THE SHORT STORIES OF ZAKARIA TAMER

was different. It was so tender it did not tire the teeth of those who chewed it and deserved to be eaten raw.

9

An aging wolf delivered an eloquent speech in which he called upon the animals to drive away all hostility from their hearts and live together in love and brotherhood. A young lamb liked the speech, with all the opinions and thoughts it expressed, and came closer to the wolf to congratulate him. The wolf rushed to grab him, and the young lamb cried out in surprise: “What’s this? Have you forgotten that just a few moments ago you were talking eloquently about love and living together without conflict?”

The wolf replied: “I haven’t forgotten my speech. I am still faithful to my words and believe in all that I said. If I did not believe in love, I would not have seized you with the intention of letting you live in my belly. Does this behaviour contradict what I said?”

The lamb said: “I am small and would not fill you.” The wolf replied: “Fullness causes indigestion and is harmful to health.”

The lamb then closed his eyes and waited for the wolf’s teeth as he swore an oath never to believe the speeches of wolves.

10

One of the sheep had a great desire to improve the condition of the nation of sheep, and was always talking about a distant and glorious past in which sheep were united into a great power that was feared. The other sheep paid no heed to his words and hurried from one spot to another searching for whatever would save them from hunger.

The sheep decided to stand for election, confident that the sheep majority would guarantee him an overwhelming victory, but the results showed that he had failed, and it became clear to him that his fellow sheep preferred those who like to eat them.

TRANSLATED BY IBRAHIM MUHAWI

Published in Arabic in Al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper in 2014

72 BANIPAL 53 – SUMMER 2015