Um Al Healan lived with her three daughters, Mahra, Salma and Alya, who she never let leave the house. Um Al Healan had evil eyes. Whenever she saw someone she didn’t like, their lives would become a living hell.
One morning, a famous rich woman came to the house and asked Mahra to marry her son Essa. Um Al Healan was very happy. As they started preparing for the wedding, Mahra became even more beautiful. Finally, the day arrived. Um Al Healan was sad to lose her daughter but she was happy that Mahra was marrying such a great guy.
The door opened and Mahra appeared. Her mum was shocked by her beauty and couldn’t believe Mahra was her daughter. “Look at her beautiful eyes. My daughter your eyes are beautiful!” she said.
The next morning, Mahra woke up, shouting, “Essa! Turn on the lights. I can’t see anything.” But the lights were on. Essa took Mahra to the doctor. Sadly, Beautiful Mahra had become blind for no reason.
Years passed and Mahra became a mother to three children. Abdallah, Maayed, Amina were beautiful just like her. One morning, when she was preparing breakfast for her children, Mahra heard a knock at the door. It was her sister Alya in tears. Um Al Healan was sick and had asked to see Mahra. When they arrived at the house, she saw her mum was very ill.
The next morning, Mahra woke up and could not believe what was happening. She called Essa and in a happy voice shouted, “Your kandora is black and your shoes are brown. Am I right?”
Confused, Essa asked, “Yes, you are right. Mahra, can you see?”
Mahra put on her abaya and went to see her mum, but sadly Um Al Healan had died. Mahra started crying because she realized that it was her mum who had made her blind. When she died, her evil eye had died as well and all the bad things that had happened were gone.
Written by Sultana Abdulla Hasan Abdulqader Al Zbeidi
Illustration by Reem Naser Mohamed Mataar Abu Nemr Al Mazrouei
