قِرشٌ بِقِرْشٍشَاخَ الليلُ حتَّى أَطلَقَتْ إِرْهَاصَاتُ فَجْرِهِ بَلابِلَ صَمتِهِ طُيَورًا تَسْعَى لأَرْزَاقِهَا مُسَبِّحَةً رَبَّهَا العَظِيمَ. وَكَانَ عَصْفُ رِيحٍ مُثقَلةٍ بِبَردٍ قَارِسٍ فِي مُنتَصَفِ كَانُون
تُشِيبُ مَا تَبَقَّى مِن خصُلاتِهِ المُظْلمَةِ قَبلَ أَنْ يَرتَفِعَ صَوتُ أَذَانِ الفَجْرِ نَدِيًّا يُنَادِي إِلى خَيرِ العَمَلِ. كَانَ مُخْتَارُ قَد سَبَقَ عَصَافِيرَ الفَجْرِ يَحُثُّ الخُطَى خَلفَ وَالدِهِ فِي الطَّريقِ المُحَاذي للسَّاحِلِ وَالذِي يَمُرُّ عَبرَ أَجَمٍ مِن نَخِيلٍ شَاهِقٍ. رَهْبَةُ الصَّمْتِ وَعَويلُ الرِّيحِ وَشِدَّةِ الظُّلْمَةِ تَرْسُمُ فِي خَيَالهِ بَعضَ خَوفٍ طُفُولِيٍّ أَذْكَتْهُ حَكَايَا جَدَّتِهِ إِذْ يَغْفُو في حضْنِهَا كُلَّ لَيلَةٍ ، وَتُحْجِمُ يَدَهُ مُجَدَّدًا أَنْ تَطْلُبَ يَدَ وَالِدِهِ الصَّارِمِ بَحْثًا عَن أَمانٍ.
كاَن َالبَحْرَ يَزْبدُ غَاضِبًا مِنْ لَطْمِ الرِّيحِ يَتَطَاوَلُ مَوجُهُ لِيَصفَعَ مَا يَخَالهُ خَصْمًا. وَكانَ بَعْضُ صَقِيعٍ يُدَثِّرُ الأَرضَ بِثَوبٍ قُطْنِيٍّ لامِعٍ امْتَدَّ حَتَّى غَطَى قَارِبَهُم الصَّغِيرِ.
لَقَدْ بَدَأَ نَهَارٌ جَدِيدٌ فِي حَيَاةِ هَذَا الطِّفْلِ ذِي السَّنَوَاتِ العَشْرِ فَأَسْرَعَ إِلى تَطْبيقِ مَا تَعَلَّمَ بِخِفَّةٍ وَحِرْفَةٍ ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ قبَالَةَ وَالِدِهِ يُزِيحُ مِثْلَهُ بِيَدَيهِ العَارِيَتَينِ أَكْوَامَ الثَّلْجِ لِيَصلَ
لِلأسْمَاكِ المُجَمَّدَةِ يُلْقِمُهَا الشُّصُوصَ طُعْمًا لِصَيدٍ يُوَفِرُّ القُوتَ لِعَائِلَتهِ الكَبيرَةِ ، وَكُلَّما تَجَمدَتْ أَطْرَافُهُ حَدَّ الشَّللِ أَسْرَعَ يَغْمِسُهَا فِي مِيَاهِ البَحْرِ الباردة لِتَدْفَأَ وَتَسْتَعِيدُ حَرَكَتَهَا مِنْ جَدِيدٍ.
البَحرُ يَعْلُو وَيَهْبِطُ ، وَالرِّيحُ تَعْوِي وَتَصْفرُ ، وَالقَارِبُ الصَّغِيرُ يَكَادُ يَدْفَعُ ثَمنَ صِرَاعِهمَا يَصْطَفقُ بِقُوَّةٍ تَكادُ تَخلعُ قَلبَ الصَبيِّ وهُوَ يَنظُرُ فِي الأُفُقِ مُبتَهِلا للهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ حَظُّهُمْ هَذَا اليَومِ مِن الرِّزْقِ مُعِيلا. أَغْمَضَ عَينَيهِ يَستَعيدُ شَريطَ ذِكرَياتٍ مُتَبَاينةٍ ثُمَّ انْشَغَلَ يَدعُو اللهَ بِرِزْقِ العِيالِ حتَّى إِذَا صَفَا ذِهْنَهُ فِي تَأَمُّلٍ بَدَا كَحُلُمٍ لَمْ يَخْتَرْهُ رَأَى سَمَكةً تَعُومُ عَلَى السَّطْحِ تَتَّجِهُ إِلَيهِ فَيَمُدُّ يَدَهُ فَيَلْتَقِطُهَا. هَزَّ رَأْسَهُ يَضحَكُ مِنْ نَفسِهِ ؛ لا بُدَّ أَنَّ الحَاجَةَ الشَّدِيدَةَ لِلمَالِ وَنُدْرَةَ الصَّيدِ فِي الأَيَّامِ الأَخِيرةِ هُوَ مَا رَسَمَ هَذَا فِي خَيَالِهِ.
سَيطَرَ عَلَيهِ هَذَا الحِسُّ وَطَارَدَ خَاطِرَه صَيدُ خَيَالِهِ حتَّى فَتَحَ عَينَيهِ يَطْردُ بِنُورٍ بَعِيدٍ هَوَاجِسَهُ هَذِهِ فَلَمْ يُفلِحْ. اتَّخَذَ وَضْعًا يُمَكِنُّهُ مِن مُرَاقَبَةِ مَا تَسْمَحُ بِهِ الظُّلْمَةُ مِنْ سَطْحِ البَحْرِ دُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّطَ في اسْتِرخَائهِ ثُمَّ انتَفَضَ فَجْأَةً صَائِحًا:
ـ تَوَقَّفْ يَا أَبِي ، هَذِهِ سَمَكَةٌ تَعُومُ إِلَينَا.
دُهِشَ أَبُوهُ حَتَّى لَقَدْ خَشِيَ عَلَيهِ منْ هَذَيَانِ رَهَقٍ ، فَابْتَسَمَ بِرِفْقٍ وَقَالَ:
ـ لَعَلنَا نَصْطَادُ اليومَ سَمَكًا كَثِيرًا بِإذْنِ اللهِ. السَّمَكُ لا يَأتِي النَّاسَ يا بُنَيَّ ، وَالعَتْمَةُ هَذِهِ لا تَسْمَحُ بِرُؤيَةِ أَي شَيءٍ الآنَ. استَرِحْ رَيثَمَا نَصِلُ إِلى حَيث نَبْدَأُ الصَّيدَ.
ـ وَلَكِنْ يَا أَبِي أَرَاهَا ، هَا هِي تٌقْبِلُ ، وَاللهِ أَرَاهَا هُنَاكَ.
هَالَ الأبُ نَبرَةَ ابْنِهِ الوَاثِقَةَ وَذهلَ حِينَ رَأَى إِذْ دَنَا تِلْك السَّمَكةِ تَتَّجِهُ نَحْوَ القَارِبِ فِي استِسْلامٍ. لَمْ تَكُنْ كَبِيرَةً وَلَكِنَّهَا كَانَتْ ثَقِيلةَ الوَقْعِ لِتبعَثَ الفَرْحَةَ وَالرَّهْبَةَ فِي آنٍ مَعًا وَهُوَ يُمْسِكُ بِهَا حَيَّةً طَازِجَةً مُردِّدًا:
ـ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ!
وَصَلا إِلى حَيْث بَدَأَ الصَّيدُ مَرَاسِمَهُ المَعهُودَةَ ، وَطَالَ انْتِظَارٌ دُونَ جَدْوَى. وفَجْاَة إِذْ قَارَبَتِ النِّهَايةُ عَلَى غَرْزِ طَعْنَةِ إِحبَاطٍ تَزيدُ النَّصَبَ شُدَّ الخَيطُ بِقُوَّةٍ جَبَّارةٍ وَبَدَأَتْ الشُّصُوصُ تَنْطَلقُ مِن مَكَامِنِهَا كَرَصَاصَاتِ سَرِيعَةِ الطَّلَقَاتِ.
صَرَخَ الأَبُ مُستَنْفِرًا:
ـ ارْتَدِدْ إِلى الخَلْفِ بِلا جَلَبَةٍ يَا مُختَارَ وَخُذْ حِذْرَكَ!
كَانَ مُخْتاَرُ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَجِبُ عَلَيهِ فِعْلَهُ وَإِنْ أَرْبَكَهُ اخْتلافُ قُوَّةِ الشَّدِّ هَذِهِ المَرَّةِ فَكَانَ أَكْثَرَ حَذَرًا. سَاعَتَانِ مَرَّتَا كَدَهْرٍ وَالقَارِبُ يُجَرُّ إِلى حَيث شَاءَ ذَلكَ القِرْشُ الضَّخْمُ وَقَدْ فَاقَ حَجْمُهُ حَجْمَ قَارِبِهِمَا قَبْلَ أنْ تَخُورَ قِوَاهُ حَدًّا مَكَّنَهُمَا مِنْ شَدِّهِ لِلقَارِبِ. مَا إِنِ اقْتَرَبَ حَتَّى عَقَدَ الذُّهُولُ العَينَ وَاللِسَانَ حتَّى لَقَدْ عَجِزَا عَنْ رَفْعِهِ لِلقَارِبِ فَمَدَّدَاهُ إِلى جَانِبِهِ يَكَادُ أَنْ يَمِيدَ بِهِ.
وَقَفَ جَمعٌ كَبيرٌ يَنْظُرُ بَعْضٌ بِفُضُولٍ وَبَعْضٌ بِحَسَدٍ وَهُمْ يَرَونَ القَارِبَ يَكَادُ يَغُوصُ يَحْسَبُونَهُ امْتَلأَ سَمَكًا. حتَّى إِذَا وَصَلا الشَّاطِئَ أَسْرَعَ بَعضُ الوَاقِفِينَ لِلمُسَاعَدَةِ إِذِ احْتَاجَ إِخْرَاجَ القِرْشِ لِلبَرِّ عَشْرَةَ رِجَالٍ. كَانَ المَشْهَدُ مَهُولا جَمَعَ القَومَ عَلَيهِ حَتَّى فَرَّقَهُمْ تَاجِرُ السَّمَكِ الكَبِيرُ فَنَظَرَ فِي الصَّيدِ ثُمَّ قَالَ بِلَهْجَةٍ حَاسِمَةٍ:
ـ عَشْرُ لِيرَاتٍ فِي هَذِهِ السَّمَكَةِ ، وَلا أُرِيدُ هَذَا القِرْشَ فَلا طَلَبٌ عَلَيهِ.
تَجَرَّأَ أَحْدُ التُّجَارِ الصِّغَارِ بَعْدَ أَنْ مَضَى ذَاكَ فَقَالَ:
ـ أَشْتَرِيهِ بِقِرْشِ.
دَارَتْ الدُّنْيَا بِالصَّبِيِّ. أَبَعْدَ كُلِّ هَذَا العَنَاءَ وَالخَطَرَ؟؟ رَحْمَتَكَ رَبِّي!
نَظَرَ فِي عَيْنَيِّ أَبِيهِ وَقَدْ تَعَلَّقَتَا بِالقِرْشِ وَتَعَلَّقَ فِيهمَا حُزْنٌ وَحَسْرَةٌ وَقَالَ بِسُخْرِيَةٍ مَرِيرَةٍ:
ـ حَسَنًا ، خُذْهُ بِقِرْشٍ!
ـ يَا أَبِي ....
ـ أُصْمُتْ يَا مُخْتَارُ!
ـ يَا أَبِي ... هَذَا لَيسَ بِعَدْلٍ. دَعْنِي أَبِيعُهُ فِي السُّوقِ قِطَعًا.
ـ لَنْ تُفْلِحَ يا بُنَيَّ فَلَحْمُهُ مِمَّا يُزهَدُ بِهِ ، وَهُمْ لَنْ يَسْمَحُوا لَكَ.
صَمَتَ لِسَانُ الصَبِيِّ وَتَحَدَّثَتْ عَينَاهُ بِكُلِّ مَا أَصَابَ القَلْبَ مِنْ قَهْرٍ وَأَسَى ، يَنْظُرُ إِلى التَّاجِرِ يُقَطِّعُ لَحْمَهُ قَبلَ أَنْ يُقَطِّعَ لَحْمَ القِرشِ ذَاكَ. وَمَا إِنْ فَتَحَ التَّاجِرُ بَطْنَهُ حَتَّى جُنَّ جُنُونُ الصَبِيِّ يَصْرخُ بِأَبيهِ يَنظُرانِ كِلاهُمَا بَينَ الذُّهُولِ وَالأُفُولِ لَكِنَّ أَبَاهُ نَهَرَهُ بِرِفْقٍ قَائِلا:
ـ لا يَا وَلَدِي ، لا يَتَرَاجَعُ الحُرُّ عَنْ البَيْعٍ حَتَّى لَوْ وَجَدُوا فِي بَطْنِهِ كُلَّ هَذَا الخَيرِ ، هِيَ أَرْزَاقٌ يَا بُنَيِّ وَأَقْدَارٌ
لا يَجِبُ فِيهَا أَنْ يَدْفَعَنَا السُّخْطُ إِلى أَنْ نَزِلَّ أَوْ أَنْ نَضِلَّ أَو أَنْ نَنْكثَ عَهْدًا أَو أَنْ نَخُونَ أَمَانَةً.
Shark with a piaster
It is the end of a cold windy night, the birds break the silence and go to seek their sustenance worshiping Allah. the cold wind turns the black lock of his hair into gray before the dewy call of the Alfajer pray invited people to seek their sustenance. Mukhtar woke up before the daylight birds, walks quickly to follow his father, they were walking near the seaside in the road which passes by an oasis of long palms . The dread of silence, the wailing of wind and the hardness of darkness painted some childish fear in his imagination that grow stronger by the night tale of his grandmother when he sleeps in her lap every night, his hand refused to hold the hand of his firm father searching for peace and security .
The sea was furious. The frostiness covered the earth with a shiny cotton dress till it reached their boat .
It is a new day in the ten year old child's life, he starts quickly and lightly to practice what he has learned , then he sit in front of his father removing together the ice heaps with their bared hands so they can reach the freezing fish, feeding them the bite so they could have good fishing to bring the sustenance of the great family . Whenever his hands freeze .and reach the limit of paralysis he runs quickly and dips them in the cold sea so he can move them again
The sea rises and falls , the wind howls and whistles and the small boat is about to be damaged because of the powerful struggle between the sea and the wind . The boat was slapping strongly in a way that could pull out the child's heart , he was looking to the horizon praying that their sustenance could be enough. he closed his eyes and recaptured different memories , then he absorbed praying Allah to give them enough sustenance for the kids , till his mind was clear, in an meditation looks like a dream he saw a fish floating on the surface towards his boat, he stretches his hand to catch it . He shakes his head laughing at himself, it should be because of the intense need of money and the rarity of fishing which create that illusion in his mind.
This illusion dominated his mind till he opened his eyes to expel that dream by the far light but he couldn’t. He took a .position that enables him to see the fish in the darkness of the sea surface without going too far in his relaxation Suddenly he trembles shouting:
-Oh father stop!!!! There is a fish flouting toward usHis father was!!
astonished, he was afraid that the kid was delirious because of tiredness, he smiles gently and says:
-I hope we could have good fishing today by God willing, fish don’t come to people son, and we can't see anything in this darkness, rest till we reach the place of fishing.
-But father I can see it, it is coming to us, swear to God !!
The great confidence in the boy's words terrified his father;so his father come near , he was astonished when he saw the fish coming toward them yieldingly. It wasn’t big but it has great impact on their hearts, it revives both joy and fear in his heart when he catch it alive.
-Glory to Allah !!
They reached where the ordinary fishing ritual starts, they have waited for a long time without avail. Suddenly when the end is about to thrust their hearts with a stab of frustration that well strengthen their exhaustion, he pulled the thread strongly when the fishhooks start getting out from their place quickly.
The father shouted alerting:
-Return back quietly and take care.
Mukhtar knew what to do even when the power of pulling disturbed him so he was very cautious. Two hours bass as if they were an age, the big shark pulled the boat any where it wants, its size exceeds the size of the boat, then the shark loses its power because it was pulling the boat. When it reached the boat the stupor tided their tongues and eyes, they couldn't pick it up, it was too heavy so they extend it in the side of the boat.
A great crowed was looking, some of them was looking out of curiosity and others out of envy when they saw the boat was about to sink because of the heavy fishing , till it reached the beach, some men hurried to help them carry the shark that needs ten men to carry it out . The scene was astonishing, people were gathering till the great fish merchant separates them. He looks at the fishing and sharply says :
-Ten dinars for this fish, I don't want this shark no one would like to buy it.
When that merchant went away, a least merchant dare to say:
-I will buy it with a piaster
The boy became dizzy, after all this effort and danger! Mercy God!!
Looking to his father's eyes that were clinging to the piaster, he saw some sadness and sorrow in his eyes , he said with a bitter irony:
- Ok, take it .
- Father…..
- Hush Mukhtar !
-Father this isn't fear. Let me sell it pieces in the market.
-You couldn't succeed boy, no one would like to buy its meat , and they will not let you do so.
The boy was speechless ,but his eyes spoke , they showed the sorrow and sadness that hurt his heart, looking for the merchant cutting his flesh before cutting the shark . When the merchant opened the shark's stomach the boy lost his mind calling his father, they both were looking astonished, but the father gently chided his son :
-No son, the freeman didn't retreat his sale even if he found all these things, its sustenance and destiny, dissatisfaction shouldn't force us to commit mistakes, to break our promises or to betray the trust .