The value of salt

Name of speaker: 
Luiz Ben-Eliyahu
Gender of speaker: 
Female
Occupation of speaker: 
Housewife
Age of speaker at time of recording: 
90
Speaker's country of origin: 
Speaker's community of origin: 
Language: 
Judeo-Arabic
Conversation topics: 
Documentation: 
Dr. Assaf Bar Moshe
Year of recording: 
2014

Translation: 

Once upon a time, there was a king. This king had two daughters. One day, he told them that he wanted to travel to Hajj. What do you want (me to bring you)? I can bring you … gifts. The eldest daughter asked him to bring her clothes and many other things. The youngest daughter asked him to go in peace and to return in peace, and told him that she loves him like salt. The salt is expensive, and that is how much she loves him. The king set out to his travels in Hajj and returned. Then, he gathered his daughters. The king gave his eldest daughter whatever she asked for. Since the youngest daughter told him that she loves him like salt, the king banished her. Then he asked her: why do you love me like salt? I disapprove, I don't want you and I am not interested in your salt. He was angry at her and banished her out of the house. That poor girl stood her ground. One day the son of a Sultan saw her, fell in love with her and married her. She told him that she wanted to take revenge on her father. Why did he banish her? She prepared her family a large feast and didn't put even one grain of salt in the foods. They sat down to eat, but could not. She asked them: why are you not eating? They answered: it lacks salt, how can we eat? She asked him to call her father and tell him: how come he did not understand? how expensive salt is. I prepared the meal without any salt so he will know how highly valued salt is. And may peace be upon you…