Literary memory

Ghada Rashid

Author's name: Ali Al-Jarim

The sun rose and the women returned with their jars, and the populous city awoke with its guests from all parts of the East. Rashid had by this time attained a far-reaching degree of wealth, expanded trade and seafaring civilization. Ships came to it from Egypt, the Levant, Turkey and Europe, laden with various merchandise. It extended along the banks of the Nile to the east, and was surrounded to the west by sand dunes which the activity of its inhabitants had filled with palm trees, vineyards, olive and fig trees. To the north and south were lush gardens and green orchards, crowded with banana, lemon, orange and bitter orange trees, and all kinds of flowers and basil. The breeze, coming and going, carried their fragrance to the city. There was hardly a house or road without it. Wherever you went, you smelled perfume, and wherever you stayed, you breathed in goodness.