خبط العريفة بيده على فخذ المذّن؛ وقال؛ من ذيك المصرّمات يا ديكان؛ ما يعيّدون الناس ويضحّون؛ وتتسامع القُرى أن جماعتي قعدوا بدون عيد؛ والشحاحة واليُسر من ربي، قصرت بنا سمحات ولكن ما تضيق إلا ويفرجها أبو خيمة زرقا؛ التفتْ للجنبيّة المعلّقة في مسمار الزافر المحلّاة بالفضة؛ فطلب منه يندرها له؛ قلّبها بكفه وزفر؛ ثم قال؛ اسمع تهبط بكرة صبح، وعلوّلك لا توقع إلا في سوق الأحد وبتلقى (الفقعسي)؛ سلّم لي عليه؛ وارهن الجنبيّة عنده؛ وخله ينقي لك ثورين من خيرة الثيران؛ ولا تصدر إلا بها؛ قال المذّن؛ أبشر ثم طلب منه يكلّف (شتفان) يسكّنه ويحاوشه لا تنفلت الثيران من ايده؛ فاستقعد؛ وقال؛ حِلْ عنّا بشتفان المتسلبي؛ وجهه وجه كور، وراسه راس ثور؛ ما يعرف ينش الهمجة عن خنفرته؛ لكن خذ معك (فحذان) ساطي وتهاب حتى السكون منه.
لزم الفقعسي لحيته؛ وقال يا عيباه؛ آخذ رهن من رأس قوم، والله لو ما يجي فيها ريال؛ معي لكم ثورين ما لها عندي دور ما ربت إلا في الأصدار بين بِركٍ وكادي؛ ان بغيتم قليم؛ وان اشتهيتم مرق؛ وصدروا بالثيران من المضروم؛ وشعب الأحمر؛ ومروا اسقوها من الكظامة؛ والعريفة يبدي من فوق الجناح ويعود إلى متكاه؛ وفي قلبه كما شويط الذرة؛ وما به بطا إلا والثيران مشرّفة على القرية؛ فنزل حافي بدون زنوبة؛ ومسح على ظهورها، ونشد المذن؛ وشبك عوّدتْ بالجنبيّه؟ ردّ عليه؛ حلف صاحبك الفقعسي لو في رقاب حُمر ما يأخذ من رأس قوم رهن، علّق؛ أنا أشهد ان المطلق يعرف قَدْر المطاليق.
جمع العريفة جماعته بعد العصر؛ وقال؛ الله يعيدنا ويعيدكم رضاه، ورحمة سماه؛ أنا سديد دونكم في كل ما يلزم؛ أما لحمتين من اللحام الثلاث؛ دبّرنا عيدها؛ وأما اللحمة الوسطانية؛ فكلهم مفزرة صدور؛ يدبرون نفوسهم؛ ما يدرج الواحد رقبته إلا ويدرج عمره كله ما كنه إلا جعير؛ فقال الفقيه؛ ثور عمتك (مباركة) يسد قبيلة؛ أطلبه منها بحقه؛ وما قد ردت لك طلب؛ قبلها منه؛ واقترح عليهم ثلاثة جرن يذبحون ويسبّعون الثيران فيها؛ ويفلّحون السُفان بالشِّفار والعُطف عند (أبو مسفر) يسنّها ويحدها، ووصاهم يجمعون هُدوم يسدون فوقها، تلقف ولده الكبير وقال؛ خلّها بكرة؛ ردّ عليه؛ خلوك أعمى يا الكاشر من بيسمه لها بكرة؛ نصلّي ونضحّي قبل ما تقلانا الشمس، وتصنّ ريحة اللحم.
دخل الكبير بيت عمته، ورمى بعمامته في حثل (مبارك) فانتقلها بحركة عجلة؛ ورماها في حثل (مباركة)؛ وقال يا عريفة والله ما ألام أحد يرمي فوق وسطي ريشه؛ اعرف مطلبك؛ لكن يا كبيرنا الثور ثور عمّتك؛ استدوا انت وهي؛ وما نزيد على عمامتك إلا عقال؛ ولا على قعودك إلا شحم رخال؛ بغى ينشده ليش ما يلام، فاكتفى بقول (سوات اللي يقوّز الرمادة)؛ ثم انتخى بجدّه والد عمته مباركة؛ قائلاً؛ يا بنت ثمران؛ وحفيدة قِدْران؛ عندالله ثم عندك حدّتنا عليك الحوادي؛ زمن فقري الله لا يعيده؛ وصاحب الحاجات من قاساها؛ وقيمة الثور عندي؛ تبغينها فَدَر والا مَدَرْ وإلا وبر، وضعت يدها على رأسها؛ مستغيثة بربها، وردّت عليه؛ وش تالرادة بدل ما تاهب لنا يا عريفة عوّدت تتحوّق اللي معنا؟! ؛ ثم أذعنتْ لما تُمليه عليها شيمتها.
خرجت الجدة (مباركة) بطاسة توتيا صغيرة فيها حناء مطحونة معجونة بالماء؛ وما إن اقتربت من ثورها (حُبيش) الذي رافقها عمراً في محراث ودياس؛ حتى خارت قواها ولم تقو على صبغ جبهته بالحناء، وكأنما شَعُر الثور بدنو أجله؛ فأخذ يتشمشم شرشفها وشيلتها؛ وسرعان ما هشلتها وهلّت الدمع وامتد صدى شهيقها من السفل إلى العالية؛ فنزلت حفيدتها وحنّتْ جبهة الثور وظهره بالعشبة البنيّة؛ وكأنه مقبل على زواج؛ فيما الجدّة رفعت كفيها بالدعاء على الفقيه؛ الذي رشّح للعريفة ثورها من بين كل الثيران؛ وكشفت الشرشف والشيلة عن مقدمة الرأس لتستحي منها الملائكة وتصعد به إلى السماء سريعاً؛ وقالت؛ يا الله تجعلها تحوط به ويارب هبها في وجهه.
سمع زوجها (مبارك) الغلبة فمدّ رأسه من البداية؛ ليعرف سبب النحيب؛ فانفرط يضحك على كهلته؛ ولأن محاشمه منتفخة من لقصة نحلة طبت عليه، أول أمس وهو يطهر تحت الشبارقة؛ فقطع الضحك وقام يونّ ويتويّا لنفسه ولخصوته المورّمة مردد (عِلِيت يا مبارك انتفخت خُصاك وغدت كما جرّة الثوعي ما عد أقدر أزوع عمري من ثقلها).
انقسمت القرية على ثلاثة مواقع؛ كل لحمة عيدها في أكبر جرين؛ وأوكلت للفقيه مهمة تكتيف ثور العمة مباركة؛ لنّ معه حيله، يقرأ عليه، وفي غفلة رتح الفقيه لاونه منكب على مؤخرته؛ وخذته رعدة؛ قال؛ العريفة؛ ألحقو الرجّال سمّوا عليه؛ طاح فوق الدم؛ زفوه اثنان من المطاليق؛ وبغوا يحفشون ثوبه يتفقدون مكان الرتحة؛ فاجتبد الثوب وصرّ عليه ركبه؛ وأشار بيده نحو الباب؛ فخرجوا يتضاحكون؛ وما تسبّعت اللحمة، إلا مرته وعيالها بالقشابي يقولون فين سُبعنا؛ قال المذّن؛ جيتم تدورون اللحمة يشتي الدسم الفقيه؛ احسبناه مات وحزّنتم عليه قلنا بنتقسم سُبعه؛ فقالت بانفعال وقهر؛ ما يموت إلا الطيبين.
دقوا المعراض بعد العصر، والشاعر ما هوب دون شيء؛ حاف الفقيه بالقصايد حوف؛ ومنها (حيّ عود طويل الباع يكتال فوق الهاربه؛ مير لا حميت الغارة يعوّد جملنا من سواكن؛ لحيته تمّنه من الخوف الأكبر ويتقنص بها) وفي الليل صفّوا يلعبون والنسوان يخيّلن، فانتشى الشاعر؛ وبدع؛ (متى يحج الذي في راس لقمان بيته؛ وليلة العيد ما يمدي الحُديا تحجه).
The elder struck his thigh with his hand and said, "From those who are not celebrating, oh roosters; they do not celebrate or sacrifice; and the villages are hearing that my group is sitting without a holiday; and the scarcity and abundance are from my Lord. We have been short on blessings, but it only tightens until Abu Khaimah Zarka relieves it." He turned to the dagger hanging on the silver-adorned nail and asked him to lend it to him. He turned it in his hand and sighed; then he said, "Listen, it will drop tomorrow morning, and you should not fall except in the Sunday market, and you will find (Al-Fuqasi); send my regards to him; and pawn the dagger with him; let him pick you two bulls from the best of the bulls; and do not leave without them." The elder replied, "I promise," then asked him to assign (Shtifan) to secure them and keep them from escaping his hands. He sat up and said, "Stay away from Shtifan the troublesome; his face is like a bull's, and his head is like a bull's head; he does not know how to drive the wild ones away from his nose; but take (Fahdhan) with you, he is sharp and even fears silence from him.
Al-Fuqasi held his beard and said, "Oh, what a shame; I will take a pledge from the head of the tribe, and by God, if it does not bring in a riyal; I have for you two bulls that have no role with me, they only grew in the pastures between pools and kadi; if you want a bit; and if you desire broth; and send the bulls from the mudroom; and the Red Valley; and let them drink from the water trough; and the elder shows from above the wing and returns to his seat; and in his heart, it is like roasted corn; and there is no delay except that the bulls are approaching the village; so he went down barefoot without a sandal; and wiped their backs, and asked the elder; "Did you get the dagger back?" He replied, "Your friend Al-Fuqasi swore that if there were red necks, he would not take a pledge from the head of the tribe; I testify that the divorced knows the worth of the divorced."
The elder gathered his group after Asr; and said, "May God return us and you His pleasure, and the mercy of the heavens; I am responsible for you in everything necessary; as for two pieces of meat from the three; we have arranged for its holiday; and as for the middle piece; they are all in a state of panic; they are managing their souls; no one raises his neck except he raises his whole life, it is nothing but a loud cry;" said the scholar; "Your aunt's bull (Mubarak) can feed a tribe; ask her for it as your right; and she has never refused your request; accept it from her;" and he suggested to them three troughs to slaughter and let the bulls swim in them; and they will sharpen the knives and the blades at (Abu Musfir) to sharpen and hone them, and he advised them to gather clothes to cover them; he caught his eldest son and said, "Leave it for tomorrow;" he replied, "You left me blind, oh the one who is angry, why do you leave it for tomorrow; we will pray and sacrifice before the sun diminishes, and the smell of meat rises.
The elder entered his aunt's house, threw his turban in the pile of (Mubarak), and moved it quickly; and threw it in the pile of (Mubarak); and said, "Oh elder, by God, I do not blame anyone for throwing above my middle feather; I know your request; but oh our elder, the bull is your aunt's bull; you and she should take care of it; and we will not add to your turban except a headband; nor to your saddle except fat from the back; he wanted to ask him why he is not blamed, so he settled for saying (like the one who jumps over the ashes); then he called upon his grandfather, the father of his aunt Mubarak; saying, "Oh daughter of Thamran; and granddaughter of Qidran; with God and then with you, we have entrusted you with the burdens; a time of poverty, may God not bring it back; and the owner of needs from those who have endured it; and the value of the bull to me; do you want it FADAR or MADAR or wool?" She placed her hand on her head; calling upon her Lord, and replied to him, "What do you want instead of giving us, oh elder, you have returned to those with us?!" Then she yielded to what her nature dictated to her.
Grandmother (Mubarak) came out with a small bowl of tootiya containing ground henna mixed with water; and as she approached her bull (Habish) who had accompanied her for a lifetime in plowing and harvesting; she collapsed and could not dye his forehead with henna, as if the bull sensed his impending fate; so he began to sniff her cloth and her shawl; and soon she became weak, and tears flowed, and the echo of her sobs rose from the ground to the heights; her granddaughter came down and dyed the bull's forehead and back with the brown herb; as if he was about to marry; while the grandmother raised her hands in prayer against the scholar; who had suggested the elder her bull from among all the bulls; and she uncovered the cloth and shawl from the front of the head to be shy of it the angels and ascend with it to the heavens quickly; and said, "Oh God, make it surround him, and oh Lord grant it in his face."
Her husband (Mubarak) heard the commotion and poked his head out from the beginning; to know the reason for the weeping; he burst out laughing at his old age; and because his limbs were swollen from a bee sting that had stung him, the day before yesterday while he was cleaning under the shade; he stopped laughing and began to moan and groan for himself and his swollen waist repeating, "Oh Mubarak, your waist has swollen and become like a jar of the thoi; I can no longer bear my life from its weight."
The village was divided into three locations; each piece of its holiday in the largest trough; and the scholar was assigned the task of tying Aunt Mubarak's bull; for he had his tricks, he reads to it, and in a moment of distraction, the scholar fell over on his back; and he was seized by a tremor; he said, "The elder; catch the man, call upon him; he fell over the blood; two of the divorced carried him; and they wanted to check his garment to see where he had fallen; so he pulled the garment and pressed it against his knees; and pointed with his hand towards the door; so they left laughing; and the piece of meat had not been divided, except his wife and children with the qashabi saying, "Where is our share?" The elder said, "You came looking for the meat, the scholar wants the fat; we thought he died and you were saddened for him, we said we would divide his share;" she said with anger and frustration, "Only the good ones die."
They struck the drum after Asr, and the poet was not without something; the scholar was full of verses; among them (Oh, long-armed returner, who weighs above the fleeing; but if the raid is protected, our camel returns from the dwellings; his beard is a shield from the greater fear and he hunts with it); and at night they lined up playing and the women were singing, so the poet was exhilarated; and began to invoke; (When will the one in the head of Luqman make his pilgrimage to his house; and on the night of the holiday, the steeds cannot reach him).
