Saïd the Fisherman · Chapter
XXVII explained
Saïd returns to Nûr's house with the news of Mustafa's death, having found the old beggar dead in a fountain chamber.
What happens
Saïd returns to Nûr's house with the news of Mustafa's death, having found the old beggar dead in a fountain chamber. He claims the treasure as his inheritance, and Nûr persuades Abu Khalìl to fetch the body. Saïd retrieves the hidden treasure from the fountain, while Nûr, suspecting his secret, sends him away for the night. The chapter reflects on the violence against Christians in the city and the personal loss of Mustafa.
Themes in this chapter
Greed and Moral Decline
Saïd's immediate concern shifts from mourning to securing the treasure, showing his avarice and moral compromise.
Death and Mortality
The chapter reflects on the loneliness of Mustafa's death and the fragility of life, as Nûr laments the passage of time.
Characters to notice
- Saïd the Fisherman
Grieves for Mustafa but is also preoccupied with securing the treasure; he retrieves the hidden chest and hides it in his trousers.
- Nûr
Mourns Mustafa, persuades Abu Khalìl to fetch the body, and shrewdly deduces that Saïd is carrying the treasure.
- Abu Khalìl
Reluctantly agrees to go fetch Mustafa's body, motivated by the promise of reward and the deceased's wealth.
- Old Mustafa
Found dead in the fountain chamber; his death is a turning point, leaving his wealth to Saïd.
Key passages
“Allah is just! It were well if some men set out at once to fetch him hither, for I heard the voice of a jackal near to that place, and I would not have my father’s corpse a prey to unclean beasts.”
Saïd urges that Mustafa's body be retrieved promptly to prevent scavengers from desecrating it.
Saïd shows a semblance of filial duty, but his underlying motive is to secure the treasure.
“He walks like a she-goat whose udders are overfull; there is something heavy and cumbersome in the sack of his trousers.”
Nûr observes Saïd's awkward gait and correctly guesses he is hiding the treasure in his clothing.
Nûr's shrewdness reveals her understanding of Saïd's character and his greed.