The Birth of a Tradition

With time, many things disappear, others look foggy

and distant while some make a place in our memory

and never leave it.

I still remember the day a fire broke in one of the houses

of our neighborhood. It ran wildly as most houses were

covered of hay and mud. All the inhabitants rushed towards

the burning house armed with spades, forks, buckets of water

and even branches from trees to extinguish the fire.

It took some time for the flames to die and send thick black

and white smoke. Nothing was saved: fire devoured all the food,

the blankets and the clothes and turned them into a heap of ash.

But everyone thanked the Almighty for saving their lives.

A girl came out carrying what remained of a wooden suitcase

with a remnant pile of folded clothes. She was bitterly crying.

Her dreams had been dashed out. A wise woman took the burnt

pieces, cut what was left into squares and asked the girls of the

village to bring needles and thread, gave them instructions and

started sewing and sticking the pieces together. They transformed

what was about to be thrown into a colorful quilt. They ornamented

the edges with lace, the lace of the gown the girl was dreaming to

wear for her wedding. The wise woman said: "Do not worry, your

clothes have not gone. They are assembled in this beautiful quilt

to remind you of your "wedding trousseau" and to cover your bed

in your wedding ceremony. Fire burns and revives. We think

things are gone but in reality, they come back in a different look

and lead a new life, they are revivified."

With the neighbor's mettle, and endless efforts, the house was

rebuilt, clothes and blankets were offered and the inhabitants

agreed not to delay the girl's wedding.

I still remember the big wedding ceremony and the felicity of

the villagers. As for the quilt, it became a habit for every girl to make

a colorful one before marriage, where the attunement of colors

and the refined taste, meet. Needle work became prosperous,

thanks to the first spark of fire.

© GIGI MEJRI

*****

GIGI MEJRI, born Chedlia, is a Tunisian teacher of English, graduated from

the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences. Poetry and short story writing is

her field of interest. "Peace, social equity, human rights and nature" are her

main concerns. She has published four books: two poetry collections:

"The Beautiful Silence" and "Sounds", published in India and available on

Amazon. Two books of short stories, "From A to Z" and "Plaits", published in

Tunisia. She has won many awards and the title of "Poet of the Year" in 2018.

She continues to have her work published in International literary magazines

and has many more content to publish in the future.