The Cadi and the Jewish Merchant

Elisa Chimenti

1950

Toward the end of the reign of Moulay Hassan, there was a cadi whose avarice was so great that he was likened to a tomb, for the tomb, ever receiving, never gives anything back. The cadi accepted gifts from everyone but never offered the smallest sum to charity. Although he was well versed in the law of Allah, he failed to obey the precepts of the…

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Creator Bio

Elisa Chimenti

1883–1969

Elisa Chimenti was born in Napoli but moved to Tunisia in 1884, before her family finally settled in Tangier, where her father served as personal physician to Sultan Moulay Hassan. Chimenti distinguished herself at an early age by her passion for learning, eventually mastering more than a dozen languages. She was captivated by Berber poetry and regional folklore, particular the experiences of local women. She studied at the University of Leipzig, returning to Tangier to teach and write. In 1914, she helped found the first Italian school in Morocco, where Muslim, Christian, and Jewish children were all welcome. She was the first European woman to teach at an Arabic university. Her Au coeur du harem (1958) was the first novel in French by a Moroccan woman.

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