Two men, one kind and one wicked, set out on a journey together, repeatedly sharing food until the wicked man demanded the good man’s eyes in exchange for sustenance. Abandoned, the good man was healed by a magical tree and restored a king’s sight, marrying the king’s daughter. The wicked man’s scheming led to his demise when the good man unknowingly delivered his execution order.
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
Good vs. Evil: The narrative contrasts the virtuous actions of the good man with the malicious behavior of the bad one, highlighting the classic struggle between benevolence and malevolence.
Cunning and Deception: The bad man employs deceitful tactics to exploit and harm the good man, illustrating the use of treachery to achieve selfish ends.
Divine Intervention: A mystical bird guides the good man to a healing tree, suggesting supernatural assistance in times of need.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Berber peoples
Translated by J. Rivière
and Chauncey C. Starkweather
Two men, one good and the other bad, started out together to do business, and took provisions with them. Soon the bad one said to the good one: “I am hungry; give me some of your food.” He gave him some, and they both ate.
They went on again till they were hungry. “Give me some of your food,” said the bad one. He gave him some of it, and they ate.
They went on until they were hungry. “Give me some of your food,” said the bad one. He gave him some, and they ate.
They went on until they were hungry. The good man said to his companion: “Give me some of your food.”
► Continue reading…
“Oh, no, my dear,” said the bad one.
“I beg you to give me some of your food,” said the good one.
“Let me pluck out one of your eyes,” answered the bad one. He consented. The bad one took his pincers and took out one of his eyes.
They went on until they came to a certain place. Hunger pressed them. “Give me some of your food,” said the good man.
“Let me pluck out your other eye,” answered his companion.
“O my dear,” replied the good man, “leave it to me, I beg of you.”
“No!” responded the bad one; “no eye, no food.”
But finally he said, “Pluck it out.”
They proceeded until they came to a certain place. When hunger pressed them anew the bad one abandoned his companion.
A bird came passing by, and said to him: “Take a leaf of this tree and apply it to your eyes.” He took a leaf of the tree, applied it to his eyes, and was healed. He arose, continued on his way, and arrived at a city where he found the one who had plucked out his eyes.
“Who cured you?”
“A bird passed near me,” said the good man. “He said to me, ‘Take a leaf of this tree.’ I took it, applied it to my eyes, and was cured.”
The good man found the King of the city blind.
“Give me back my sight and I will give you my daughter.”
He restored his sight to him, and the King gave him his daughter. The good man took his wife to his house. Every morning he went to present his respects to the King, and kissed his head. One day he fell ill. He met the bad one, who said to him:
“Eat an onion and you will be cured; but when you kiss the King’s head, turn your head aside or the King will notice your breath and will kill you.”
After these words he ran to the King and said: “O King, your son-in-law disdains you.”
“O my dear,” answered the King, “my son-in-law does not disdain me.”
“Watch him,” answered the bad one; “when he comes to kiss your head he will turn away from you.”
The King remarked that his son-in-law did turn away on kissing his head.
“Wait a moment,” he said to him. Immediately he wrote a letter to the Sultan, and gave it to his son-in-law, commanding him to carry it to the Sultan. Going out of the house he met the bad one, who wanted to carry the letter himself. The good man gave it to him. The Sultan read the letter, and had the bad one’s head cut off. The good man returned to the King.
“What did he say?” asked the King. “Ah, Sidi, I met a man who wanted to carry the letter. I intrusted it to him and he took it to the Sultan, who condemned him to death in the city.”
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Dreamtime Whispers 