Warm-Spring Fairy Wife of Mouley ech Cherif

Overview

Mouley ech Cherif, a teacher from the Cheurfa family living at Bou Semghoun, goes alone to Ouarga to teach. On his arrival a warm spring rises and a fairy emerges, asking him to marry her. He takes her as his wife. When he is ready to return, she leaves the spring and follows him, living with him as his spouse. This account gives the supernatural visitor a domestic future rather than making the relationship depend on remaining beside the water.

They have two daughters, one named Halimah and another whose name the narrator says is unknown. The fairy mother dies, leaving the daughters motherless. When their father goes away, they accompany him and stay with him until his death. The episode ends with those family deaths and continued companionship, without an expulsion of the fairy or the discovery of an animal skin. Basset’s note places this Ouarga near Bou Semghoun and Mount Ghezala; it should not automatically be replaced with the separate major city of Ouargla.

Origins & earliest records

René Basset, Contes populaires berbères (Paris, 1887), no. 30, complete pp. 63. Original note 59, printed p. 171, names Ould Tedjini of Bou Semghoun, communicating the text at Frenda in 1883; original note 61 distinguishes nearby Ouarga and its warm waters.

Records & interpretation

Entire French narrative inspected in original facsimile DjVu pages 101, printed pp. 63. Preface xiii–xiv and applicable notes inspected as indicated; endings and changes of narrative agent retained.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Contes populaires berbères

   René Basset, translator and editor; contributor and manuscript context identified separately · 1887

   No. 30, complete pp. 63. Original note 59, printed p. 171, names Ould Tedjini of Bou Semghoun, communicating the text at Frenda in 1883; original note 61 distinguishes nearby Ouarga and its warm waters.

Family & connections

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References

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1. Primary collected narrative; original facsimile inspectedOriginal edition, complete narrative 30Research access: 2026-10-05

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