Fairy Tales From Algeria: Part One

There was once an honest merchant in the place that used t be called Avriga. The man has three daughters. Aicha was the youngest and cleverest of the girls. She had studied ilmerramli, the art of reading the future in the sands of the earth (Geomancy). Aicha also became adept in the art of fencing with the Arabian scimitar. Indeedm she developed many other martial and magical skills. She possessed astonishing beauty and eloquence, as well as knowledge of the old poetry.
       
Aicha's father had great confidence in her. He left all his money in her care whenever he had to go on a journey for business. No thief could steal from her. Once a thief came at night and tried to force open the door of the house. Aicha awoke and cast a spell on him. He could no longer move and had to stand immobile until police came to chain and arrest him.
       
Another night, two armed thieves penetrated the house. They were confronted by Aicha, swinging her scimitar before her. The two burglars drew their long swords and attacked the girl, but she was too quick for them. In a few moments the two criminals had slumped to the floor where they lay, bleeding to death.
       
The fame of Aicha's beauty spread far and wide. Even the king heard of it. He sent a message to the merchant. The king announced that it was his wish that the merchant's daughter become the consort of his son, Prince Aslan. A date for the engagement party had already been fixed. Aicha wanted to refuse the arrangement, but her father prevailed upon her to accept. Being the prince's father-in-law would be a boon to his business, he believed.
       
Finally Aicha agreed, but only on condition that the prince wear a golden ring that she would send him. Explaining that the woods surrounding the king's estate were swarming with ogres and other evil spirits, she asked the prince to ride out and destroy them.
       
 The prince agreed to wear the ring and go into the forest. Though he never said so openly he was truly frightened of the evil creatures that lived there. In the forest he encountered a veiled soldier, who seemed young and rather short. The frightened prince attacked and battled the warrior (not knowing that it was, in fact, his fianc‚e in disguise). Aslan was soon vanquished.
       
The mysterious soldier let the prince live. In exchange he took Aicha's ring from the prince's finger. When Aslan returned home, Aicha had just arrived at the court. Aslan's father noticed at once that the ring was missing. "How did you lose it?" the monarch demanded.

"I don't know how. I just lost it," the tearful prince lied.
       
Then Aicha produced the ring. She told the king all that had happened: "Prince Aslan is a liar and a coward," she concluded.
       
 Of course, the prince did not want to marry a girl who called him such names. So he broke off the engagement. Aicha did not deplore his decision.