Once a Sherif's poor daughter was born blind (no doubt, as a result of her father's many sins) and sat in her garden day after day, lonely and sad, pondering the unfairness of Kismet that afflicted her, an innocent. One day, though, the sound of a passing minstrel's song floated over the garden wall, and enchanted her utterly. She listened with awe; before the singer had ceased his song, she had sent a message to her father, begging her to let the young man come and sing in her garden. After all, she was blind, and could not see his face! And her indulgent father agreed.
The singer was a young man, so handsome that all the slaves cooed at the sight of him. He was admitted into the Sherif's garden, sat down willingly and began to sing of the mercy of Allah. The blind girl's face was transfigured with joy.
But--when the minstrel described the power of Allah, the girl's eyes were miraculously opened--and the first thing she saw was the face of the young man! Now what was to be done? She had seen this stranger's face openly; by Qu'ranic law, she was more or less obliged to marry him! All were in a dither. But--Allah be praised!--love found a way: for the instant the lovely girl set eyes on the young singer, she fell in love, and as for the musician, he instantly confessed that he was no less than the eldest son of the Glawi of Telifet.
"As for these things, they are quite true, for I learned only last week that one of the descendants of their happy marriage has come to live in our town!"
(From The Voice of Atlas, by Philip Thornton)
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