The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-12-12
STREET SCENES IN MOORISH CITIES.
Modern Schehere zades. Amusements in the
Sultan's Capital.

CITY OF Morocco, Oct. 10, 1901
Characteristic of this land of yesterday
is the professional story-teller and his
deeply interested audience, to be fire.
quently met in the crowded streets,
especially in the vicinity of the market
place toward the close of an afternoon.
Diversions are few in the lives of these
poor people, and to them the oft-told
Entertainments" la the Thousand
and One of Queen SchehereZade-take
the place of matinees and operas, in
fact of every other form of amuse-
ment open to the happier citizens of the
United States. After trudging from
their cherries homes to market in the
dim light of the early morning and
haggling over their paltry wares
through the heat of the day, it is
natural and good that they should in
dulge in quiet resting-time and a
diversion of thought before start
ing on the weary return.
Like public performers everywhere,
the modern StOry-teller has assistants
and summonerS to his entertainments.
Instead of advance-agents, supes, bill
stickers, etc, the star performer goes
about with only slim chorus Music
there must be, because each pause in
the narrative, however slight, is marke
by two or three beats on the tightly
stretched string of some queer instru-
ment, or tWangS with a palmetto plec-
trum-loud or soft, martial or tender,
according to the subject of discourse at
that particular point. There is usually
a player on the native banjo, another
man who keeps time on the tambourine,
and a third who beats with his fingers
on the one-sided, earthenware drum.
The poorest professional, who cannot
afford to share his scanty earnings with
assistants has at least a tWo-stringed
banjo, played by himself.
First, the story-teller selects some
comparatively sheltered nook i'll the
thoroughfare, and calls attention to
himself, by yelling, over and over, at
the top of his lungs, some such an
nouncement as this: ''In the name of
the Prophet! Blessed be Allah. The
greatest story-teller in the whole earth
will now begin a wonderful tale of mys-
terry, enchantment and deeds of valor
Neglect him not, oh We true believers,
for he hath marvels to unfold" When
a crowd has gathered-the first corners
squatting in circle, the later ones stand
ing behind-he first takes up a collection
and if the amount of money donated
does not come up to his expectations,
refuses to tell word until more is con-
trlbuted. He is conspicuously attired,
Ill tattered brown jellab, "a wooden
cloak, round and hooded sandaled feet
and camels-hair cord tightly bound
around his shaven and wrinkled skull.
Waving bare arms and sinewy legs,
wild, keen features skin the color of an
ancient pack-saddle, and flashing eyes
complete his portrait. Nobody believes
a word of the mOnstrouS fiction he re-
lates, yet they accept it all with child
ike credulity and the absorbing interest
with which some other people devour
yellow-covered literature of the blood
and thunder order, The motley audi
ence gaze open-mouthed, every eye
rlveted upon the realistic semi-acting of
the performer, who punctuateS his harsh
and gutteral Maghreb by pounding his
drum or scraping upon the violin. Ac-
cording to the best of Moorish belief,
he is the one man in the world of whom
women and deeds of valor, of charms
and hair-breadth 'scapes. Suddenly, at
the most enhancing point of the MARIA
ton, when eyerybody's interest is ex-
cited to a nerve-straining pitch, the
Story-teller ceases his wild gesticula-
lions and his words together Half a
dozen sentences-one step further for
liberty-one blow of the sword-and
the battle would be won, the hero freed
and the charming hour in the posses
sion Of her adorer. Instead is the rasp-
ing invitation of stringed instruments,
the melancholy insistance Of the drum,
as the turban is passed for more contri-
buttons. The hands of the eager listen
ers instinctively seek their pockets for
the days earnings; and when the chief
performer is satisfied that not another
copper is to be CLEANED in that field, his
story is resumed and brought to speedy
conclusion. Then, with another pious
reference to Our lord Mohaynmed-
the prayers of God be on him and
peace" the audience is dismissed. Each
man arouses reluctantly from his trance
and turns away with deep-drawn breath
to untether his mule or camel and begin
the Journey home.
In two or three of Morocco's larger
cities you may find a species of entertain
ment which goes by the name of
Circus" but which would hardly be
recognized as such by any promoter OF
the ring in America. 1t takes place
anywhere in the open air-generally in