The storytelling

   

  Before the  30' s there was no TV or Radio in my country.  There was the oral storytelling that triggered the imagination of all ages, this tradition is over thousands years old.

  Al Halqa
  The halqua is the storytelling circle,  usually composed of man gathering in a square or in weekly souks, the stories are passed on  later on evening to the rest of the family  after dinner.

  Once upon the time, people were simple and happy with no TV or smartphone, they gave each other love and time living the present moment, enjoying the fertility of there imaginations. I was fortunate to be born in between 2 eras of Morocco,  the old as i was  raised by grandma who taught me values , and the modern by a successful working mother who gave me tools to be independent and feminine.
 
  Grand ma was the last  sharing few bad stories coming from her ancestors because mother was busy going to school as a kid,  and working as an adult.  This is the cause  to  extinction of this form of art,  luckily few associations are trying to bring it a life.

   Time for me to share one of them with you, i hope you will enjoy it ;)
   
   The stone by the door:

  Once up on a time, there was a man who made so much money that he couldn't even count it, he wanted only to protect himself and his son but he is money could not stave off mortality.

  I am living you a fortune, he told the boy, and you must guard against those who are untrue. When

you decide it is time to marry, go to my old friend and ask him to find you a bride, he will find you the bride God has chosen.

   The boy promised he will do as his father requested, soon after this the father died.

   Time passed the young man began to long for love. He fulfilled the promise and visited the friend to seek his advice in finding a bride, the friend told him he will find the perfect one.

   Few weeks passed, he found a beautiful, wise and trustworthy woman. the young man was happy to hear this, and so they began to make arrangements for grand wedding.

  The day before the wedding the friend' s father told the boy, in order to discover whether God has chosen this woman for you, you must go to her room tonight. You will find a stone outside her door.
If you can move the stone, you will know that she is the chosen one, if not you must send her back home.

   That night the boy went to the woman' s door, and he heard a singing voice coming from the inside.
charmed right a way he knew this must be the woman for him, for the song sounded like one he remembered from his childhood. His heart raced as he entered the room and saw a lovely woman dressed  in silk robe. She was elegant just as his mother.

   He reached down to move the stone, but he couldn 't move it even an inch as it was too large.He understood that this bride would have to return to her family.

   The friend arranged the 2 end bride to be, the wedding date was set and she came home to get ready, so same stone test needs to be repeated to see if this is the bride God has chosen for him.
 
   The Young man approaching the door, he heard a harp playing, when he peered into the room , he saw a woman as beautiful as the one before, her fingers dancing across the strings, and when she began to dance, he knew she was the bride for him.

   He reached down to move the stone and once more he could not. He is sad and the bride returned to her family.



   For the 3 erd time, the friend introduced a bride though by now the Young man is discouraged. He knew that this woman will be beautiful, wise and kind but what if he could not move the stone again?
  Must he live forever alone?

  Having this sad thought, he moved slowly to the bride' s room and again he heard that child  hood song for the 3erd time, reminding him of climbing trees and swimming by the river and dancing among friends, this time when he looked into the room, he saw a woman dressed in peasant clothing, long black hear and almond eyes.She was sewing a kilt as she sang.

   As he listened, he realized that all the 3 brides could have been the same woman, beautiful, wise  and gentle, someone who could be a friend. But when he reached down to move the stone, once again failed. he was about to weep when a sudden voice said " let me help you"

   The woman and the Young man both reached down to the stone and together they easily moved it a side.

    Then he knows she is the one, and she knows that' s the love God meant for her, moreover they understood that finding love is not enough but working together thought life heaving problems and being able to pass them a side together is the most important to a healthy relationship.

    Time for me to go and look for mine, take care ❤