“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.

* * * * *

THE ROBBER AND THE TWO PILGRIMS

Two robbers spent their time in robbing.  One of them got married, and the other continued his trade.  They were a long time without seeing each other.  Finally the one who was not married went to visit his friend, and said to him: 

“If your wife has a daughter, you must give her to me.”

“I will give her to you seven days after her birth.”

The daughter was born, and the robber took her to bring up in the country.  He built a house, bought flocks, and tended them himself.  One day some pilgrims came to the house.  He killed a cow for them and entertained them.  The next day he accompanied them on their pilgrimage.  The pilgrims said to him: 

“If you come with us, two birds will remain with your wife.”

The woman stayed in the country.  One day the son of the Sultan came that way to hunt.  One of the birds saw him and said to the woman, “Don’t open the door.”  The prince heard the bird speak, and returned to the palace without saying a word.  An old woman was called to cast spells over him, and said to the King: 

“He could not see a woman he has never seen.”

The prince spoke and said to her:  “If you will come with me, I will bring her here.”  They arrived.

The old dame called the young woman, “Come out, that we may see you.”

She said to the bird, “I am going to open the door.”

The bird answered:  “If you open the door you will meet the same fate as Si El-Ahcen.  He was reading with many others in the mosque.  One day he found an amulet.  His betrothed went no longer to school, and as she was old enough he married her.  Some days after he said to his father, ’Watch over my wife.’  ‘Fear nothing,’ answered the father.