I were very honored to present this story in World Literature course in SQU. This story is a reflection of my work as a writer and a reflection of Omani culture. I hope you enjoy reading it and beware from Maghsoobas.
Author: Ahmed Saif Al-Mejrefi
Genre: Short Story/folklore/ Horror.
Title: Witchcraft in the Old Village
Witchcraft in the Old Village
Once upon a time, in a town called Ibri, there was a family whose children were being eaten every week. The son was searching for the sinner who was responsible for the loss of his brothers and sisters. He searched for three days until he was recommended to look for a blind old man that he might know something about this mysterious condition that the village rarely heard about. When he met him, he told him about what was going on with his family. He said, “I will tell you my story first, then you can decide whether you believe me or not. Seven years ago, I used to have cows.
Every two days, we would milk the cows and put the bowls of milk outside to cool it because we didn’t have a machine called “refrigerator” at that time. On the next day, a black cat jumped into our house and I caught it licking the milk. I was very angry at it because we barely had milk in our village. So, I grabbed a stick and I beat it in its head until I caused a very ugly scar and it ran away.
Next morning, I opened my eyes and couldn’t see a thing. I became completely blind. That cat was a witch! It cursed me. If I were you, I would be careful. She is a shape-shifter, “Maghsooba.” Try to check whether your grandmother has the same scar that the cat had or not. If she does, then you have to be careful because you are the next in her list.” The son asked him, “Then what should I do?” The blind man said, “Just climb the palm tree that is near your house and watch her. Don’t you ever answer her whenever she calls you.”
He agreed and did what he was asked to do. He went back to his house and climbed the very long palm tree and glued his eyes to her all day long. When the darkness of the night fell across the village, the grandmother was looking for her grandson and kept calling his name. She became very scared as she was running back and forth in a hope that she might catch a glimpse of him. When she was running, her scarf fell down and the ugly scar was revealed. He was shocked that his grandmother was the witch that the blind man was talking about and that she ate his family. He was very angry, but he decided not to do anything, for the sake of the advice that was given to him by the old blind man. The grandmother continued calling her grandson loudly and crying. The son didn’t reply to her and kept watching from the top of the palm tree. Surprisingly, the grandmother used the palm tree as a stick to walk outside the house. After three nights, she finally arrived where there were three other witches waiting for her. They asked her about the next victim. She said, “I couldn’t find hi...”. And before she utters that last letter in her sentence, they ate her!!! The palm tree returned to its original shape and place, and the blind man got his sight back. Seeing the brutal scene of the witches as wild animals devouring the grandmother made his skin crawling that he couldn’t sleep for weeks. He finally told the old man about what happened, and they decided to live together.
The End
How does it reflect Omani culture?
It reflects the life style of Omani villages in the past and how their lives depended on the sources they have such as livestock, e.g. cows and goats and what they produce e.g. milk and meat, and plants such as fruits and vegetables. It also reflects the common belief that people held about witches and how they could curse and devour people. Moreover, it shows their belief about black cats, how they reflect evil and how they could be a witch in disguise. The story also mentions palm trees which are a very common plant in Oman that is considered to be one of the main agricultural resources. Interestingly, one common feature of Omani fairy tales is that old people play a major role in the story. Even though this story is part of Omani oral literature, people in the Gulf can also relate to some details such as linking evil to black cats. Although this story can be translated without compromising much of its cultural details, it can also give the reader an insight to many cultural references like the word Maghsooba which means a female shape-shifter. There is a universal message that can be learned from reading it which is keeping away from hurting animals. It teaches children about the bad consequences of harming an animal.