"Aicha n'Tighdwin."
This is a beautiful and haunting version of the "Cinderella" archetype found in North African Berber folklore, often known as "Aicha n'Teriel" or "Aicha n'Tighdwin."
Ɛayca n’Iɣedden
(Aicha of the Ashes)
G zman n zik, illa yan urgaz itahl snat tlawin.
Yat tga tamelḥant, d ufulki ur illi ammas. Tayyaḍ tga tawerwayt, d taxabit, tga ula d tasḥart.
G yat tizi, kraygat yat deg-sent turew yan urba. Tin ufulki turew yat teqcict ifulkin uggar n imma-s, tin tewrewayt turew yat teqcict iwrwayn zun d imma-s. Seg wass-ann, taxabit tufa-d tismin g wul-is afell n tamṭṭut nni d illi-s.
Yan wass, ddan-t tlawin nni s wasif ad ssirden taduḍt. Lliɣ d-ika yiḍ, ufan-d iɣyal lli ibbin taduḍt yuker-t imakaren, amrar nns ka ay d-iqqiman.
Tenna-d tesḥart i tamddukkelt-nnes:
"Ad am-wwteɣ s umrar-ad, ad am-rreɣ d tɣyult. Ad as-zzreɣ taduḍt i uɛrur-nem ad kem-awyeɣ s tgemmi. Dinna, ad kem-rreɣ d tfunast, dffir-as ad am-d-rreɣ tumant-nem n umdan."
Tamṭṭut tamelḥant tumni-tt, ur tksuḍ. Tasḥart tga aylli tenna: turra-tt d tɣyult, dffir-as d tfunast. Mac ur tt-id-turri d amdan. Teqqen-tt g lkuri, tṛuḥ s tgemmi waḥdu-tt.
Tfunast nni ar tssiɣiy s ljehd, tesmektay-as rreɛd nnes, mac taxabit nni tga zun ur tsel d ur tssin.
Lliɣ d-yuɣal urgaz g yiḍ, isaqsa af tlawt nnes tiss snat. Tenna-as tesḥart:
"Lliɣ nlla g wasif, tṛuḥ ur nssin mani, ur d-turri. Mac ufiɣ-d yat tfunast, awyeɣ-tt-id, qneɣ-tt g lkuri."
Argaz nni ittu tamṭṭut nnes.
Seg wass-ann, taxabit nni tga tukkest i illi-s n tamṭṭut nni ifulkin. Ar tt-tessala g ukuzin, tga-as kigan n twwuriwin iẓayanen. Kraygat tuggat, ad as-tluḥ iɣedden af udem d uzzig nnes ifulkin ad tt-tessuḥqer.
Af-ad, middun ssmman-as Ɛayca n’Iɣedden.
Mac tamṭṭut n baba-s tɛjeb kraygat tṣbiḥt, acku taqcict ar d-tffuɣ tzeddig, uzzig nnes imceḍ, zun is ur fell-as llin iɣedden. Tewwi-d ad tzer ammas n yiḍ mad itmhsarn.
Yan yiḍ, tẓra yan umasker: Lliɣ gan middun, tfunast nni tffuɣ-d, tkk-d s texamt n teqcict. Ar tt-tessudun, ar as-temsad. Taqcict nni tḥnna g tfunast. Dffir-as, tfunast tessired-tt, temceḍ-as uzzig, tabbeḍ-tt g iɣallen-nnes ay lliɣ d-yuli wass.
Lliɣ tẓra tesḥart ay-ad, terna s urgaz-nnes, tenna-as:
"Zzenz tafunast-ad."
Tfunast tsel i wawal-ad, terwel. Middun ḍffaren-tt ay lliɣ tt-umeẓn. Turm, tḍer, tenn-ad:
"Rmiɣ."
Awin-tt s ugrram (el-gezzar), igzer-tt, izzenz aksum nnes i middun n udwwar.
Taqcict nni tṛuḥ ar tggʷma iɣsan n tfunast g udwwar. Tkk-d ula g imawn n yiḍan. Lliɣ ten-tesmun akk, tessired-ten, tffuḥ-ten s rriḥt, telwi-ten g lkfen, temḍel-ten g imḍlan (tmḍelt).
Tamṭṭut n baba-s tkkemmel tukkest nnes. Mac kraygat yiḍ, imma-s ar d-tffuɣ seg imḍlan d amdan ad tzer illi-s, ad as-tssebr.
Yan wass, agllid ismret ad isker tmɣra nnes, iɛreḍ-d af akk middun. Tasḥart nni tssejd illi-s, tawwi-tt.
Uqbel ad tṛuḥ, tewwi-d ticlatin n yirdi, tumzin, d usngar, txxleḍ-ten akk, tenna i Ɛayca n’Iɣedden:
"Iɣ ur tefrized iɛqqayen-ad uqbel ad d-yali wass, ad kem-nɣeɣ."
Lliɣ teqqen tiflut, tffuɣ-d imma-s n Ɛayca.
Tewwi-as-d tislit n islsan d tawnziwin ifulkin. Tessired-as udem, temceḍ-as uzzig, tels-as timlsit n tllit, tga-as tirkasin (isibaḍen) imẓẓiyen g iḍaren nnes. Tenna-as ad trṛuḥ s tmɣra.
Dinna, Ɛayca tessehba middun s ufulki nnes.
Illi-s n tesḥart tenna i imma-s:
"Zer taqcict-ann, ksuḍeɣ ad tg Ɛayca n’Iɣedden."
Tenna-as imma-s:
"Ɛayca rux ad tferrez iɛqqayen lli as-jjiɣ. Ur ad tkkemmel, ad tt-nɣeɣ, ad am-ssderfiɣ g-is."
Uqbel ad tfukk tmɣra, imma-s tura-d Ɛayca s tgemmi. Mac g ubrid, teḍer-as yat terkast (asibaḍ).
Lliɣ lkment s tgemmi, imma-s tssiwel i ijdḍiḍen, ddan-d ssegden akk iɛqqayen nni. Lliɣ d-turri tesḥart, tufa twwuri tffuk, ur as-tezmir ad as-tga walu.
G tizi-nni, imdanen n ugllid ufan tarkast nni, awin-as-tt. Lliɣ tt-iẓra tga tamẓẓyant, agllid yenna:
"Ad tahlɣ d tamṭṭut lli as-iṣaḥ asibaḍ-ad."
Issek middun ad rzun af teqcict nni. Lkmen ay lliɣ d-qqimen g tgemmi n Ɛayca.
Tamsḥart tssenta s illi-s, mac tarkast ur as-tṣah.
G tizi-nni, ayazid n tgemmi isserɣud:
"Quqquququ! Tin terkast tga Ɛayca n’Iɣedden! Tffffer dffir n lbaṛwaḍ g ukuzin!"
Tasḥart tɛreḍ ad tssemsas ayazid, mac tlawin n ugllid sllan-as. Ddan s ukuzin ufan-d taqcict. Ar ttefejjej s ufulki, telsa timlsit n tmɣra. Yan uḍar iḥfa, wayyaḍ g-is tarkast.
Awin-tt s ugllid. Lliɣ tt-iẓra tfulki uggar n tafukt, ittu lɛqel nnes, itahl-tt.
Ɛayca ur tenn-i i ugllid af tukkest n imma n baba-s. Tga tamllalt, tssentel-ten g lqṣer, tka-asnt tismmumin.
Agllid iḥmla tamṭṭut nnes. Terfed s waɛdis (ar ttaru), mac agllid iṛuḥ s lbaṛud (imnɣi).
Yan wass, illi-s n tesḥart tenna i tllit (tagllidt):
"Riɣ ad zreɣ anu seg-is itaggʷm ugllid aman."
Ɛayca tumni-tt, tawwi-tt. Lliɣ mmuccn af wanu, taxabit nni tḍffr-tt, tḍer Ɛayca g wanu.
Turri-d s lqṣer tga zun d tagllidt, acku imma-s tsker-as lkmiɛ (ssḥer) ad tg zun d udem n ultma-s.
Lliɣ d-yuɣal ugllid, irra s dar tamṭṭut nnes. Mac waxxa tga udem n ultma-s, ur as-tka ul nnes amllal. Taxabit nni tga tawaɛrit d ugllid.
Agllid irfa, iṛuḥ s texamt nnes. Imur yan uxidim ad as-id-yawi aman n wanu ad isired.
Lliɣ isers uxidim agdim g wanu, isel i yan ṣṣut ittawen:
"A amejhul! Is trit ad tenɣed arba-inu?"
Iksuḍ, irwel, imla i ugllid mad ijṛan.
Agllid iṛuḥ s wanu, isers agdim. Isel i yan ṣṣut.
Immucc af wanu, isaqsa:
"Mad kem-igan ad iyi-tskred tukkest-ad?"
Ɛayca n’Iɣedden tssin ṣṣut n urgaz nnes, tenna:
"Nkk d tamṭṭut-nnk, d urba-nnk lli rweɣ g wanu-ad."
Agllid yenna:
"Ini-yi mad am-ijran."
Tenna-as:
"Kks-iyi-d uqbel, dffir-as ad am-mleɣ akk."
Kksen-d Ɛayca d urba nnes. Tumẓ agllid g iɣallen nnes, tenna-as akk tukkest: mamk tga imma-s d tfunast, d mamk tt-tḍffr ultma-s s wanu.
Tenna-as is d imma-s ay tt-isstarun seg wass lliɣ tḍer, tga urba g yat tsenduqt ittafwn iɣ d-yuzzl ugdim.
Agllid isaqsa:
"Mata lɛiqab i tlawin-ad?"
Tenna-as tagllidt:
"Riɣ ad rreɣ rrtal s ufus-inu."
Lliɣ d-urri s lqṣer, umeẓn tagllidt n tkurkas. Ɛayca tenn-as ad bbin agayyu nnes, ssmal-n-t. Jjaren ddu mray n tafukt aksum nnes. Lliɣ iqqur, tga agayyu g lqaɛ n tclat, tga aksum afell-as, tazzen-tt d tismmumi i tamṭṭut n baba-s.
Tasḥart tumni is d illi-s ay as-tt-id-yuznen. Tcc-a aksum s lfarḥ. Mac lliɣ tlkem lqaɛ n tclat, tufa agayyu n illi-s, tssin is tcca illi-s.
Tmmut dinna s lxelɛet d rrfet.
Ɛayca n’Iɣedden tddder g lhna d lḥeqq.
Key Vocabulary & Notes:
Iɣedden: Ashes (plural).
Tasḥart: Sorceress/Witch.
Tafunast: Cow.
Anu: Well.
Asibaḍ / Tarkast: Shoe/Slipper.
Ticlatin: Large woven sacks.
Ayazid: Rooster.
Cultural Context: In Berber mythology, the mother-turned-animal is a common motif. The "Cow" represents the provider and protector even after death. The ending, while dark, follows the traditional "Eye for an Eye" justice found in ancient oral tales