بستان الزيتون | The Olive Grove of Meknes
"An olive farmer discovers late love with a widow who comes to buy oil in the groves of Meknes."
بستان الزيتون
The Olive Grove of Meknes
الفصل الأول | Chapter One
أَمْلِكُ بُسْتَانَ زَيْتُونٍ فِي ضَوَاحِي مَكْنَاسَ.
I own an olive grove in the outskirts of Meknes.
وَرِثْتُهُ عَنْ أَبِي وَجَدِّي.
I inherited it from my father and grandfather.
الزَّيْتُونُ عَائِلَتِي مُنْذُ مَاتَتْ زَوْجَتِي.
The olives have been my family since my wife died.
الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two
جَاءَتْ فِي مَوْسِمِ الحَصَادِ.
She came during harvest season.
امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ المَدِينَةِ، مُمْتَلِئَةُ الجَسَدِ، أَنِيقَةٌ.
A woman from the city, full-bodied, elegant.
"أُرِيدُ زَيْتًا طَبِيعِيًّا لِلطَّبْخِ."
"I want natural oil for cooking."
الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three
"زَيْتِي أَنْقَى زَيْتٍ فِي مَكْنَاسَ،" قُلْتُ.
"My oil is the purest in Meknes," I said.
"كَيْفَ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّكَ صَادِقٌ؟" اِبْتَسَمَتْ.
"How do I know you're honest?" she smiled.
"تَذَوَّقِي وَاحْكُمِي."
"Taste and judge."
الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four
صَبَبْتُ قَلِيلاً مِنَ الزَّيْتِ عَلَى خُبْزٍ.
I poured a little oil on bread.
قَدَّمْتُهُ لَهَا وَرَاقَبْتُ شَفَتَيْهَا وَهِيَ تَتَذَوَّقُ.
I offered it to her and watched her lips as she tasted.
"هَذَا... هَذَا لَذِيذٌ جِدًّا!"
"This... this is delicious!"
الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five
"مِثْلُكِ،" قُلْتُ بِدُونِ تَفْكِيرٍ.
"Like you," I said without thinking.
اِحْمَرَّ وَجْهُهَا. "أَنَا أَرْمَلَةٌ عَجُوزٌ..."
Her face reddened. "I am an old widow..."
"وَأَنَا مُزَارِعٌ وَحِيدٌ... لَكِنَّ القَلْبَ لَا يَهْرَمُ."
"And I am a lonely farmer... but the heart does not age."
الفصل السادس | Chapter Six
دَعَوْتُهَا لِتَرَى البُسْتَانَ.
I invited her to see the grove.
مَشَيْنَا بَيْنَ الأَشْجَارِ العَتِيقَةِ.
We walked among the ancient trees.
"هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةُ عُمْرُهَا مِئَةُ سَنَةٍ..."
"This tree is a hundred years old..."
الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven
تَحْتَ ظِلِّ الزَّيْتُونَةِ الكَبِيرَةِ، جَلَسْنَا.
Under the shade of the big olive tree, we sat.
"لَمْ أَشْعُرْ بِهَذَا السَّلَامِ مُنْذُ زَمَنٍ..."
"I haven't felt this peace in a long time..."
"البُسْتَانُ يَرْحَبُ بِكِ... وَأَنَا أَيْضًا."
"The grove welcomes you... and so do I."
الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight
عَلَى فِرَاشٍ مِنْ أَوْرَاقِ الزَّيْتُونِ، اكْتَشَفْنَا الحُبَّ.
On a bed of olive leaves, we discovered love.
"جَسَدُكِ كَالزَّيْتِ... غَنِيٌّ وَدَافِئٌ."
"Your body is like oil... rich and warm."
"وَأَنْتَ كَالزَّيْتُونِ... قَوِيٌّ وَصَبُورٌ."
"And you are like the olive... strong and patient."
الخاتمة | Conclusion
صَارَتْ تَأْتِي كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ.
She started coming every week.
لَيْسَ لِلزَّيْتِ فَقَطْ.
Not just for oil.
بَلْ لِأَنَّ البُسْتَانَ صَارَ بَيْتَهَا الثَّانِيَ.
But because the grove became her second home.
من حكايات مكناس From the Tales of Meknes