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MOHAMED CHOUKRIb. 1935, MoroccanMohamed Choukri was born in a viUage in northernMorocco. He spent his childhood and youth in disillusioned poverty and it was not until he was in his early twenties that helearned how to read and wrrte. Choukri then began publishing novels,plays, as well as collections of short stories, many of which have beentranslated into English and other languages; he received internationalacclaim for his autobiographical novel aJ-Khtlbz ,tl-haft. His other worksinclude MajrlUl1 ai-ward (shore stories, 1979), al-Kh

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this place for a very long time.- I don't believe that the Lord oj Paradise expels mejar this nason. It's notmy

Jault if I have gone astray.They eat and drink all that their souls desire. Cups are emptied andfilled to overflow anew. To them belong all day and all night.

- 'Ibe Lordqf lhradise Ifts angry with whoever thinks, dream.l, andgriMS inhisgarden.- I don't [)fliew that the Lordis that cruel. He ismild andforbearing.They run. They hide. They discover each other. They swim, rest in

the shade, and ride on swings. They hide. They laugh.They are enraptured.- No, you'rewrung. He isjust but notjorbearing. How would he wantyou in his

paradise when for a very long time no one has even touched you? To you belongs neitherdt!Y nornight..

They do not think. They do not read and do not write.They do notdream or cause pain. They do not get distressed and are not confused.They livein serenity.- BJhmce tlxnwas ayoung man with file whose beauty is bl)'Ond comparison . . .

They roast birds. They throw fmits and pearls, well-guarded. at oneanother. They relish in intimacy with silky handkerchiefs and pickedflowers. Woe unto he who keeps himself to himself thinking. dreaming,and grieving. They do not fight with each other nor do they envy eachother;They do not rival or harbor anyfeelings of animositytowards camother.Theyarenot embarrassed of anYllling. Everything is permitted to t h e ~ .- And why is this young man no IMlffr with you? Don't you know that it'sprohibited here Jor a man to remain without a woman andjor a woman to remainwitbout aman?

- I know.-And .. .?- Ever since I came to this paradise I haw been struck with bad luck.- ff'e're sorry. You must leav this place andgo to the world oj toils.She left saddened a one who has gone astray.- Get out'You no longer belong ben.He gazed at the guard with sadness in his eyes. He conjured up the

happiness of the paradise that he had tasted once. The toils outside theparadise began to take shape in his mind.- But ...J>y do 1 have to leave?'TInT drink without sinning. They eat whatever pleases them. They~ u c k everything that is sweet. They come out from their days and enter

11100 their nights. To them belong every day and every night.- Because ever since youcanuhert you've been thinkin& dreaming. andgrinJjng.

I'hrriforr, the urd ojparadise is expelling youJust like heexpelled those b10rtyou.They do not give alms. They do hot beg.They do not work. They

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do not question themselves. They do not have memories or regrets.-1 cannot beliM thai the Lordo/Ihis paradise is this cruel.The virgin-like and the younglings are all friends to eachother.Tiny

downs of blond and beautiful legs glow in the light that is neither fromthe day nor from the night.

- No doubt )'Ou will have 10 belitve andobey Ihe order.They are not jealous.They do not sigh.They do not sin nor do theyrepent from sin.- Ts difficult for me to believe it and1 don't quite understand . . .They neither ask about their people nor about their countries.They

do not mention who they are and where they are from. They just comeasothers have done belorc them.

- . . . I have never heard 0/ what you are s a y i n . ~ bifore.They come to the little paradise in large flocks from all over.- 1 have on{y delivered toyou vJJat )IOU already know. You don't have the r ~ h t 10

tjwstion meon the doings 0/ the Lord0/ t h i . ~ paradise. This is his dominion.They are merciful in everything between them and whatever theyown is shared amongst them.

- -Is thm noforgiveness here?Neither lineagenor rank distinguishes them from one another.Thereis no difference between them in language or knowledge.- 1 don'tknow any more than you about this.

They live blessed in case, naked as they were once created. They ar-elike mirrors and gifts to one another.- !f Oldy youwould tell mea little.?f Wh41.YOU do know.- You arouse weariness in the souls. There will be no day or night_for you.

- But once there wasayoung woman withme. A womanwhose beauty is beyondcomparison . . .

- And this womanis no lonr withyou!Who do you think would want tostaywithyou when you are/ining liki' tbat? Don't]fIU know i t a disgrare for aJritnd toabide here fortver without anotherfriend?

.. - I know.-And . .. ?- I am anUlifortunate man. .The young man obeyed the order. His portion was wrath and so e

left. In front of the gate to the little paradise the young woman was theobject of wrath while she waited for her friend. Their glances embracedeach other. His hands toudled hers.They left looking for a new paradise.A paradise without days or nights. A paradise that had no Lord and noguard.

Tangier, 3.ZO. 1971

320 Ezifltbrwh xxVIII