Modern Arabic Fiction Modern Arabic Fiction an anthology edited by Salma Khadra Jayyusi Columbia University Press • New York Columbia University Press wishes to express its apprecia- tion for assistance given by the Ministry of Information of Qatar and by the Pushkin Fund in the preparation of the translation and in the publication of this book. Columbia University Press Publishers Since 1893 New York Chichester, West Sussex Copyright © 2005 Columbia University Press All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Modern Arabic fiction : an anthology / edited by Salma Khadra Jayyusi. p. cm. ISBN 0-231-13254-9 (alk. paper) 1. Arabic fiction—20th century. I. Jayyusi, Salma Khadra. PJ7694.E8M59 2004 892.7'308006—dc22 2004058251 Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper. Printed in the United States of America c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 p 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In memory of my grandmother, Su‘da al-Khadra, and of my grand- father, Dr. Yusuf Sleem. My father used to tell us, “Your grandmother would not end her journey to any town in Palestine without having discovered the life history of the other passengers. She would then sit and tell us.” And my mother used to say, “During the long winter nights of Lebanon, your grandfather would sit, surrounded by friends and family, and recount stories he had read in English by European nov- elists. If he had to go to visit a sick person, no one would move until he returned and finished.” When I went to live abroad Those same loved voices still I heard. It seemed they came along with me In what country I might be. Yusuf would weave a web, made bright with tales of wonder and delight; But Su‘da’s gift was greater yet— from each stranger that she met She could draw forth, such was her art, The inmost secrets of the heart. —Translated by John Heath-Stubbs Contents Acknowledgments xvii Introduction 1 1 The Pioneers Marun ‘Abboud (1886–1962) 73 The Highway Robber 73 Dhannoun Ayyoub (1908–1988) 77 The Little Gods 77 Mahmoud Badawi (1910–1985) 80 The Snake 81 ‘Ali al-Du‘aji (1909–1949) 83 My Sleepless Nights 84 Tawfiq al-Hakim (1898–1987) 86 The Mailman 86 Yahya Haqqi (1905–1993 ) 89 The Divining Stones 90 Ja‘far al-Khalili (1914–1984) 92 Grace 93 Mahmoud Taher Lashin (1895–1945) 96 “Hello” 96 Ibrahim ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Mazini (1890–1949) 99 How I Became a Demon of the Jinn 99 Muhammad al-Muwailihi (1858?–1930) 103 The ‘Umda in the Tavern 104 Mikha’il Nu‘aima (1889–1987) 111 Um Ya‘qub’s Chickens 112 Jamal Sleem Nuweihed (1906–1994) 115 False Teeth 116 Fu’ad al-Shayib (1911–1970) 119 How Misery Was Born 119 viii Contents Mahmoud Taymour (1894–1973) 121 The Elements of the Ablution 122 2 Short Stories Amina ‘Abdallah 127 Fury 127 Yahya Taher ‘Abdallah (1942–1981) 131 Who’ll Hang the Bell? 131 Ibrahim ‘Abd al-Majeed (b. 1946) 135 The Tree and the Birds 136 Muhammad ‘Abd al-Malik (b. 1944) 140 The Illusion 141 ‘Abd al-llah ‘Abd al-Qadir (b. 1940) 144 The Birthday Party 144 Muhammad ‘Abd al-Wali (1940—1973) 149 Al-Sayyid Majid 150 Jamal Abu Hamdan (b. 1938) 155 The Cloud 155 Qais’s Road Begins Here 157 Abu al-Ma‘ati Abu al-Naja (b. 1938) 161 People and Love 161 ‘Abd al-Hameed Ahmad (b. 1957) 166 The Alien Farmer 166 Temptation 171 Daisy al-Amir (1935) 173 The Next Step 173 Yusuf Habashi al-Ashqar (1929–1992) 175 The Banquet 175 Ibrahim Aslan (b. 1939) 185 In Search of an Address 186 Sa‘id ‘Aulaqi (b. 1940) 190 The Trial 190 Tawfiq Yusuf ‘Awwad (1911–1989) 196 The Widow 196 Shukry ‘Ayyad (1921–1999) 202 The Locksmith 202 Muhammad ‘Aziza (b. 1940) 206 Vengeance 207 Samira ‘Azzam (1925–1967) 210 Tears for Sale 210 Layla Ba‘albaki (b. 1935) 214 From Mare to Mouse 214 Liana Badr (b. 1950) 219 Contents ix Colors 219 Shawqi Baghdadi (1928) 225 Tanyus on Earth and Tanyus in Heaven 225 Salwa Bakr (b. 1949) 230 Doves on the Wing 231 Little Things Do Matter 234 Muhammad Barrada (b. 1938) 237 The Tale of the Severed Head 238 Muhammad al-Busati (b. 1936) 242 A Game of Pursuit 242 Zayd Mutee‘ Dammaj (1943–1998) 250 A Woman 250 Zaki Darwish (1944) 255 The Windows 255 Harib al-Dhahiri (b. 1964) 258 The Death of the Cane 259 Lutfiyya al-Dulaimi (1942) 261 Lighter Than Angels 262 Ahmad Ibrahim al-Faqih (b. 1942) 265 Love Me Tonight 266 Mustafa al-Farisi (b. 1931) 271 Who Knows? Maybe . . . 272 Ilyas Farkouh (b. 1948) 278 Shoulders 278 Gha’ib Tu‘ma Farman (1927–1990) 282 Uncle, Please Help Me Get Across 282 Jamal Fayiz (b. 1964) 289 The Reward 289 Sulaiman Fayyad (b. 1929) 290 The Gray-Colored Vehicle 291 Khalil al-Fuzayyi‘ (b. 1944) 301 The Autumn of Life 301 Fat-hi Ghanim (1924–1998) 305 The Engagement Present 305 Nadia Ghazzi (b. 1935) 310 The Man Who Saw His Own Funeral 310 Gamal al-Ghitani (b. 1945) 317 An Enlightenment to the People of This World 318 Huzama Habayib (b. 1965) 326 Heart Failure 326 Emile Habiby (1921–1996) 333 The Mandelbaum Gate 333 Ghalib Halasa (1937–1986) 337 A Midnight Visit 338