Short Story: Tiny Stories from My Forsaken Village Translated from the Arabic by Essam M. Al-Jassim

Three terrific stories (Originally written in Arabic by Rehab Bassam, Atef Ebeid, and Mahmood Jamool and translated by Essam M Al-Jassim into English) that take the reader on a roller coaster ride of love and relationships.

Simple Things: Stages of Romance in a Small Village By Rehab Bassam

1

“Why won’t you hold my hand when we walk in the street?” she asked, her voice soft.

     “I can’t,” he replied. “What if your relatives or one of your brother’s friends saw us? God willing, my love, soon we’ll be engaged, and I’ll hold your hand in front of the whole world.”

2

“Why won’t you hold my hand now that we’re engaged?” she asked.

     “I don’t want people to think we’re being promiscuous just because we’re engaged. It’s not proper. Honestly, I’m uncomfortable with that. God willing, when we’re married, I’ll hold your hand. You’ll be my wife then, my love, before the eyes of the law.”