Dream on the River

Author's name: Neighbor of the Sweet Prophet

Sayyid dreams...and takes his wife Jamila on his journey to make his dreams come true. He dreams of a river, and of a genie on his mule emerging from the rippling silver waters, walking slowly toward him, and telling him that the dream is necessary and that it is legitimate to achieve it. Sayyid rejoices with the genie and sits beside him on the branches of the tamarisk tree, then returns to Jamila, feverishly overcome by the silver beauty that has invaded his mind. Sayyid dreams of the house he will build on the banks of the river, stepping out of the narrow alley. From the house's wide balconies, he will see the calm waves walking to the edge of his bed, stroking his head as he expands the circle of dreams. He builds and plants the tamarisk tree, digs a well, digs a small stream, falls in love with Jamila, and has many children. He says that the city will grow, it will expand, and God will change the situation for the better. Sayyid grows up, and fills in the river to build a main street. His children grow up, and the house and the houses around him expand. The neighborhoods re-form, and the children run through the alleys, raced by the domestic animals. Sayyid falls asleep, then wakes up, calling Jamila: "Has the river returned? Oh, I was dreaming!" "A Dream on a River" is a novel with the flavor of anise and cloves, a beauty that provokes contemplation and emotions, and gives life another dimension, as great literature always does.