Author: Abdelrahim Kamal

Publisher: دار تويا للنشر و التوزيع

Published: 2021-11-08

Total Pages: 155

ISBN-13:

In Upper Egypt, there is that always-told story about patience. This story was told to me by women, advanced in years, about an infertile mother who wished to give birth to a beautiful baby girl and to put two anklets in her legs; one anklet made of silver and another made of gold. Her dream came true and she named her girl " 'Agab ". 'Agab faced grave adversity when she saw the sheikh of the Kuttab (1) eating a little child. She went ripping by. When she got stuck in a ring-like object on the ground while running away, the golden anklet dropped. However, 'Agab kept running and hid in a greenfield belonging to a prince. The prince caught 'Agab. He tested and married her. Whenever 'Agab gave birth to a baby boy, the sheikh of the Kuttab would show up and take the baby away. He would put blood on their mouths and vanish into thin air. Three boys had disappeared and blood was seen on 'Agab's mouth. The prince divorced 'Agab, thinking that she had gone crazy eating his little children. He threw her in a place for breeding pigeons and geese and prepared himself to marry another. The prince, on his wedding night, asked 'Agab to ask him to bring her something as a present. 'Agab asked the prince to get her the "Urn of Patience". After looking for one for some time, the prince came to 'Agab with an "Urn of Patience" and left it beside her. He went to take care of his wedding ceremonies. (1) Kuttab or Kuttāb, (Arabic: “school”), Muslim elementary school. Until the 20th century, boys were instructed in Qur'an recitation, reading, writing, and grammar in maktabs, which were the only means of mass education. 'Agab sat next to the "Urn of Patience" and told it her tragic story. The "Urn of Patience" shook and boiled over. When done telling her story, the Urn of Patience exploded and the sheikh of the Kuttab came out with the three children alive in one hand - the three children became young boys – and the golden anklet in his other hand. So, that sheikh was a test of patience and silence for 'Agab. – "What did you see, 'Agab, when you took the silver anklet and left the golden one?" The sheikh smilingly asked her. She replied with sorrow and sincerity: "I saw a teacher putting the children on the right track." The sheikh then said: "If you told the secret, 'Agab, I would have shown you the strangest things." The sheikh left 'Agab with her children who became polite and educated young boys. 'Agab took them to their father who was getting ready for his wedding night. The father embraced his children and believed 'Agab's story. As far as we can see, this is one story about patience; it is to be patient with what appears to be painful, believing that there is mercy in it. It is exactly like the story of Moses and Al Khedr told in the Chapter of "The Cave" in the Qur'an. Where there is no "'Agab", it is a meaningless story.