What did it matter if he thought he suddenly saw and understood his own heart? He still could neither see nor understand Shahrazad’s. And in what he could not see lay pain and danger, or so he thought. And so he did not ask the questions that were in his heart. Never stopping to think that in refusing, he kept his own heart as much a secret to Shahrazad as hers was to him. And so both stayed locked up tight, the hopes and needs in them unspoken.
“Will you tell me a story?” he asked instead.
“A story!” exclaimed Shahrazad. “But Maju’s trunk is in the palace.”
“Can you not find a story in any piece of cloth?” Shahrayar inquired.
“I do not know,” Shahrazad answered truthfully. “For I have never tried it. But I suppose it would be possible, for it is the finding of the story that is the true storyteller’s art, or so Maju always told me.”
“Then we could try it,” Shahrayar insisted.
“Yes,” Shahrazad acknowledged. “We could try. What piece of cloth would you have me decipher?”
“This one.”
On impulse Shahrayar reached out and captured one of Shahrazad’s wrists in his hand. With the other he pushed back her sleeve to reveal the small scrap of fabric he had noticed she always wore there. Never had he seen her without it, not even as she slept. He wondered what significance it had for her, and also what tale the cloth might hold.
“You wish to know the tale of this?” Shahrazad asked, her tone astonished. Her heart began to beat swift as a bird’s wing within her breast. What did it mean that Shahrayar had been drawn to the only thing she wore that had come from Maju?
“I do,” Shahrayar said. “Where did it come from?”
“Maju gave it to me long ago,” Shahrazad replied. “In a time of trial and sorrow. I do not think she intended it as a gift, but I have treasured it always.”
“Then if it comes from Maju, surely there must be a tale within it,” Shahrayar said.
And Shahrazad answered, “I do not know, but since you wish it, I will try to find it.”
“Thank you,” said Shahrayar. He sat up, and with careful fingers, untied the piece of cloth from her wrist. But when he spread it out he exclaimed, “But surely this cloth has been stained with blood, Shahrazad!”
“It has been,” she replied. “With mine when I was just a child.”
And at her words, a memory came to Shahrayar. Of himself, also a child, concealed within the branches of a pomegranate tree, watching a young Shahrazad’s wounds being bound up by her mother as the young girl poured the bitterness and grief from her heart.
“Why would you keep such a thing?” Shahrayar asked, though he thought he knew, for now he remembered what else had happened on that day long ago: The thing that she had vowed.
“So that I might remember my own promises to myself,” Shahrazad said, confirming what Shahrayar surmised. “And also, that I might have some token of my mother. These are the tales I have added to this cloth,” she went on, as if to forestall any further questions. “Now let us see what was there to start out.”
So saying, she stretched out her hand and Shahrayar placed the piece of cloth upon her palm. Shahrazad ran her fingers back and forth across the old stained piece of silk as if she had never touched it before.
“Ah!” she said at last. “It seems that you are right, my lord. A story may be found anywhere, if one is willing to search for it. The one that I have found here is called …”
SIXTEEN
THE TALE OF THE FISHERMAN, THE PRINCE, AND THE WATER BEARER’S DAUGHTER
“Once, in a land much like our own, there lived a poor water bearer who had but one child, and that was a daughter. His wife had died in giving birth, and since the water bearer was too poor to remarry, father and daughter lived all alone, though they were not lonely. For such was their affection for one another, that even though it was not filled with fine things, to them their home seemed always full to overflowing.
“As the years went by, the child grew to be a young woman who possessed rich gifts in spite of her poor estate. And those gifts numbered four and were as follows: her kind heart, her beauty, her bravery, and her honesty.
One day it happened that the prince of this land, who was something of a ne’er-do-well, interested more in looking like a prince than in acting like one, decided to elude his tutors and have a great adventure in the city which surrounded his palace. But, though he successfully managed to make his escape, it did not take long for him to lose his way once he had done so. For he did not know the city at all, being greatly sheltered and having only gone out previously with his servants and retainers to guide him.
“Being lost, he should have stood still and waited to be found. But, being foolish, he did not. Instead he began to wander. And so, after many hours he found himself in a rough portion of the city where things might have ended very badly for him indeed. For in his fine garments, with jewels flashing from almost every finger, it was not long before he was set upon by a band of thieves. They knocked him to the ground and dragged him into a nearby alley.
“But, having secured their prize, the thieves fell to doing what thieves often do, for they have no honor: They quarreled amongst themselves. Some of the band were all for cutting off the young man’s fingers—the better to obtain the rich jewels he wore. Others argued that it would be better to truss him up on a spit and suspend him over a pit of hot coals. In this way they could force him to reveal the name of his family and ransom him for more money than they had ever dreamed of.
“The prince had just reached the point where he was considering groveling in a very unprincelike manner when the thieves were interrupted. The water bearer and his daughter were making their way home and took a shortcut through the alley.
“Now, you might suppose, as the prince had, that a band of thieves would find little to fear from a water bearer who was not as young as he used to be, and his only child who was a daughter. But if you had supposed such a thing, you would have been as mistaken as the prince was, for in that rough place the water bearer’s strength was well known and commanded much respect. Had he not spent his life carrying burdens too heavy for others?
“And to the father’s strength of body, there was added the daughter’s bravery. She was quick as an eel and afraid of nothing.
“At the sight of the water bearer and his daughter, the thieves fled, leaving the prince alone. At first the prince feared he had met with ruffians much worse than the first, for who else could have put such desperate creatures to flight? But his fears were soon allayed when the water bearer and his daughter treated him with kindness. They took him to their home and tended to his wounds. The prince gazed about him in wonder, for never had he seen such a humble abode. Although it was clean, it had but one room, and that a small one. How could people of such goodness live in such surroundings?
“As the water bearer’s daughter bound up his wounds, the prince could not help but notice her loveliness, and thus he spoke to her. ‘Tell me how it is that a flower as beautiful as you can flourish in such a harsh and desperate place. Surely you belong in a well-tended garden.’
“‘I have grown as I am exactly where I was planted,’ she replied. ‘Is it not then the case that I am so because of my surroundings?’
“‘You are wise as well as beautiful, I see,’ the prince said gallantly.
“‘And your mouth is as a honeycomb,’ the girl answered honestly. ‘What falls from it is sweet, but I fear the taste will not last long.’
“‘Not so!’ cried the prince, for like a bee, her words had stung him. He was unaccustomed to his flattery failing, and he had wanted to make a good impression upon the water bearer’s daughter. ‘If you knew my true identity, you would not say such a thing,’ he went on, for it seemed to him that she must take him more seriously when she knew who he was.
“‘Very well,’ the girl said, not yet particularly impressed, ‘Who are you?’
“‘I am Prince Khasib, and when my father dies I s
hall be king over all this land.’
“Upon hearing this news, the water bearer’s daughter fell to her knees in astonishment. And her father, coming into the room just then, dropped his water skins so that their precious contents spilled out upon the floor—a thing he had not done once in all his years.
“Their reactions both pleased and vexed Prince Khasib. Certainly it was wonderful to be so admired, but he had not wished to inspire fear. He wanted the water bearer’s daughter to look upon him with favor, as he looked upon her.
“‘Majesty,’ the water bearer gasped, ‘We are honored by your presence in our humble home. But this is too rough a place for one so fine as you. Let me send a messenger to the palace at once.’
“And so the prince agreed. But while the water bearer was out finding a boy to run to the palace, the prince plucked the jewel from his little finger and gave it to the water bearer’s daughter with these words:
“‘If ever you have need of me, bring this and come to the palace.’
“‘Sire, I will,’ the girl replied, though in her heart she could not imagine when such a time might arise. She was certain she would never see the handsome prince again.
“Now, I probably do not need to tell you (but I will do so anyway, for the story demands it) that things we cannot imagine often have a strange way of happening in spite of us. And so it was with the water bearer’s daughter. Not long after this, on his way home from carrying water to the home of a rich courtier, the water bearer was seized and thrown into prison without a word of explanation. Nothing his daughter could do would secure his release. Indeed, his jailers hinted that he might not be allowed to live much longer. Strong and courageous though she was, the water bearer’s daughter was soon close to despair.
“But before she could give way to it completely, she remembered the ring the prince had given her and his words at their parting. So she dressed herself in her finest garments and set out for the palace.
“Now, the distance from the home of a water bearer and his daughter to a prince’s palace is a great one. So great, that by the time the water bearer’s daughter had traveled it, her finest garments were covered with dust, and the hours allotted for audiences were nearly over. The palace guards took one look at her and turned her away.
“‘Come back tomorrow.’
“‘But I must see Prince Khasib as soon as possible,’ the water bearer’s daughter cried, ‘See! I have his token. If ever I have need of him, he commanded I should bring this to the palace.’ And with these words, she produced the ring and held it out.
“At this, the palace guards began to take her more seriously. Not because they believed a word she said, but because they felt sure the ring must have been stolen. They were just on the verge of hauling the water bearer’s daughter off to prison too when, to the surprise of all, a court lady who happened to be passing by intervened.
“‘Fools!’ she exclaimed angrily, ‘Can you not see that this girl speaks the truth? Do you not recognize the Prince’s mark?’
“And upon close examination, her claim proved to be true. For on the inside of the band, so cunningly placed that only when you gazed into the jewel itself could you see it, was the official mark of Prince Khasib.
“At this, the guards began to be afraid that they would be the ones thrown into prison, and so they let the water bearer’s daughter enter the palace at once. The court lady went so far as to escort her to the audience chamber, the water bearer’s daughter expressing her appreciation for the lady’s kindness the entire way.
“‘Think nothing of it,’ the court lady said with a wave of her perfumed hand. ‘But remember well this good deed that I have done you. Perhaps you may do one for me someday.’
“‘If ever it is within my power to do you good, I will,’ the water bearer’s daughter promised. And with that, they reached the audience chamber. Here again the court lady exerted herself on the water bearer’s daughter’s behalf.
“‘Here is one who begs an audience with Prince Khasib,’ she cried in a loud voice. ‘She comes bearing his token. Let her be heard.’ With that, she moved forward, bringing the water bearer’s daughter with her. And so they came to Prince Khasib.
“Glad as he was to see the water bearer’s daughter once again, seeing the two women together was not so pleasing to Prince Khasib. For the token he had given to one had been a gift to him from the other. In truth, the ring he had bestowed upon the water bearer’s daughter had not truly been his to give: It had been a gift to him from the fine court lady who wished to win his favor. In short, the situation had all the makings of a fine muddle.
“Nor was this all, for beneath his handsome countenance and gallant manners, there lived a darkness in the heart of Prince Khasib. It was he who was responsible for the water bearer’s imprisonment. Until he gave the word, the water bearer would not be released. And all so that the prince could look upon the water bearer’s daughter once more, to discover if she was as lovely as he remembered. And to impress upon her that her happiness was in his hands.
“But the water bearer’s daughter knew nothing of this. And so she cast herself to the ground before Prince Khasib and said, ‘Hear me, O great and shining Prince! I come as you have said I might, bearing your token, to beg for your help in my hour of greatest need.”
“The first of the matters that had weighed on Prince Khasib’s mind was thus easily dispatched. For, even streaked with dust and in despair, the water bearer’s daughter was just as lovely as he had at first perceived.
“‘What would you have me do?’ he asked, pleased to have her acknowledge her need of him so quickly. ‘Rise and tell me.’
“So the water bearer’s daughter rose to her feet and said, ‘My father has been imprisoned for a cause I cannot discover. I fear his life may be forfeit. I beg you to order his release, and so spare both his life and my own. For it is not possible that I should live without him.’
“Now, this was not precisely what Prince Khasib wished to hear. If she could not live without someone, it should be him. ‘Yet surely he must die someday,’ he countered.
“As God shall will it,’ the water bearer’s daughter acknowledged. ‘But I greatly fear that what has befallen him is, instead, the will of man.’
“‘If I might be so bold, Highness,’ the court lady spoke up suddenly. ‘I may be able to suggest a way to determine whether the imprisonment of this maid’s father be just or no.’
“At this, Prince Khasib perceived that he was growing more unhappy by the minute, for this interruption was not at all to his liking. It was hardly possible the court lady would have the best interests of the water bearer’s daughter at heart. She was more likely to wish some mischief upon her. But Prince Khasib had no choice but to listen to what she had to say, for she had caught the attention of his courtiers.
“‘Speak,’ he commanded.
“‘I would propose a test,’ the court lady said. ‘A trial of some sort. Command this maid to do a thing that all others before her have failed to accomplish. If she succeeds, you will know her cause is just.’
“At her words, a murmuring of appreciation filled the audience chamber, a counterbalance to the dread filling Prince Khasib’s heart.
“‘What might such a task be?’ he inquired.
“‘Gracious!’ the court lady exclaimed with a becoming blush. ‘How should I know? Yet I have heard …’ Her voice trailed off, and in spite of himself, Prince Khasib leaned forward on his seat of ivory.
“‘What?’
“‘I have heard of a treasure that rests at the bottom of the ocean,’ the court lady went on. ‘A treasure so remarkable, only one who possesses both strength of body and purity of heart has even the slightest hope of finding it. Many have tried, but so far, all have failed. Surely this would be a fitting gift to bestow upon a prince to ransom the life of a much-loved father.’
“At these words, the swell of wonder from the courtiers within the audience chamber grew so great that Prince Khasib perce
ived an astonishing thing: His mind was already made up. For to refuse such a remarkable request would be unthinkable. And so he turned back to the water bearer’s daughter and said, ‘Find this treasure for me. When I hold it in my hand, I will have proof your cause is just and free your father. Not only that, on that day, I will make you my bride. For any who can find such a treasure must surely be a treasure herself and fit to be a prince’s consort.’
“‘And with that, the prince smiled at the court lady. See what happens to all those who would try to outsmart me, he thought.
“But the water bearer’s daughter hardly noticed the princes offer to make her his bride. She was too filled with dismay at the task he had set her, for it seemed to her that it was impossible. She had never even seen the ocean, did not even know where it might be found. But she rallied her courage, for she was her father’s only hope, and she knew she must be strong. So she bowed low before the prince and said, ‘Majesty, may your will be done.’
“With her words, the day’s audiences were over, and the water bearer’s daughter returned home. There, she changed her finest garments for her most sensible clothes. Into a knapsack she placed a loaf of bread and some dried figs, which was all the food she had in the house. She filled one of her father’s water skins and was just on the point of setting out when she heard a knock upon her door. Opening it, she discovered the court lady who had helped her get into the palace.
“‘Forgive me,’ the court lady said, casting her eyes down modestly. ‘But, after you left the audience chamber, I had you followed, I feel responsible for the fact that you must undertake such an arduous quest, for had I not spoken—’
“‘You must not blame yourself,’ the water bearer’s daughter interrupted swiftly. ‘I would do anything to save my father.’
“The court lady raised her eyes and gazed into those of the water bearer’s daughter as if searching for something. After several moments, she said, ‘You truly love him.’
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