The tears of pearls
Suleiman was walking through the forest, very sad and dejected, he heard a voice calling out to him, `Where are going, my son? Why are you so sad?’ Suleiman looked up. He saw an old man hermit standing in front of him. `I am searching for some food to feed my little children. But, I have not managed to get anything, that is why I am sad,’ Suleiman replied humbly. The hermit was touched by the simplicity of the man. He gently called him inside his hut. Suleiman was surprised to see a beautiful girl sitting inside.
`Meet my daughter, Zubeida,; the hermit said. `Zubeida, this humble man here has not had anything to eat for the past many days. He says that his children are dying of hunger. Can you help him in any way?’ when Zubeida heard the plight of the poor man, she felt very sad. Her big eyes filled with tears. And lo and behold! As the tears dropped on the floor, they changed into pearls. Suleiman was dumbstruck.
The kind hermit gathered all the pearls from the ground and giving them, to Suleiman, he said. `There, you problem is solved. Go and sell these in the market and you will have enough money to buy food for your family and yourself,’ Suleiman accepted the gift, thanked the hermit and his daughter and ran towards the market. He was in a hurry to get food for his children.
But, Suleiman’s troubles had not ended. When he tried selling the pearls in the market there was nobody to buy them. People did not have any money. On the other hand, one of the king’s soldiers happened to see him selling the beautiful pearls. Thinking that he must have stolen the pearls from somewhere, poor Suleiman was carried off before the king. Shouting and waling Suleiman had to go.
`You have committed a crime,’ the king said, `from where did you get these pearls?’ `Sire,’ Suleiman cried, `I have not committed any crime. I got these pearls from the hermit’s daughter, living in the forest.’ He then told the entire story to king. Nobody believed Suleiman. The king wanted top meet the hermit himself.
Everybody, thus, followed Suleiman to the forest. He took them to the hermit’s hut. The guards went inside and dragged the hermit out of the hut. When the daughter saw her father being dragged by the guards she felt very happy,. Her eyes welled with tears. `My Lord, Look!’ Suleiman cried. The king cloud not believe his eyes. Whatever Suleiman has said was true. As soon as the tears touched the ground they turned into beautiful pearls. The king was so pleased to see the marvelous sight that he expressed his desire to marry the girl. The hermit was only too happy. He agreed, and the girl was married to the king. She became the queen. Suleiman, on the other hand, received gifts and valuables from the king and his days of sorrow ended.
For Zubeida, the sorrow had just begun. When the greedy ministers in the palace saw beautiful girl who could shed tears of pearls they exchanged her for a simple girl and took her away to a remote house inn the jungle. They wanted to get richer by selling the pearls. Zubeida was made to stay in a small hut. Her hands and legs were tied. She was made as unhappy and as uncomfortable as was possible to make her cry. So, that there was her tears of pearls could be collected.
One day, when there was nobody in the hut, Zubeida managed too free herself. She jumped from the window and ran out of the hut. She did not know the way but she kept running. She wanted to get away from the wicked minister. Gradually it started getting dark. Zubeida was still next morning; an old man came to the stream and saw the body of the girl lying on the shore. Thinking that she was a victim of some grave mishap he carried the girl to his house. For three days Zubeida did not open her eyes. The old man nursed her and tried to bring her back to consciousness. On the fourth day the girl opened her eyes. But she was very sad. The old man tried to cheer her up but tears gathered in her tears and she started crying. The tears again changed to pearls. The old man could not believe his luck. He gathered the pearls and went and sold them for a good price.
Zubeida wanted to go back to her father, but she did not know the way. Her tears of pearls brought much prosperity to the old man. He grew richer and richer day by day.
One day the old man decided to go to the nearby town and sell his pearls in the market. He set off in the morning telling Zubeida to be careful and to stay indoors. When he reached the market place, he hunted for a big jeweler shop. So that he could get a good price for the pearls. He showed them to many shopkeepers but was not happy with the bargain.
As he was walking down the road, two soldiers walking beside him caught him roughly. `Hey! What are you doing?’ he cried. `Thief, Murderer! Where have you hidden our queen?’ they shouted. `What are you talking about? I do not know anything about your queen.’ The poor old man was now desperate to get away from the clutches of the two soldiers. `Then, from where have you got these pearls? They are the same kind of pearls, which our queen shed as tears. Where is she?’ saying this, they dragged the old man before the king.
`Sire This man was selling pearls, similar to the ones you have, which were shed by our respected queen. `O king! Save me! I have not done anything wrong,’ the man cried. `Then, from where have you got these pearls? Tell us the truth,’ the king ordered. The old man narrated the entire story. The king immediately set out with the old man to find his wife. When they reached the old man’s hut, the king was very happy to see his queen. He brought her back to the palace and lived happily ever after.
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