flute’s spell, including a laborer and the cadi. In the end, all perished, leaving the servant to inherit their wealth.
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 servant’s use of the flute to cause others to dance to their demise involves elements of cunning and unintended deception.
Revenge and Justice: The master’s son seeks justice for his father’s death, but the pursuit leads to further unintended consequences.
Conflict with Authority: The servant’s actions challenge societal norms and hierarchies, especially when the cadi (a figure of authority) becomes a victim.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Berber peoples
Translated by J. Rivière
and Chauncey C. Starkweather
A servant tended the sheep of his master. Arrived in the meadow, he played the flute. The sheep heard him, and would not browse. One day the master saw that his sheep did not graze. He followed the servant to the fields and hid himself in bushes. The shepherd took his flute and began to play. His master began to dance so that the bushes brought blood upon him. He returned home.
“Who scratched you so?” asked his wife.
“The servant played on the flute, and I began to dance.”
“That is a lie,” said she; “people don’t dance against their will.”
“Well,” answered the husband, “tie me to this post and make the servant play.”
► Continue reading…
She tied him to the post and the servant took the flute. Our man began to dance. He struck his head against a nail in the post and died. The son of the dead man said to the servant:
“Pay me for the loss of my father.”
They went before the cadi. On the way they met a laborer, who asked them where they were going.
“Before the cadi.”
“Could you tell me why?”
“This man killed my father,” answered the son of the dead man.
“It was not I that killed him,” answered the shepherd; “I played on the flute, he danced and died.”
“That is a lie!” cried the laborer. “I will not dance against my will. Take your flute and we shall see if I dance.”
The shepherd took his flute. He began to play, and the laborer started dancing with such activity that his oxen left to themselves fell into the ravine.
“Pay me for my oxen,” he cried to the shepherd.
“Come before the cadi,” he answered. They presented themselves before the cadi, who received them on the second floor of the house. They all sat down. Then the cadi said to the servant:
“Take your flute and play before me. I will see how you play.” The servant took his flute and all began to dance. The cadi danced with the others, and they all fell down to the ground floor and were killed. The servant stayed in the house of the cadi and inherited the property of all.
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Dreamtime Whispers 