their game. Although the trader was a good player, he was out of luck and lost the game. So he had to pay the gambler the money. But he couldn’t afford that much.
"I'll forget your debt, if you can fulfill one of my three conditions." The gambler said.
"Make me a suit out of stone, drink off all water in a sea or let me cut off two pounds of your leg's flesh. Otherwise you'll have to spend your lifetime behind the bars." He added.
The conditions seemed impossible. The trader visited a blind man who was well-known for his great wisdom and asked him for help. Next day, the trader and gambler attended the court. The trader was supposed to either pay the money or fulfill one of the conditions.
"I can't afford the money. But I'm ready to satisfy the conditions." The trader told the judge.
"If you want a suit made of stone, then, give me some cloth and thread made of stone first." The trader told the gambler.
The gambler knew it was impossible. So he gave up the first condition.
"And if you want me to drink off that much water, first you have to block the rivers that reach that sea." He continued.
No one could do this. So the gambler forgot the second condition too.
"Finally, you can cut off two pounds of my flesh, but exactly, neither less nor more." The trader added.
They were all impossible. The gambler gave up his claim and left the court.
From Sindbad-Nameh by Zahiri-Samarqandi, the Persian author and translator, 12th century, from an Indian origin.
Farmer
Once upon a time a king and his companions were passing by a farmland. The king saw a farmer working hard and eagerly in the sun. He asked the man why he worked so hard while he was not sure if it would rain well or not.
"You work hard while no one can guarantee what will happen and what you will get in the end." The king told the man.
"I don't care for ifs and buts. I just plant the seeds and work hard. It's God who makes them grow." The farmer replied.
From Makhzan-al-Asrar (the treasury of mysteries), by Nizami Ganjavi, great Persian poet, 12th century.
Siyavash
Once upon a time there ruled a powerful king, named Kay Kavus over the Persian Empire. He had a young son, Siyavash who was very handsome and desirable. Kay Kavus had sent Siavash to Zabolistan to learn arts of war from Rostam, the legendary Persian warrior. When finally Siyavash came back home, the king held a magnificent ceremony to celebrate his arrival. In the party, Soudabeh, Siavash's stepmother and the queen of Persia, met the young prince for the first time. In her lustful eyes, Siavash was more than perfect. As days passed in the palace, she developed more and more a sexual desire for him. She tried several times to invite him to her private room. But, he always refused to betray his father. Soudabeh who was angry with the prince, faked a rape scene and accused him of sexual affairs. Although the Persian king was so angry, thinking of beheading innocent Siyavash, he decided to find the truth himself. So, he ordered Soudabeh and Siyavash to attend his palace. Then, he smelled Soudabeh's garment and hands. They smelled wine. But, the Siavash's smelled rose water. Kay Kavus became almost sure that his son was innocent. He wanted to kill Soudabeh. But she was her lovely wife. What was more; Soudabeh was the daughter of a powerful ally in the East that he didn't want to lose his support.
"Let fire reveal the innocent. Fire doesn't harm him if he hasn't committed the sin." Counselors advised the king.
Therefore, a huge fire was prepared. Siyavash rode on his black horse through the mountain of fire safely. He proved his innocence to all. But things never went well like before. The young prince finally had to leave the country and sought shelter under the rule of Afrasyab, Persians' enemy. Yet, his fate was always against his pure heart. There also, some rumors destroyed his friendship with the king and after several years, he was innocently beheaded far from his real home. Years later, his son, Kay Khosrow became the next Persian king and took revenge on Afrasyab and Turanians.
From Shahnameh (the book of kings) by Ferdowsi, great Persian poet, 10th century.
If God wants
Once a trader went to bazaar to buy a donkey. On the way, he ran into an old friend. When he learned that the trader was on business to buy a donkey, he advised him to trust in God and "always say, if God wants".
"Why should I say so? There are lots of donkeys on sale in the bazaar and I have enough money in my pocket". The trader replied and said goodbye.
Before long, while he was still on the way to the bazaar, a robber stole his money. So he had to return home hopelessly. On the way back home, by chance, the trader saw the same friend again. His friend asked him about his shopping.
"If God wants, someone stole my money; if God wants I couldn’t buy a donkey; if God wants I am returning home!" The trader answered.
From Risala-i-Dilgusha by Ubayd Zakani, the great Persian poet and satirist, 14th century.
Suitors
Once upon a time there lived a governor who had a beautiful girl. There were many young men who wished they could marry her. One day, the governor summoned all suitors to say his conditions for his daughter's marriage.
Although many wished to marry the governor's daughter, they didn't risk facing with the governor's conditions. So, next day, only three men were ready to hear the conditions.
"First, I'll beat the suitor until I get tired. Secondly, he'll have to live without my support and third, if he ever mistreats my daughter, I'll kill him". The governor announced the conditions.
"It’s hard to forget your daughter. But I think I'm not the right person." The first suitor said.
The governor realized he was just a trader, not truly in love with his girl.
"I am ready to cut off my hands and legs, sir." The second suitor said.
The governor discarded him as he was out of mind in his aim.
"I have a cousin who is also a good girl. But I love your daughter more. I appreciate if you let and help me marry your daughter." The third suitor said.
The governor realized that the last suitor had enough of reason and affection to marry her daughter.
"These conditions were to find the best suitor. I'll help you to live happily with my daughter for ever." He said.
Soon, the wedding ceremony was announced.
From Manteq-ot-Tayr by Attar, the great Persian poet and suphist, 12th century.
Wasp
Once an ant and a wasp were talking with each other.
"You ants work very hard. But we wasps take it easy". The wasp said.
Then, the wasp told the ant how easily he ate fresh meat in the butcher's shop.
He invited the ant to come with him to the butcher's. Next day, they entered the shop. The wasp flew over a piece of meat and began to have his meal while the ant was watching him. But before long, the butcher, who was tired of the insects, rushed toward the wasp and halved it with his carver.
"It's much better to work hard and be safe than to risk my life for a meal." The ant said and began his usual work.
From Sindbad-Nameh by Zahiri-Samarqandi, the Persian author and translator, 12th century, from an Indian origin.
Watery milk
Once upon a time there lived a stockman who owned a lot of goats. Everyday he grazed the animals until the sunset. Then, he milked the goats and headed for a nearby town to sell the milk. But he always added some water to it. His wife warned him many times that it wasn't going to end well but he didn't pay attention. One day, as the goats were grazing in the countryside, it began to rain so heavily that all the sheep were got lost or killed in the flood.
In the evening the stockman returned home all alone. He told his wife what had happened to their goats.
"I could never expect such heavy rain this time of the year." The man told his wife.
"That was not rain. It was the water you added to the milk every day. Little by little it turned into a flood and killed the goats." His wife said.
From Qabus-Nameh by Keikav
us, the Persian king and author, 11th century.
Origin of injustice
Once a king and his companions went hunting. They hunted several deer for their lunch. But, they had forgotten to take salt with them. So, the king ordered one of the servants to buy some salt from a nearby village.
"Be sure to pay the price of salt. Otherwise, injustice and oppression will spread over the country." The king warned the man.
"How can a little salt have such an enormous effect?" The servant asked.
"Injustice was very rare and little in the beginning but everyone added something to it. Now it's common all over the world". The king said.
"If a king steals an apple from a tree, his soldiers will root out the entire tree." The king added.
From Gulistan (the rose garden), chapter 1 (the manners of kings), by Sa'di, the great Persian poet and literary man, 13th century.
Daydreamer
Once upon a time there lived a rich oil trader who had a fanciful neighbor. One day, the trader gave the man a bottle of oil as a gift. The neighbor became so happy and as usual got lost in a daydream.
"I'll wait for several years. The trader probably gives more bottles of oil as he did today. When I've collected enough bottles, I'll sell them all and buy some goats." The fanciful man thought.
"Then, I'll wait for the goats to give birth." He thought further.
The daydreamer went ahead so far as to buy a nice house out of selling a number of his goats and to hire a maid to serve him as servant in the house.
"I should be
An Anthology of Persian Stories & Anecdotes Page 3