A Beauty In The Oasis
In Persia, there was a small kingdom, Tabaristan. The king had two wazirs. The senior wazir had a daughter who was extremely beautiful. The king saw her and decided to marry her. "My good wazir!" he said. "You will be pleased to know that I am willing to marry your daughter. Fix up the date, earlier the better, and let me know. "My lord, my daughter is educated and intelligent. She is also an ardent devotee of God. I must talk to her before making a decision about her marriage," answered the wazir. "Go and talk to her by all means! What doubt is there that she will feel flattered at my proposal?" said the proud king. But far from feeling flattered, the young lady said, "Father, I do not wish to marry a man who is likely to treat me as a slave as he does other women in his palace. I shall marry one who is humble." When the wazir told the king that the girl was not willing to marry him, he grew furious.
"I'll marry her by force. Who can stop me?" he shouted. At night the wazir and his daughter fled the town. They rode two horses and galloped as fast as they could which was not quite fast because they were not accustomed to riding. Spies woke up the king and reported to him of the escape of the wazir and his daughter. The furious king, accompanied by his bodyguards, at once set out for a chase. They caught up with the unfortunate wazir and his daughter in an hour's time. The king was holding a mace. He struck the wazir's head with it. The wazir fell off his horse dead. His daughter was dragged back to the palace. "You had the audacity to refuse my proposal. What will you do now?" the king demanded the wazir's daughter, haughtily. "I have resigned my fate to God," replied the captive young lady. Soon the king heard of a rebellion in a part of his kingdom and rushed there to quell it. He entrusted the junior wazir with the task of guarding the young lady. The junior wazir was very much curious about the captive lady. He peeped through the window and saw her. He was struck with astonishment, for he had never known such beauty. He sent a maid who was in his confidence to the lady. "My master, the wazir has grown quite fond of you. He would like to take you to his garden after the moon rises. Both of you can enjoy a pleasant evening, eating, drinking, and making merry. The king will know nothing of it!" the maid told the wazir's daughter.
"Please have consideration for my state of mind. My father was killed before my eyes and I was brought here by force. How can I make merry? Ask the wazir not to propose this again," said the lady. The wazir felt annoyed, insulted, and also afraid that the lady might complain about him to the king. When the king returned and asked him if everything was all right with the lady, the wazir said, "To be frank, she cannot make a faithful wife to you. She has sent her servant to me and proposed that I escape with her to another country where we both can live happily. I turned down the proposal and gave her a chiding." "Is that so?" blurted out the king, shaking with wrath. He put to death the innocent servant who was supposed to have brought the lady's proposal to the wazir. Now the question was, in what way to kill the faithless lady, by beheading her or by burying her alive. "My lord, do not be so rash. Leaver her in the desert. Let her die or live, as God wills," an old servant dared to say. "Let it be so," said the king. Accordingly, she was carried into the heart of the wilderness and left there alone. She stood amidst rocks and prayed to God, looking at the sky.
A camel driver happened to see her. At first not sure whether he saw a human being or a nymph, he slowly approached her. Her tears convinced him that she was human. "Should you agree to come to my cottage, I will take charge of you," he suggested. "Thank you, good man, but I should feel happy to be left alone with my God. If you desire to help me, lead me to a place where I can get water to drink," said the lady. The camel driver led her to an oasis and went away. But he was in the employment of the young king of another country, a far greater king. He could not help reporting about the lady to the young king. The young king felt curious and came to the oasis. He was amazed at her sight. He approached her gently, introduced himself, and requested her to accept his hospitality. She declined the offer and said that she will like to live in that desolate oasis. The young king returned to his palace, but could not sleep a wink. Alone he went to the oasis and sat under a palm tree. In the morning the young lady saw him and asked, "How are you here?" "I too have decided to pass my time here, for I find your neighborhood much more desirable than my palace," replied the young king. The young lady said nothing for a long time. Then she spoke, "The affairs of your kingdom will suffer if you are away from your court. You are a noble youth. Should you not attend to your royal duties?" "I cannot unless you agree to marry me," said the young king.
The lady thought for a moment and then said, "My heart is still bleeding thinking of my father who died for my sake. He had served faithfully all his life the very man who turned a tyrant and killed him mercilessly. The passion for revenge does not allow me any peace to think of marriage." She then narrated her full story to him. The young king sent his large army to Tabaristan. His general brought the tyrant king and his wazir, their hands bound, to the young king. Also, at the lady's instruction, was brought the old servant who had suggested that she be exiled and not killed. In the open court, the lady commanded the wazir to speak out the truth. Shaking like a blade of grass, the wazir confessed to his lie. He was driven into the desert and left to his fate. A caravan saw him lying dead on the sands. So far as the tyrant king was concerned, the young king ordered him to be killed exactly in the fashion he had killed her father. He was struck dead by a mace. The old servant was given the high position of the chief of a district, apart from gifts of wealth and titles. Only then did the young lady smile. Her smile indicated that she was now willing to marry.
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