The Aflaj Keeper | حارِسُ الفَلَجِ
"An old keeper of the ancient water channels must save his village from drought"
حارِسُ الفَلَجِ
The Aflaj Keeper
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الجَفافُ القادِمُ
Chapter One: The Coming Drought
فِي قَرْيَةٍ صَغِيرَةٍ عِنْدَ سَفْحِ جَبَلِ الأَخْضَرِ، عاشَ رَجُلٌ طاعِنٌ فِي السِّنِّ يُدْعَى عَبْدَالرَّحْمَنَ. كانَ حارِسَ الفَلَجِ مُنْذُ أَرْبَعِينَ عامًا، يَعْرِفُ كُلَّ حَجَرٍ وَكُلَّ مُنْعَطَفٍ فِي القَنَواتِ القَدِيمَةِ.
In a small village at the foot of the Green Mountain, there lived an elderly man called Abdulrahman. He had been the keeper of the aflaj for forty years, knowing every stone and every turn in the ancient channels.
ذاتَ صَيْفٍ، جَفَّ الفَلَجُ فَجْأَةً. ذَهَبَ أَهْلُ القَرْيَةِ إِلى عَبْدِالرَّحْمَنِ مُرْتَعِبِينَ: «يا عَمُّ، لَقَدْ تَوَقَّفَ الماءُ! سَنَمُوتُ عَطَشًا!»
One summer, the aflaj suddenly dried up. The villagers went to Abdulrahman, terrified: "O Uncle, the water has stopped! We shall die of thirst!"
نَظَرَ الشَّيْخُ إِلى السَّماءِ وَقالَ: «لا تَخافُوا. إِنَّ الأَجْدادَ بَنَوْا هَذا الفَلَجَ بِحِكْمَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ. يَجِبُ أَنْ يَكُونَ هُناكَ سَبَبٌ.»
The old man looked at the sky and said: "Do not fear. The ancestors built this aflaj with great wisdom. There must be a reason."
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الرِّحْلَةُ إِلى المَنْبَعِ
Chapter Two: The Journey to the Source
حَمَلَ عَبْدُالرَّحْمَنِ عَصاهُ وَانْطَلَقَ فِي رِحْلَةٍ شاقَّةٍ عَبْرَ الجِبالِ، يَتَتَبَّعُ مَجْرَى الفَلَجِ نَحْوَ مَنْبَعِهِ السِّرِّيِّ. كانَتِ الشَّمْسُ حارِقَةً وَالطَّرِيقُ وَعِرَةً.
Abdulrahman took his staff and set off on an arduous journey through the mountains, following the course of the aflaj toward its secret source. The sun was scorching and the path was rugged.
بَعْدَ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَصَلَ إِلى الكَهْفِ العَمِيقِ حَيْثُ يَنْبُعُ الماءُ. وَهُناكَ وَجَدَ صَخْرَةً عَظِيمَةً قَدْ سَقَطَتْ وَسَدَّتِ المَجْرَى.
After three days, he reached the deep cave where the water springs. There he found a great rock that had fallen and blocked the channel.
قالَ لِنَفْسِهِ: «هَذِهِ مُهِمَّةٌ لِرَجُلٍ شابٍّ، لَكِنْ لَيْسَ لَدَيَّ وَقْتٌ لِلاِنْتِظارِ.»
He said to himself: "This is a task for a young man, but I have no time to wait."
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الماءُ يَعُودُ
Chapter Three: The Water Returns
عَمِلَ عَبْدُالرَّحْمَنِ بِيَدَيْهِ العَجُوزَتَيْنِ، يَحْفُرُ حَوْلَ الصَّخْرَةِ وَيُزِيحُها قِطْعَةً قِطْعَةً. وَفِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ، سَمِعَ صَوْتَ الماءِ يَتَدَفَّقُ.
Abdulrahman worked with his aged hands, digging around the rock and moving it piece by piece. On the third night, he heard the sound of water flowing.
بَكَى مِنَ الفَرَحِ وَقالَ: «الحَمْدُ للهِ! لَقَدْ عادَ الماءُ!»
He wept with joy and said: "Praise be to God! The water has returned!"
عادَ إِلى القَرْيَةِ بَطَلاً. اسْتَقْبَلَهُ أَهْلُها بِالدُّمُوعِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ. قالُوا: «أَنْتَ أَبُونا وَمُنْقِذُنا!»
He returned to the village a hero. Its people received him with tears and glorification. They said: "You are our father and our savior!"
قالَ لَهُمْ: «أَنا لَسْتُ المُنْقِذَ. الأَجْدادُ الَّذِينَ بَنَوْا هَذا الفَلَجَ هُمُ الأَبْطالُ الحَقِيقِيُّونَ. فَاحْفَظُوا إِرْثَهُمْ!»
He said to them: "I am not the savior. The ancestors who built this aflaj are the true heroes. Preserve their legacy!"
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End