Two traveling companions, Sidi El-Marouf and Sidi Abd-el-Tadu, prayed for protection from undeserved misfortune before separating for the night. Sidi El-Marouf was welcomed into a couple’s home, where the wife murdered her husband and falsely accused him. The villagers prepared to burn him, but Sidi Abd-el-Tadu uncovered the truth through divine intervention. A talking bird revealed the hidden knife, proving Sidi El-Marouf’s innocence and delivering justice.
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
Divine Intervention: A talking bird, guided by divine will, exposes the murderer and clears Sidi El-Marouf’s name.
Cunning and Deception: The wife deceitfully frames Sidi El-Marouf for her husband’s murder.
Revenge and Justice: Justice is restored when the true crime and criminal are revealed.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Berber peoples
Translated by J. Rivière
and Chauncey C. Starkweather
Sidi El-Marouf and Sidi Abd-el-Tadu were travelling in company. Toward evening they separated to find a resting-place. Sidi Abd-el-Tadu said to his friend: “Let us say a prayer, that God may preserve us from the evil which we have never committed.”
Sidi El-Marouf answered, “Yes, may God preserve us from the evil that we have not done!”
They went toward the houses, each his own way. Sidi El-Marouf presented himself at a door. “Can you entertain a traveller?”
“You are welcome,” said a woman to him. “Enter, you may remain for the night.”
► Continue reading…
Night came. He took his supper. The woman spread a mat on the floor and he went to sleep. The woman and her husband slept also. When all was quiet, the woman got up, took a knife, and killed her husband. The next day at dawn she began to cry:
“He has killed my husband!”
The whole village ran up to the house and seized the stranger. They bound him, and everyone brought wood to burn the guilty man.
Sidi Abd-el-Tadu came also, and saw his friend in tears. “What have you done?” he asked.
“I have done no evil,” answered Sidi El-Marouf.
“Did I not tell you yesterday,” said Sidi Abd-el-Tadu, “that we would say the prayer that God should preserve us from the evil we had never committed? And now you will be burned for a crime of which you are innocent!”
Sidi El-Marouf answered him, “Bring the woman here.”
“Did he really kill your husband?” asked Sidi Abd-el-Tadu.
“He killed him,” she replied.
There was a bird on a tree nearby. Sidi Abd-el-Tadu asked the bird. The bird answered:
“It was the woman who killed her husband. Feel in her hair and you will find the knife she used.”
They searched her hair and found the knife still covered with blood, which gave evidence of the crime. The truth was known and innocence was defended. God avenged the injustice.
Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page
Dreamtime Whispers 