By Jamal Saidi
By Jamal Saidi
Morocco World News
Casablanca, June 17, 2012
Once upon a time there was a man named Itri. He had lived with his sister Telila. Both were caring for each other. One day, Telila pleaded passionately for her brother’s marriage. Itri rejected her request on the ground that a woman would separate him from his beloved sister. She frequently persisted in having her wish fulfilled and could eventually convince her brother, but they agreed that his wife would never know about her.
After a couple of years, Itri had a baby; and Telila wanted to see it. He accompanied her to the house. However, his wife caught a glimpse of them, and she mistook her for a second wife. She waited until they left, and she went home and murdered the baby.
Itri was gravely shocked to see his baby killed. His wife allegedly saw the murderer, and gave physical appearance which was similar to that of Telila. He quickly left in the belief that his sister was a killer of his own son. He himself cut her legs and hands, senselessly. He then took her to a remote and dry area, where he threw her into a dry well. He, however, accepted her request to let a version of the Quran by her side.
Few days later, the lifeless place flourished and blossomed. Various mosses grew on the trunk of the trees. Different sounds of birds could be heard. Droplets of water were dripping from large leaves. The dry forest was suddenly blessed because of Telila’s presence.
The king heard about the strange changes that had happened to that place and came to see for himself. He found Telila reading the Quran and asked her whether she is a woman or a spirit. She answered him and told her story. He ordered his servants to take her to the palace and then married her.
Telila gave birth to a baby but the king was traveling outside his kingdom. The king’s mother wrote a letter to her son telling him that he had a beautiful baby and she gave the letter to an envoy to give to the king.
The envoy started off on his voyage but by coincidence he happened to rest at Itri’s house. He told him about the strange woman without legs or hands who married the king. Itri knew it was his sister, and he asked him more on Telila. The envoy then went on to tell him about the birth and letter he was carrying to the king. When the envoy slept, Itri changed the letter and wrote instead that the baby is monstrous. When the king received the letter he replied that they have to let the baby until he comes back then he will see what he shall do about the matter. The envoy came back, and Itri rewrote the letter to say instead that Telila and her son should be kicked out of the palace immediately.
The king’s mother read the letter with tears running over her cheeks. She said to Telila that she and her son have to leave the palace by tomorrow on the king’s orders. Telila responded, “How can I leave? I have neither legs nor hands to walk. But I will leave if the king has ordered that.”
Then before dawn the next day, Telila woke up to find herself with hands and legs. It was a miracle. She could leave the palace with her son on her own two feet.
When the king came back and was surprised to see that both his wife and his son had left the palace. So naturally he asked his mother where they had gone. She told him everything. Depressed by his wife’s absence, he ordered his soldiers to find out where Telila and her son went.
Then after a long search they found them and brought them back to the palace. The king accompanied by Telila ordered the envoy to take them to Itri’s house. When the envoy arrived along with the King he demanded to know the truth. Itri recounted the story of how he switched the two letters to deceive the king and his sister, the Queen. The king gave Telila the choice to decide Itri’s fate. Itri was so frightened since expecting his sister to sentence him to death. He pleaded for his life at his sister’s newly formed feet accordingly. Out of sympathy, Telila forgave her brother and his wife.
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