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Overview
After his daughter’s dove bridegroom disappears, King Jakob leaves his throne to his son, Sultan Elakchal, and wanders to Cairo. His wife and daughter eventually find him there. Cairo’s ruler demands the daughter for himself despite her father’s refusal and invokes the spirit horses of Bulaq as a challenge. Jakob writes to his son and sends the message beneath a dove’s wing. The bird arrives trembling and refusing food; its examination reveals the letter. Elakchal reads it with tears and turns his magic ring, producing a sevenfold circle of spirit horses around Cairo.
The next morning successive prayer-callers panic on seeing the force. The ruler asks Jakob to remove the monsters, but he explains that his son commands them. Going outside, the ruler promises never again to abduct someone and asks Elakchal to return home. The son first demands that his horses be shod. Smiths discover silver shoes and gold nails already on their hind feet and say that even selling Cairo could not pay for the nails, much less the shoes. Further negotiation obtains a promise not to insult Moroccans, after which Elakchal leaves with his sister and mother. The horses function as a coercive siege force and wealth test. Stumme’s suggestion of a connection with the Giza Sphinx is an editorial conjecture, not the narrative’s identification of the horses.
Origins & earliest records
Hans Stumme, Märchen der Schluḥ von Tázerwalt (Leipzig, 1895), tale 18, Die Geschichte von Sidi Belabbas und Sidi Massud: complete German pp. 166–173. Abdulla Ben Mhammed, dictating contributor; Leipzig recording context Preface v–vi.
Records & interpretation
Whole German tale 18 read through King Jakob’s final grave on a Syrian mountain. Saint/servant dove departure precedes the royal family’s Cairo reunion and separate spirit-horse siege. Sphinx association remains an editorial possibility; no historical miracle date or modern shrine practice inferred.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Märchen der Schluḥ von Tázerwalt
Tale 18, complete German pp. 166–173: saint/servant pp. 166–169, Cairo family/siege pp. 169–173; Preface v–vi.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary collected narrative with German translation and contextual notesOriginal bilingual collection: Sidi Belabbas and Sidi MassudResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
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