Blood of Flowers

8/12/2019 Blood of Flowers

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Blood Of Flowers Anita Amirrezvani

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PROLOGUE:First there wasn't and then there was. Before God, no one

was.Once there was a village woman who longed for a child.

he tried ever!thing""#ra!ing, ta$ing her%s, cons&ming rawtortoise eggs, and s#rin$ling water on new%orn $ittens""%&tnothing hel#ed. Finall!, she vo!aged to a distant cemeter! tovisit an ancient stone lion, and there she r&%%ed her %ell!against its flan$. hen the lion trem%led, the womanret&rned home filled with ho#e that her greatest wish wo&ld%e f&lfilled. B! the ne(t moon, she had conceived her onl!child.

From the da! she was %orn, the girl was the light of her#arents' e!es. )er father too$ her on mo&ntain wal$s ever!wee$, treating her as if she were the son he alwa!s wanted.)er mother ta&ght her to ma$e d!es from orange safflowers,cochineal %&gs, #omegranate rinds, and waln&t shells, andto $not the d!ed wool into r&gs. Before long, the girl $new allher mother's designs and was deemed the %est !o&ng$notter in her village.

hen the girl t&rned fo&rteen, her #arents decided it wastime for her to marr!. *o earn mone! for the dowr!, her fatherwor$ed hard in the fields, ho#ing for a large harvest, and hermother s#&n wool &ntil her fingers grew ro&gh, %&t neither%ro&ght in eno&gh silver. *he girl $new she co&ld hel# %!ma$ing a car#et for her dowr! that wo&ld da++le the e!es.


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Rather than &sing ordinar! village reds and %rowns, it sho&ldglow t&r &oise li$e a s&mmer s$!.

*he girl %egged -%rahim the d!e ma$er to reveal thesecret of t&r &oise, and he told her to clim% a hilloc$ insearch of a #lant with agged leaves, and then to search forsomething inside herself. he didn't $now what he meant %!that, %&t she gathered the leaves and %oiled them into a d!e,which was a dirt! #&r#le color. hen her mother saw theli &id, she as$ed what the girl was doing. *he girl re#lied in ahalting voice, watching her mother's e!e%rows form a dar$,angr! line across her forehead.

/0o& went to -%rahim's d!e ho&se alone1//Bi%i, #lease forgive me,/ the girl re#lied. /- left m! reason

with the goats this morning./hen her father came home, her mother told him what

the girl had done. /-f #eo#le start tal$ing, her chances offinding a h&s%and are finished2/ she com#lained. / h! m&stshe %e so rash1/

/3lwa!s has %een2/ roared her father, and he chastised

her for her error. *he girl $e#t her head %ent to her mendingfor the rest of that evening, not daring to meet her #arents'e!es.

For several da!s, her Bi%i and her Ba%a watched herclosel! as she tried to &nloc$ the riddle of the d!e. Oneafternoon, when the girl was in the mo&ntains with her goats,she hid %ehind a %o&lder to relieve herself and a s&r#risingtho&ght str&c$ her. 4o&ld -%rahim #ossi%l! have meant . . .

that1 For it was something inside herself.he ret&rned home and made another #ot of the #&r#led!e. *hat afternoon, when she went to the latrines, shesaved some of the li &id in an old #ot, mi(ed it with the d&ll#&r#le d!e and the wool, and left it overnight. hen shelifted the lid on the d!e #ot the ne(t morning, she cried o&t in


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tri&m#h, for the d!e had #aled into a t&r &oise li$e the #oolsof #aradise. he too$ a strand of t&r &oise wool to -%rahim'sd!e ho&se and tied it aro&nd the $noc$er on his door, eventho&gh her father had for%idden her to go there alone.

*he girl sold her t&r &oise car#et to a traveling sil$merchant named )assan who desired it so m&ch that he#aid silver while it was still &nfinished on the loom. )ermother told the other village women a%o&t her da&ghter'ss&ccess, and the! #raised the s$ill of her hands. 5ow thatshe had a dowr!, the girl co&ld %e married, and her weddingcele%ration lasted three da!s and three nights. )er h&s%andfed her vinegared c&c&m%ers when she was #regnant, andthe! had seven sons in as man! !ears. *he %oo$ of her lifehad %een written in the %rightest of in$s, and -nsh'3llah,wo&ld contin&e that wa! &ntil""

/*hat's not how the stor! goes,/ - interrted, ad &sting thero&gh %lan$et aro&nd m! sho&lders as the wind howledo&tside. 6! mother, 6aheen, and - were sitting $nee to$nee, %&t - s#o$e &ietl! %eca&se the others were slee#ingonl! a few #aces distant.

/0o&'re right, %&t - li$e to tell it that wa!,/ she said, t&c$inga loc$ of her gra! hair into her worn scarf. /*hat's what wewere e(#ecting for !o&./

/-t's a good ending,/ - agreed, /%&t tell it the wa! it reall!ha##ened./

/Even with all the sad #arts1//0es./

/*he! still ma$e me wee#.//6e, too.//7o!2/ she said, her face etched with distress. e were

&iet together for a moment, remem%ering. 3 dro# offree+ing rain str&c$ the front of m! cotton ro%e, and - movedcloser to m! mother to avoid the lea$ in the roof. *he small


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oil lam# %etween &s gave off no heat. Onl! a few months%efore - had worn a thic$ velvet ro%e #atterned with redroses, with sil$ tro&sers &nderneath. - had #ainted m! e!eswith $ohl, #erf&med m! clothes with incense, and awaitedm! lover, who had torn the clothes from m! %od! in a room$e#t as warm as s&mmer. 5ow - shivered in m! thin %l&ero%e, which was so thread%are it loo$ed gra!.

6! mother co&ghed from dee# in her l&ngs8 the so&ndri##ed at m! heart, and - #ra!ed that she wo&ld heal./9a&ghter of mine, - can't get all the wa! to the end,/ shesaid in a thic$ voice. /-t's not over !et./

- too$ a dee# %reath. /*han$s %e to God2/ - re#lied, andthen - had an idea, altho&gh - wasn't certain - sho&ld as$. 6!mother had alwa!s %een the one with a voice li$e mo&ntainhone!. he had %een famo&s in o&r village for s#inning talesa%o&t al the white"haired who was raised %! a %ird,;amsheed who invented the art of weaving, and the comical6&llah 5&sraddin, who alwa!s made &s thin$.

/ hat if""what if - told the stor! this time1/6! mother considered me for a moment as if seeing me

anew, and then rela(ed her %od! more dee#l! against theold c&shions that lined the walls of the room.

/0es, !o& are grown now,/ she re#lied. /-n the last fewmonths, - %elieve !o& have grown %! !ears. Perha#s !o&wo&ld never have changed so m&ch if !o& hadn't done what!o& did./

6! face fl&shed and then %&rned, altho&gh - was chilled to

the %one. - was no longer the child - had once %een. - wo&ldnever have imagined that - co&ld lie and, worse !et, not tellthe whole tr&th8 that - co&ld %etra! someone - loved, anda%andon someone who cared for me, altho&gh not eno&gh8that - co&ld stri$e o&t against m! own $in8 and that - wo&ldnearl! $ill the #erson who loved me the most.


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6! mother's ga+e was gentle and e(#ectant. /Go ahead,!o& tell it,/ she said.

- swallowed a mo&thf&l of strong tea, sat straight, and%egan s#ea$ing.

4ha#ter O5E-n the s#ring of the !ear that - was s#osed to %e

married, a comet la&nched itself over the s$ies of m! village.-t was %righter than an! comet we had ever seen, and moreevil. 5ight after night, as it crawled across o&r s$ies s#ra!ingits cold white seeds of sorrow, we tried to deci#her thefearsome messages of the stars. )a 3li, the most learnedman in o&r village, traveled to -sfahan to fetch a co#! of thechief astronomer's almanac so we wo&ld $now whatcalamities to e(#ect.

*he evening he ret&rned, the #eo#le of m! village %eganassem%ling o&tside to listen to the #redictions for the monthsahead. 6! #arents and - stood near the old c!#ress, the onl!tree in o&r village, which was decorated with stri#s of clothmar$ing #eo#le's vows. Ever!one was loo$ing ward at thestars, their chins #ointing toward the s$!, their faces grave. -was small eno&gh to see &nder )a 3li's %ig white %eard,which loo$ed li$e a t&ft of desert scr&%. 6! mother, 6aheen,#ointed at the &nderer of )eads, which %&rned red in thenight s$!. /Loo$ how 6ars is inflamed2/ she said. /*hat willadd to the comet's malice./

6an! of the villagers had alread! noticed m!sterio&ssigns or heard of misfort&nes ca&sed %! the comet. 3 #lag&ehad str&c$ the north of -ran, $illing tho&sands of #eo#le. 3nearth &a$e in 9ooga%ad had tra##ed a %ride in her home,s&ffocating her and her women g&ests moments %efore shewas to oin her groom. -n m! village, red insects that hadnever %een seen %efore had swarmed over o&r cro#s.


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me to %rea$, as )a 3li e(#lained that no harm wo&ld cometo #a#er, %oo$s, or the art of writing8 that earth &a$es wo&ldocc&r in the so&th %&t wo&ld %e mild8 and that there wo&ld %e%attles great eno&gh to tinge the 4as#ian ea red with%lood.

)a 3li waved the almanac at the crowd, which is what hedid when the #rediction he was a%o&t to read was alarming.)is assistant, who was holding an oil lam#, &m#ed to moveo&t of his wa!.

/Perha#s the worst thing of all is that there will %e largeand ine(#lica%le la#ses in moral %ehavior this !ear,/ he read,/la#ses that can onl! %e e(#lained %! the infl&ence of thecomet./

3 low m&rm&r came from the crowd as #eo#le %egandisc&ssing the la#ses the! had alread! witnessed in the firstda!s of the 5ew 0ear. / he too$ more than her share ofwater from the well,/ - heard a!na% sa!. he was Gholam'swife, and never had a good word to sa! a%o&t an!one.

)a 3li finall! arrived at the s&% ect that concerned m!f&t&re. /On the to#ic of marriages, the !ear ahead is mi(ed,/he said. /*he almanac sa!s nothing a%o&t those that ta$e#lace in the ne(t few months, %&t those contracted later this!ear will %e f&ll of #assion and strife./

- loo$ed an(io&sl! at m! mother, since - e(#ected to %emarried at that time, now that - was alread! fo&rteen. )ere!es were tro&%led, and - co&ld see she did not li$e whatshe had heard.

)a 3li t&rned to the last #age in the almanac, loo$ed ,and #a&sed, the %etter to ca#t&re the crowd's attention. /*hisfinal #ro#hec! is a%o&t the %ehavior of women, and it is themost dis &ieting of all,/ he said. /*hro&gho&t the !ear, thewomen of -ran will fail to %e ac &iescent./


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/ hen are the! ever1/ - heard Gholam sa!, and la&ghter%&%%led aro&nd him.

6! father smiled at m! mother, and she %rightened fromwithin, for he loved her &st the wa! she was. Peo#le alwa!s&sed to sa! that he treated her as tenderl! as if she were asecond wife.

/ omen will s&ffer from their own #erverse %ehavior,/ )a 3li warned. /6an! will %ear the c&rse of sterilit!, and thosewho s&cceed in giving %irth will wail in &n&s&al #ain./

6! e!es met Goli's, and - saw m! own fear reflected inhers. Goli was worried a%o&t child%irth, while - was tro&%led%! the tho&ght of a disorderl! &nion. - #ra!ed that the cometwo&ld shoot across the firmament and leave &s &ndist&r%ed.

eeing me shiver, m! father wra##ed a lam%'s wool%lan$et over m! sho&lders, and m! mother too$ one of m!hands %etween hers and r&%%ed it to warm me. From where- stood in the center of m! village, - was s&rro&nded %! thefamiliar sights of home. 5ot far awa! was o&r small mos &e,its dome s#ar$ling with tile8 the hammam where - %athedever! wee$, steam! inside and da##led with light8 and thescarred wooden stalls for the tin! mar$et that s#rang on*h&rsda!s, where villagers traded fr&it, vegeta%les,medicines, car#ets, and tools. 3 #ath led awa! from the#&%lic %&ildings and #assed %etween a cl&ster of m&d"%ric$homes that sheltered all two h&ndred so&ls in m! village,and it ended at the foot of the mo&ntain and the r&tted #athswhere m! goats roamed for food. 3ll these sights filled mewith comfort, so that when m! mother s &ee+ed m! hand tosee how - was feeling, - s &ee+ed %ac$. B&t then - #&lled m!hand awa! %eca&se - didn't want to seem li$e a child.

/Ba%a,/ - whis#ered to m! father in a small voice. / hat if)a 3li's #redictions a%o&t marriage come tr&e1/


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of o&r Frida! afternoon wal$s. Ever since that da!, the hornshad held a #osition of #ride in o&r ho&sehold, and m!father's friends often #raised him for %eing as nim%le as ani%e(.

6! father and - sat together on the red"and"%rown car#et -had $notted when - was ten. )is e!es closed for a moment,and - tho&ght he loo$ed es#eciall! tired.

/3re we wal$ing tomorrow1/ - as$ed.)is e!es flew o#en. /Of co&rse, m! little one,/ he re#lied.)e had to wor$ in the fields in the morning, %&t he insisted

he wo&ldn't miss o&r wal$ together for an!thing other than

God's command. /For !o& shall soon %e a %&s! %ride,/ hesaid, and his voice %ro$e.- loo$ed awa!, for - co&ldn't imagine leaving him.6! mother threw dried d&ng in the stove to %oil water for

tea. /)ere's a s&r#rise,/ she said, %ringing &s a #late of freshchic$#ea coo$ies. *he! were fragrant with the essence ofroses.

/6a! !o&r hands never ache2/ m! father said.*he! were m! favorite sweets, and - ate far too man! of

them. Before long, - %ecame tired and s#read o&t m! %edrollnear the door, as - alwa!s did. - fell aslee# to the so&nd ofm! #arents tal$ing, which reminded me of the cooing ofdoves, and - thin$ - even saw m! father ta$e m! mother inhis arms and $iss her.

*)E 5E


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irises - had gathered in a vessel with water. *hen - went o&tto loo$ again, for - was eager to %egin o&r wal$. here washe1 6an! of the other men had ret&rned from the fields andwere #ro%a%l! washing off the da!'s d&st in their co&rt!ards.

/ e need some water,/ m! mother said, so - gra%%ed acla! &g and wal$ed toward the well. On m! wa!, - ran into-%rahim the d!e ma$er, who gave me a #ec&liar loo$.

/Go home,/ he said to me. /0o&r mother needs !o&./- was s&r#rised. /B&t she &st told me to fetch water,/ -

said./5o matter,/ he re#lied. /*ell her - told !o& to go %ac$./

- wal$ed home as &ic$l! as - co&ld, the vessel %angingagainst m! $nees. 3s - a##roached o&r ho&se, - s#otted fo&rmen %earing a lim# %&ndle %etween them. Perha#s therehad %een an accident in the fields. From time to time, m!father %ro&ght %ac$ stories a%o&t how a man got in &red %! athreshing tool, s&ffered a $ic$ from a m&le, or ret&rned%loodied from a fight. - $new he'd tell &s what had ha##enedover tea.

*he men moved aw$wardl! %eca&se of their %&rden. *heman's face was hidden, cradled on one of their sho&lders. -said a #ra!er for his &ic$ recover!, for it was hard on afamil! when a man was too ill to wor$. 3s the groa##roached, - noticed that the victim's t&r%an was wra##edm&ch li$e m! father's. B&t that didn't mean an!thing, - toldm!self &ic$l!. 6an! men wra##ed their t&r%ans in a similarwa!.

*he front %earers got o&t of ste# for a moment, and the!almost lost hold of the man. )is head lolled as tho&gh it were%arel! attached to his %od!, and his lim%s had no life inthem. - dro##ed the cla! vessel, which shattered aro&nd m!feet.

/Bi%i,/ - whim#ered. /)el#2/


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6! mother came o&tside, %r&shing flo&r from her clothes.hen she saw m! father, she &ttered a #iercing wail.omen who lived near%! streamed o&t of their ho&ses and

s&rro&nded her li$e a net while she tore the air with hersorrow. 3s she writhed and &m#ed, the! ca&ght her gentl!,holding her and stro$ing the hair awa! from her face.

*he men %ro&ght m! father inside and laid him on a%edroll. )is s$in was a sic$l! !ellow color, and a line of salivaslid o&t of the corner of his mo&th. 6! mother #&t her fingersnear his nostrils.

/Praise %e to God, he's still %reathing2/ she said.5aghee, who wor$ed with m! father in the fields, didn't

$now where to loo$ as he told &s what had ha##ened. /)eseemed tired, %&t he was fine &ntil this afternoon,/ he said./ &ddenl! he gra%%ed his head and fell to the gro&nd,gas#ing for air. 3fter that, he didn't stir./

/6a! God s#are !o&r h&s%and2/ said a man - didn'trecogni+e. hen the! had done all the! co&ld to ma$e himcomforta%le, the! left, m&rm&ring #ra!ers for good health.

6! mother's %row was f&rrowed as she removed m!father's cotton shoes, straightened his t&nic, and arrangedthe #illow &nder his head. he felt his hands and foreheadand declared his tem#erat&re normal, %&t told me to fetch a%lan$et and cover him to $ee# him warm.

*he news a%o&t m! father s#read &ic$l!, and o&r friends%egan arriving to hel#. =olsoom %ro&ght the water she hadcollected from a s#ring near a saint's shrine that was $nown

for its healing #owers. -%rahim too$ a #osition in theco&rt!ard and %egan reciting the >&r'an. Goli came %!, her%o! aslee# in her arms, with hot %read and stewed lentils. -%rewed tea to $ee# the warmth in ever!one's %od!. - $neltnear m! father and watched his face, #ra!ing for a fl&tter of


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then - heard him whis#er the words /God ma! gather himtonight./

- tasted something li$e r&st on m! tong&e. ee$ing m!mother, - r&shed into her arms and we held each other for amoment, o&r e!es mirrors of sorrow.

6! father %egan to ma$e whee+ing so&nds. )is mo&thwas still slac$, his li#s slightl! #arted, and his %reath ras#edli$e dead leaves tossed %! the wind. 6! mother r&shed awa!from the stove, her fingers green from the her%s. he leanedover m! father and cried, /7o!, m! %eloved2 7o!2/

=olsoom h&rried over to #eer at m! father and then led m!mother %ac$ to the stove, for there was nothing to %e done./Let &s finish this medicine to hel# him,/ said =olsoom,whose ever"%right e!es and #omegranate chee$s testified toher #owers as an her%alist.

hen the her%s had %een %oiled and cooled, =olsoom#o&red the li &id into a shallow %owl and %ro&ght it to m!father's side. hile m! mother raised his head, =olsoomgentl! s#ooned the medicine into his mo&th. 6ost of it s#illedover his li#s, soiling the %edroll. On the ne(t tr!, she got themedicine into his mo&th, %&t m! father s#&ttered, cho$ed,and for a moment a##eared to sto# %reathing.

=olsoom, who was &s&all! so calm, #&t down the %owlwith sha$ing hands and met m! mother's e!es. / e m&stwait &ntil his e!es o#en %efore we tr! again,/ she advised.

6! mother's head scarf was as$ew, %&t she didn't notice./)e needs his medicine,/ she said wea$l!, %&t =olsoom told

her that he needed his %reath more.-%rahim's voice was starting to so&nd hoarse, and=olsoom as$ed me to attend to him. - #o&red some hot teaand served it to him with dates in the co&rt!ard. )e than$edme with his e!es %&t never sto##ed his reciting, as if the#ower of his words co&ld $ee# m! father alive.


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On the wa! %ac$ into the room, - %&m#ed against m!father's wal$ing stic$, which was hanging on a hoo$ near thedoor to the co&rt!ard. - remem%ered how on o&r last wal$,he had ta$en me to see a carving of an ancient goddess thatwas hidden %ehind a waterfall. e had inched o&r wa! alonga ledge &ntil we fo&nd the carving &nder the flow of water.*he goddess wore a tall crown that seemed to %e filled withclo&ds. )er sha#el! %osom was covered %! a thin dra#er!,and she wore a nec$lace of large stones. 0o& co&ld not seeher feet8 her clothing seemed to swirl into waves andstreams. he stretched o&t her #owerf&l arms, as %ig as an!man's, which loo$ed as if the! were con &ring the waterfall at

will.6! father had %een tired that da!, %&t he had marched

the stee# trails to the waterfall, #anting, to show me thatwondro&s sight. )is %reath so&nded even more la%ored now8it crac$led as it left his %od!. )is hands were %eginning tomove, too, li$e small, restless mice. *he! crawled hischest and scratched at his t&nic. )is long fingers were %rownfrom wor$ing in the fields, and there was a line of dirt &nder

the nails that he wo&ld have removed %efore entering theho&se, had he %een well./- #romise to devote m!self to tending to him, if onl! 0o&

will leave him with &s,/ - whis#ered to God. /-'ll sa! m!#ra!ers ever! da!, and - will never com#lain a%o&t howh&ngr! - am d&ring the fasting month of Rama+an, evensilentl!./

6! father %egan cl&tching at the air, as if he were fighting

his illness with the onl! #art of his %od! that still had vigor.=olsoom oined &s %! the %edroll and led &s in #ra!ers, whilewe watched m! father's hands and listened to his ang&ished%reath. - told m! mother how tired he had seemed d&ring o&rwal$ in the mo&ntains, and as$ed if it had wea$ened him.


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he #&t her hands on either side of m! face and re#lied,/Light of m! e!es, it #ro%a%l! gave him strength./

-n the %lac$est ho&r of the night, m! father's %reathing&ieted and his hands sto##ed doing %attle. 3s m! mother

arranged the %lan$et over him, her face loo$ed calmer./)e will get some rest now,/ she said with satisfaction.- went into the co&rt!ard, which ad oined o&r neigh%or's

ho&se, to %ring more tea to -%rahim. )e had moved to ac&shion near m! t&r &oise car#et, which was &nfinished onm! loom. 6! mother had recentl! sold the car#et to atraveling sil$ merchant named )assan, who was #lanning toret&rn later to claim it. B&t the so&rce of the t&r &oise d!ethat had #leased )assan's e!es was still a tender s&% ect%etween me and m! father, and m! face fl&shed with shamewhen - remem%ered how m! visit alone to -%rahim's d!eho&se had tro&%led him.

- ret&rned to the vigil at m! father's side. Perha#s thisterri%le night was nearl! over, and da!light wo&ld %ring a

o!f&l s&r#rise, li$e the sight of m! father's e!es o#ening, orof him %eing a%le to swallow his medicine. 3nd then, one da!when he was %etter, we wo&ld ta$e another wal$ in themo&ntains and sing together. 5othing wo&ld %e sweeter tome than hearing him sing o&t of t&ne.

*oward morning, with no other so&nd than -%rahim's riverof #ra!ers, - felt m! e!elids grow heav!. - don't $now howm&ch time #assed %efore - awo$e, o%served that m! father'sface was still calm, then fell aslee# again. 3t dawn, - wascomforted %! the so&nd of s#arrows %rea$ing the silencewith their nois! calls. *he! so&nded li$e the %irds we hadheard on o&r wal$, and - %egan dreaming a%o&t how we hadsto##ed to watch them gather twigs for their nests.

3 wheeled cart crea$ed o&tside, and - awo$e with a start.Peo#le were %eginning to emerge from their homes to %egin


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their chores at the well, in the mo&ntains, or in the fields.-%rahim was still sa!ing #ra!ers, %&t his voice was dr! andhoarse. 6! mother was lighting an oil lam#, which she#laced near the %edroll. 6! father had not moved since hehad fallen aslee#. he #eered at his face and #laced herfingers &nder his nostrils to feel his %reath. *he! lingeredthere, trem%ling, %efore the! drifted down to his slac$ mo&th.

till searching, the! ret&rned to his nose and hovered. -watched m! mother's face, awaiting the contentede(#ression that wo&ld tell me she had fo&nd his %reath. 6!mother did not loo$ at me. -n the silence, she threw %ac$ herhead and &ttered a terri%le wail. -%rahim's #ra!ers ceased8

he r&shed to m! father's side and chec$ed his %reath in thesame wa! %efore dro##ing to a s &at and cradling his headin his hands.

6! mother %egan wailing more lo&dl! and tearing o&t herhair in cl&m#s. )er scarf fell off and la! a%andoned near m!father. -t was still tied and $e#t the sha#e of her head.

- gra%%ed m! father's hand and s &ee+ed it, %&t it wascold and still. hen - lifted his heav! arm, his hand dangled

%ro$enl! at the wrist. *he lines in his face loo$ed dee#l!carved, and his e(#ression seemed aggrieved, as if he had%een forced to fight an evil inn.

- &ttered one short, shar# cr! and colla#sed onto m!father. =olsoom and m! mother let me remain there for a fewmoments, %&t then =olsoom gentl! #&lled me awa!.

6! father and - had %oth $nown that o&r time togetherm&st soon come to an end, %&t - had alwa!s tho&ght - wo&ld%e the one to leave, festooned with %ridal silver, with his%lessings alive in m! ear.

*)E 930 3F*ER m! father died were %lac$, %&t the!%ecame %lac$er still.


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ith no man to harvest the fields that s&mmer, wereceived little grain from m! father's share of the #lanting,altho&gh his friends tried to %e genero&s with theirs. 3nd withlittle grain, we had little to %arter for f&el, for shoes, or ford!es for wool. e had to trade o&r goats for grain, whichmeant no more cheese. Ever! time we gave a goat, m!mother cried.

*oward the end of the long, warm da!s, o&r s#liesstarted to diminish. -n the mornings, we ate the %read m!mother made with cheese or !og&rt %ro&ght %! $indneigh%ors, %&t it was not long %efore o&r evening meals%ecame less and less #lentif&l. oon there was no &estionof eating even a morsel of meat. 6! mother %egan tradingm! father's %elongings for food. First went his clothes, thenhis shoes, then his t&r%ans, and finall! his #recio&s wal$ingstic$.

Other #eo#le wo&ld have t&rned to their famil! for hel#,%&t m! mother and - were &nfort&nate in having no elders. 3llof m! grand#arents had died %efore - was old eno&gh toremem%er them. 6! mother's two %rothers had %een $illed in

a war with the Ottomans. 6! father's onl! relative, a distanthalf %rother named Gostaham, was the child of m! father'sfather and his first wife. Gostaham had moved to -sfahanwhen he was a !o&ng man, and we hadn't heard from him in!ears.

B! the time it started to %ecome fiercel! cold, we wereliving on a thin sheet of %read and #ic$led carrots left overfrom the #revio&s !ear. - felt h&ngr! ever! da!, %&t $nowing

that there was nothing m! mother co&ld do, - tried not tos#ea$ a%o&t the #ains in m! %ell!. - alwa!s felt tired, and thetas$s that &sed to seem so eas! to me, li$e fetching waterfrom the well, now seemed %e!ond m! a%ilit!.

O&r last val&a%le #ossession was m! t&r &oise r&g. 5otlong after - finished $notting its fringes, )assan the sil$


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merchant ret&rned to #ic$ it and #a! &s what he owed. )ewas startled %! o&r %lac$ t&nics and %lac$ head scarves, andwhen he learned wh! we were in mo&rning, he as$ed m!mother if he co&ld hel# &s. Fearing that we wo&ld not s&rvivethe winter, she as$ed him if he wo&ld find o&r onl! relative,Gostaham, when he ret&rned to -sfahan, and tell him a%o&to&r #light.

3%o&t a month later, a letter arrived for &s from the ca#ital,carried %! a don$e! merchant on his wa! to hira+. 6!mother as$ed )a 3li to read it alo&d, since neither of &s hadlearned o&r letters. -t was from Gostaham, who wrote that hefelt great sorrow over the losses we had end&red and wasinviting &s to sta! with him in the ca#ital &ntil o&r l&c$im#roved.

3nd that's how, one cold winter morning, - learned that -wo&ld %e leaving m! childhood home for the first time in m!life and traveling far awa!. -f m! mother had told me we'd%een sent off to the 4hristian lands, where %ar%arian womene(#osed their %osoms to all e!es, ate the singed flesh of#igs, and %athed onl! once a !ear, o&r destination co&ld

hardl! have seemed more remote.ord of o&r coming de#art&re s#read ra#idl! thro&gh

the village. -n the afternoon, women %egan arriving at o&rhome with their smallest children. P&lling off their headscarves, the! fl&ffed their hair and greeted the others in theroom %efore arranging themselves in cl&sters on o&r car#et.4hildren who were old eno&gh to #la! gathered in their owncorner.

/6a! this %e !o&r final sorrow2/ said =olsoom as shecame in, $issing m! mother on each chee$ in greeting.

*ears s#rang to m! mother's e!es./-t was the comet,/ =olsoom added s!m#atheticall!. /6ere

h&mans co&ldn't defeat a #ower that great./


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/)&s%and of mine,/ m! mother said, as if m! father werestill alive. / h! did !o& anno&nce that life was going sowell1 h! invite the comet's wrath1/

a!na% made a face. /6aheen, remem%er the 6&slimwho traveled from -sfahan all the wa! to *a%ri+ to tr! too&tr&n the angel of death1 hen he arrived, 3+raeelthan$ed him for meeting him there on time. 0o&r h&s%anddid nothing wrong8 he &st answered God's command./

6! mother's %ac$ %ent a little, as it alwa!s did when shefelt grief. /- never tho&ght - wo&ld have to leave m! onl!home,/ she re#lied.

/God willing, !o&r l&c$ will change in -sfahan,/ said=olsoom, offering &s the wild r&e she had %ro&ght to #rotect&s from the Evil E!e. he lit the her% with a coal from theoven, and soon its acrid smell #&rified the air.

6! mother and - served tea to o&r g&ests and offered thedates that =olsoom had %ro&ght, for we had nothing of o&rown to serve. - %ro&ght a c of tea to afa, the eldestvillager, who was sitting in a corner of the room with a water#i#e. -t %&%%led as she drew in smo$e.

/ hat do !o& $now of !o&r new famil!1/ she as$ed asshe e(haled.

-t was s&ch an em%arrassing &estion that it &ieted theroom for a moment. Ever!one $new that m! grandfather hadmarried m! father's mother man! !ears ago while he had%een visiting friends in o&r village. 6! grandfather wasalread! married to his first wife, and lived with her and

Gostaham in hira+. 3fter m! grandmother %ore m! father,he visited occasionall! and sent mone!, %&t the families were&nderstanda%l! not close.

/- $now ver! little,/ re#lied m! mother. /- haven't seenGosta"ham for more than twent!"five !ears. - met him onl!once, when he sto##ed %! o&r village on his wa! to visit his


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#arents in hira+, the cit! of #oets. Even then, he was%ecoming one of the e(alted car#et designers in the ca#ital./

/3nd his wife1/ as$ed afa, her voice tight from thesmo$e in her l&ngs.

/- $now nothing of her, e(ce#t that she %ore him twoda&ghters./

afa e(haled with satisfaction. /-f her h&s%and iss&ccessf&l, she will %e r&nning a grand ho&sehold,/ she said./- onl! ho#e she is genero&s and fair in her division of wor$./

)er words made me &nderstand that we wo&ld no longer%e mistresses of o&r lives. -f we li$ed o&r %read %a$ed dar$

and cris# %&t she didn't, we wo&ld have to eat it her wa!. 3ndno matter how we felt, we'd have to #raise her name. - thin$afa noticed m! distress, %eca&se she sto##ed smo$ing for

a moment to offer a consolation./0o&r father's half %rother m&st have a good heart, or he

wo&ld not have sent for !o&,/ she said. /;&st %e s&re to#lease his wife, and the! will #rovide for !o&./

/-nsh'3llah,/ said m! mother, in a tone that so&nded

&nconvinced.- loo$ed aro&nd at all the $ind faces - $new8 at m! friends

and m! mother's friends, women who had %een li$e a&ntsand grandmothers to me while - was growing . - co&ld notimagine what it wo&ld %e li$e not to see them: afa, with herface crin$led li$e an old a##le8 =olsoom, thin and swift,renowned for her wisdom a%o&t her%s8 and finall! Goli, m!tr&est friend.

he was sitting ne(t to me, her new%orn da&ghter in herarms. hen the %a%! started to cr!, she loosened her t&nicand #&t the child to her %reast. Goli's chee$s glowed #in$li$e the %a%!'s8 the two of them loo$ed health! andcontented. - wished with all m! heart that m! life were li$ehers.


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hen the %a%! had finished n&rsing, Goli #laced her inm! arms. - %reathed in her new%orn smell, as fresh ass#ro&ting wheat, and whis#ered, /9on't forget me./ - stro$edher tin! chee$, thin$ing a%o&t how - wo&ld miss her firstwords and her first halting ste#s.

Goli wra##ed her arms aro&nd me. /*hin$ of how %ig-sfahan is2/ she said. /0o&'ll #romenade thro&gh the %iggestcit! s &are ever %&ilt, and !o&r mother will %e a%le to choose!o&r h&s%and from tho&sands on tho&sands2/

- %rightened for a moment, as if m! old ho#es were still#ossi%le, %efore remem%ering m! #ro%lem.

/B&t now - have no dowr!,/ - reminded her. / hat man willta$e me with nothing1/

*he whole room %ecame &iet again. 6! mother fannedthe r&e, the lines in her forehead dee#ening. *he otherwomen %egan s#ea$ing all at once. /9on't worr!, 6aheen"

oon2 0o&r new famil! will hel# !o&2//*he! won't let s&ch a fine !o&ng girl get #ic$led2//*here's a health! st&d for ever! mare, and a l&st! soldier

for ever! moon2// hah 3%%as will #ro%a%l! desire !o&r da&ghter for his

harem,/ said =olsoom to m! mother. /)e'll fatten her withcheese and s&gar, and then she'll have %igger %reasts and aro&nder %ell! than all of &s2/

3t a recent visit to the hammam, - had ca&ght m!reflection in a metal mirror. - had none of the ri#eness ofn&rsing mothers li$e Goli, who were so admired at thehammam. *he m&scles in m! forearms stood o&t, and m!face loo$ed #inched. - was s&re - co&ld not %e moonli$e toan!one, %&t - smiled to thin$ of m! thin, %on! %od! in s&ch awomanl! form. hen a!na% noticed m! e(#ression, herface twisted with mirth. he la&ghed so hard she %egan#itching forward over her stomach, and her li#s wra##ed


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%ac$ over her teeth &ntil she loo$ed li$e a horse fighting its%it. - fl&shed to the roots of m! hair when - &nderstood that=olsoom had onl! %een tr!ing to %e $ind.

-* 9-95'* *3=E &s long to #ac$ o&r things, since we hadso ver! few. - #&t one change of %lac$ mo&rning clothes intoa hand"$notted saddle%ag along with some heav! %lan$etsto slee# in, and filled as man! &gs as - co&ld find with water.*he morning of o&r de#art&re, neigh%ors %ro&ght &s gifts of%read, cheese, and dried fr&it for the long o&rne!. =olsoomthrew a handf&l of #eas to divine whether it was ana&s#icio&s da! for travel. 3fter determining that it wase(cellent, she raised a #recio&s co#! of the >&r'an andcircled o&r heads with it three times. Pra!ing for a safe

o&rne!, we to&ched o&r li#s to it. ;&st as we were setting off,Goli too$ a #iece of dried fr&it o&t of m! %ag and sli##ed itinto her sleeve. he was /stealing/ something of mine toma$e s&re that one da!, - wo&ld ret&rn.

/- ho#e so,/ - whis#ered to her as we said good"%!e. -t#ained me to leave her most of all.

6! mother and - were traveling with a m&s$ merchantnamed 3%d&l"Rahman and his wife, who escorted travelersfrom one cit! to another for a fee. *he! often o&rne!ed allthe wa! to the northeastern %orders of o&r land, loo$ing form&s$ %ladders from *i%et to sell in %ig cities. *heirsaddle%ags, %lan$ets, and tents smelled of the fragrance,which commanded #rincel! #rices.

*he camel that m! mother and - shared had soft %lac$e!es that had %een lined with #rotective $ohl, and thic$,%&sh! hair the color of sand. 3%d&l"Rahman had decoratedhis #rett! nose with a stri# of woven red cloth with %l&etassels, a $ind of %ridle. e sat on his %ac$ ato# a mo&ntainof folded r&gs and sac$s of food, and held on to his h&m#.*he camel lifted his feet delicatel! when he wal$ed %&t was


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ill"tem#ered and smelled as rotten as one of the villagelatrines.

- had never seen the co&ntr!side north of m! village. 3ssoon as we ste##ed awa! from the mo&ntains' life"givingstreams, the land %ecame %arren. Pale green shr&%sstr&ggled to maintain a hold on life, &st as we did. O&r water

&gs %ecame more #recio&s than the m&s$ %ladders. 3longthe wa!, we s#otted %ro$en water vessels and sometimeseven the %ones of those who had mis &dged the length oftheir tri#.

3%d&l"Rahman #&shed &s onward in the earl!"morningho&rs, singing to the camels so the! wo&ld #ace themselvesto the cadence of his voice. *he s&n glinted off the land, andthe %right white light h&rt m! e!es. *he gro&nd was fro+en8the few #lants we saw were o&tlined with frost. B! the end ofthe da!, m! feet were so cold - co&ld no longer feel them. 6!mother went to slee# in o&r tent as soon as it was dar$. heco&ldn't %ear to loo$ at the stars, she said.

3fter ten da!s of travel, we saw the agros 6o&ntains,which signaled o&r a##roach to -sfahan. 3%d&l"Rahman told&s that from somewhere high in the mo&ntains flowed thever! so&rce of -sfahan's %eing, the a!endeh Rood, orEternal River. 3t first, it was &st a #ale %l&e shimmer, with acooling %reath that reached &s from man! farsa$hs awa!. 3swe got closer, the river seemed im#ossi%l! long to me, sincethe most water - had ever seen %efore had %een in mo&ntainstreams.

3fter arriving at its %an$s, we dismo&nted from o&rcamels, for the! were not #ermitted in the cit!, and gatheredto admire the water. /6a! God %e #raised for )isa%&ndance2/ cried m! mother as the river s&rged #ast &s, a%ranch flowing %! too &ic$l! to catch.


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/Praise is d&e,/ re#lied 3%d&l"Rahman, /for this river giveslife to -sfahan's sweet melons, cools her streets, and fills herwells. itho&t it, -sfahan wo&ld cease to %e./

e left o&r camels in the care of one of 3%d&l"Rahman'sfriends and contin&ed o&r o&rne! on foot on the *hirt!"three

3rches Bridge. 3%o&t halfwa! across, we entered one of itsarchwa!s to en o! the view. - gra%%ed m! mother's hand andsaid, /Loo$2 Loo$2/ *he river r&shed %! as if e(cited, and inthe distance we co&ld see another %ridge, and anothergleaming %e!ond that one. One was covered in %l&e tiles,another had teaho&ses, and still another had arches thatseemed li$e infinite doorwa!s into the cit!, inviting travelersto &nloc$ its secrets. 3head of &s, -sfahan stretched o&t in alldirections, and the sight of its tho&sands of ho&ses, gardens,mos &es, %a+aars, schools, caravanserais, $e%a%is, andteaho&ses filled &s with awe. 3t the end of the %ridge la! along tree"lined aven&e that traversed the whole cit!, endingin the s &are that hah 3%%as had %&ilt, which was sorenowned that ever! child $new it as the -mage of the orld.6! e!e was ca&ght %! the s &are's Frida! mos &e, whose

vast %l&e dome glowed #eacef&ll! in the morning light.Loo$ing aro&nd, - saw another a+&re dome, and !et another,and then do+ens more %rightening the saffron"coloredterrain, and it seemed to me that -sfahan %ec$oned li$e afield of t&r &oise set in gold.

/)ow man! #eo#le live here1/ m! mother as$ed, raisingher voice so it co&ld %e heard a%ove the din of #assers%!.

/)&ndreds of tho&sands,/ re#lied 3%d&l"Rahman. /6ore

than in London or Paris8 onl! 4onstantino#le is %igger./6! mother and - said /7o!2/ at the same time8 we co&ld

not imagine so man! so&ls in one #lace. 3fter crossing the %ridge, we entered a covered %a+aar

and #assed thro&gh a s#ice mar$et. B&rla# %ags overflowedwith mint, dill, coriander, dried lemon, t&rmeric, saffron, and


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man! s#ices - didn't recogni+e. - disting&ished the flower!!et %itter odor of fen&gree$, which set m! mo&th watering fora lam% stew, for we had not tasted meat in man! months.

Before long, we reached a caravanserai r&n %! 3%d&l"Rahman's %rother. -t had a co&rt!ard where don$e!s, m&les,and horses co&ld rest, s&rro&nded %! a rectang&lar arcadeof #rivate rooms. e than$ed 3%d&l"Rahman and his wife forescorting &s, wished them well, and #aid for o&r lodgings.

O&r room was small, with thic$ windowless walls and astrong loc$. *here was clean straw on the floor, %&t nothingelse for %edding.

/-'m h&ngr!,/ - said to m! mother, remem%ering the lam%$e%a% - had seen grilling near the %ridge.

he &ntied the corners of a dirt! #iece of cloth and loo$edsadl! at the few coins remaining there. / e m&st %athe%efore see$ing o&t o&r famil!,/ she re#lied. /Let's eat the lastof o&r %read./

-t was dr! and %rittle, so we end&red the em#tiness in o&r%ellies and la! down to slee#. *he gro&nd was hard

com#ared with the sand of the desert, and - felt &n%alanced,for - had %ecome &sed to the gentle ti##ing motion of m!camel. till, - was wear! eno&gh from o&r long o&rne! to fallaslee# not long after #&tting m! head down on the straw. -nthe middle of the night, - %egan dreaming that m! Ba%a wast&gging on m! foot to wa$e me for one of o&r Frida! wal$s. -

&m#ed to m! feet to follow him, %&t he had alread! #assedthro&gh the door. - tried to catch all - co&ld see was his%ac$ as he advanced a mo&ntain #ath. *he faster - ran,the faster he clim%ed. hen - screamed his name, he didn'tsto# or t&rn aro&nd. - awo$e in a sweat, conf&sed, the straw#ric$ling m! %ac$.

/Bi%i1/


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/-'m here, da&ghter of mine,/ m! mother re#lied in thedar$ness. /0o& were calling o&t for !o&r Ba%a./

/)e left witho&t me,/ - m&m%led, still ca&ght in the we% ofm! dreams.

6! mother #&lled me to her and %egan stro$ing m!forehead. - la! ne(t to her with m! e!es closed, %&t - co&ldn'tslee#. ighing, - t&rned first this wa!, then the other. 3don$e! %egan %ra!ing in the co&rt!ard, and it so&nded as ifhe were wee#ing over his fate. *hen m! mother %egans#ea$ing, and her voice seemed to %righten the gloom:

First there wasn't and then there was. Before God, no onewas.

6! mother had comforted me with tales ever since - wassmall. ometimes the! hel#ed me #eel a #ro%lem li$e anonion, or gave me ideas a%o&t what to do8 other times, the!calmed me so m&ch that - wo&ld fall into a soothing slee#.6! father &sed to sa! that her tales were %etter than the %estmedicine. ighing, - %&rrowed into m! mother's %od! li$e achild, $nowing that the so&nd of her voice wo&ld %e a %almon m! heart.

Once there was a #eddler's da&ghter named Golnar whos#ent her da!s toiling in her famil!'s garden. )er c&c&m%erswere #raised for %eing cris# and sweet8 her s &ashes forgrowing into large, #leasing sha#es dense with flesh8 andher radishes for their fragrant %&rn. Beca&se the girl had a#assionate love of flowers, she %egged her father to allowher to #lant a single rose%&sh in a corner of the garden.Even tho&gh her famil! was #oor and needed ever! morselof food she grew, her father rewarded her %! granting herwish.

Golnar traded some vegeta%les for a c&tting from a richneigh%or's %&sh and #lanted it, rooting a few c&c&m%er#lants to ma$e room. -n time, the %&sh #&shed forth


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her father's $e%a% $nives onto the soil aro&nd the %&sh,to##ing it with a s#ecial fertili+er made of tin! #earls of liver.

*hat afternoon, a messenger arrived with a marriage#ro#osal from the %o!'s famil!. )er father told her that a%etter %o! co&ld not %e fo&nd, and her mother whis#ered toher co!l! a%o&t the children the! wo&ld ma$e together. B&tGolnar we#t and re%&ffed the offer. )er #arents were angr!and #&++led, and altho&gh the! #romised to send a letter ofref&sal, the! secretl! sent a message to the %o!'s famil!as$ing for time for reflection.

Earl! the ne(t morning, Golnar arose to the sweet m&sicof nightingales and discovered that once again her rosesstood large and #ro&d. 3 wealth of %lossoms had o#ened,no&rished %! the organ meat8 the! shone in the still"dar$ s$!li$e stars. he cli##ed a few flowers from the %&sh,tentativel! at first, and the #lant caressed the ti#s of herfingers with its sil$! #etals, e(&ding a m&s$! #erf&me as if itdesired her to&ch.

On the morning of the famil!'s ann&al #icnic to cele%ratethe 5ew 0ear, the girl had so m&ch to do that she failed towater her rose%&sh. he hel#ed her mother #re#are and#ac$ a large #icnic, and then the famil! wal$ed to a favorites#ot near a river. hile the! were eating, the! ha##ened tosee the %o! and his #arents, who were #icnic$ing, too. *hefather invited them to drin$ tea and share a meal ofsweetmeats. *he %o! #assed the finest #astries to Golnar, a$indness that s&r#rised her now that she had re%&ffed him?or so she %elieved@. 3t their #arents' &rging, the two too$ a

wal$ together near the river. hen the! were o&t of sight, the%o! $issed the ti# of her inde( finger, %&t Golnar t&rned andran awa!.

hen she and her famil! ret&rned home, it was alread!dar$. Golnar vent&red into the garden to give the thirst!rose%&sh a drin$. 3s she %ent forward with a %&c$et of well


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water, a s&dden wind whi##ed and tangled her hair in the%&sh's stems8 the %&sh em%raced her and held her tight in itslong, thin arms. *he more she str&ggled, the tighter its thornsgri##ed her, slashing her face. creaming, she tore herselfo&t, %linded %! %lood, and crawled %ac$ to the ho&se.

3t the sight of her in the doorwa!, her #arents howled as ifshe were an evil inn. 3t first the girl ref&sed to let them to&chher. )er father gra%%ed her flailing arms and held them downso her mother co&ld treat her wo&nds. *o their horror, the!discovered a fat %lac$ thorn lodged in her inde( finger asfirml! as a nail. hen her mother #&lled it o&t, it left a holethat %led li$e a fo&ntain.

ith a great roar of rage, her father r&shed o&t of theho&se. ithin moments came the so&nd of an a( as it str&c$the %&sh, crac$ing it at its core. ith each %low, Golnarsh&ddered and tore at her own hair in the f&r! of her grief.)er mother #&t her to %ed, where she sta!ed for severalda!s, %&rning with fever and cr!ing o&t in deliri&m.

3t her #arents' insistence, she was married two wee$slater to the %o! who loo$ed li$e a goat. *he two livedtogether in a room in his #arents' ho&se, and the %o! camehome ever! afternoon stin$ing of the %lood and rot of thetanner!. hen he reached for Golnar, she t&rned her faceawa! from him, sh&ddering at his to&ch. Before long, she%ecame #regnant and %ore him a son, followed %! twoda&ghters. Ever! da!, she arose in dar$ness, dressedherself in old garments, and clothed her children in hand"me"downs even more ragged than her own. he never had time

to grow her own flowers again. B&t sometimes, when she#assed the walled garden where she &sed to tend herrose%&sh, she wo&ld close her e!es and remem%er the smellof its %lossoms, sweeter than ho#e.

hen m! mother sto##ed s#ea$ing, - rolled this wa! andthat to free m! legs and %ac$ from the #ric$ling straw, %&t -


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co&ldn't get comforta%le. - felt as distressed as if a %&++ing%ee had gotten st&c$ in m! ear.

6! mother too$ m! face in her hands. / hat is it,da&ghter of mine1/ she as$ed. /3re !o& ill1 3re !o&s&ffering1/

3n &nha##! so&nd esca#ed m! li#s, and - #retended -was tr!ing to slee#.

6! mother said, as tho&gh thin$ing alo&d, /-'m not s&rewh! - told !o& that stor!. -t #o&red o&t of me %efore -remem%ered what it was a%o&t./

- $new the tale, for m! mother had told it once or twice in

o&r village. Bac$ then, it hadn't tro&%led me. - had %eenantici#ating a life with a h&s%and who #aved m! #ath withrose #etals, not with a %o! who smelled of rotting cowhides. -had never tho&ght that m! fate might %e li$e Golnar's, %&tnow, in the dar$ness of a strange room in a strange cit!, thestor! so&nded li$e a #ro#hec!. 6! father co&ld no longer#rotect &s, and no one else was d&t!"%o&nd to do so. 6!mother was too old for an!one to want her, and now that wehad no mone! for a dowr!, no one wo&ld want me. ith thefirst #ass of the comet, all m! #ros#ects had %een r&ined.

6! e!es flew o#en8 in the wan strea$s of light cree#inginto o&r cham%er, - saw m! mother st&d!ing me. he loo$edfrightened, which made me feel sadder for her than form!self. - too$ a shar# %reath and forced calm into m! face.

/- felt ill for a moment, %&t now -'m %etter,/ - said.*he relief in m! mother's e!es was so great that - than$ed

God for giving me the strength to sa! what - did.

4ha#ter * Oe arose the ne(t morning to the so&nd of travelers

loading their m&les for the da!'s o&rne!. 6! %lac$tro&sers and t&nic were stiff with d&st and sweat, as - had


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%een wearing them for more than a wee$. ith the last ofo&r mone!, m! mother #aid for &s to enter a near%!hammam, where we scr&%%ed the grime off o&r %odies andwashed o&r hair &ntil it s &ea$ed. hen we were clean, we#erformed the Grand 3%l&tion, s&%merging o&r %odies in atan$ large eno&gh for twent! women. *he %ath attendantr&%%ed m! %ac$ and legs &ntil - felt all the tightness from o&rlong o&rne! dissolve. 3s she wor$ed, - cast m! e!es overm! %on! ri%s, m! concave stomach, m! call&sed fingers, andm! string! arms and legs. -n m! da!dreams, - had imaginedm!self as a #am#ered woman, m! hi#s and %reasts ro&ndli$e melons. B&t it was no &se: 5othing had changed e(ce#t

for the color of m! face and hands, which to m! disma! haddar$ened after all the da!s of travel.hen we were clean, we dressed in fresh %lac$ clothes

and %lac$ head scarves and went in search of Gostaham atthe -mage of the orld, which hah 3%%as had %&ilt afternaming -sfahan his new ca#ital. e entered the s &arethro&gh a narrow gatewa! that gave no hint of its vastness,%&t once inside we halted in o&r trac$s, astonished.

/O&r whole village . . .2/ - %egan to sa!. 6! mother finishedthe sentence, for she was thin$ing the same thing.

/. . .co&ld fit in this s &are two times over. 5o wonder#eo#le sa! -sfahan is half the world2/

*he s &are was so large that the #eo#le at either endloo$ed li$e fig&res in a miniat&re #ainting. *he minarets ofthe Frida! mos &e were so long, thin, and tall that when -loo$ed at them, - felt di++!, for the! seemed to vanish intothe s$!. *he mos &e's h&ge t&r &oise dome a##eared to %es&s#ended in s#ace8 s&rel! the hand of man m&st have%een aided %! God to ma$e cla! seem so light2 *he tallgatewa! to the %a+aar was s&rmo&nted %! a m&ral""the first -had ever seen""of a %attle, which loo$ed as real as if the


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men were fighting %efore o&r e!es. Ever!thing a%o&t thes &are seemed to def! the ordinar! laws of #ossi%ilit!.

/=hanoom, #lease move forward,/ cried a man %ehind &s,&sing the res#ectf&l term for a married woman. ea#ologi+ed and ste##ed awa! from the entrance. Loo$ing%ac$ as he #assed, he added with a smile, /First time1 - stillen o! seeing the wonder on visitors' faces./

onder was right. On the shorter sides of the s &are,hah 3%%as's %l&e"and"gold #alace faced his #rivate !ellow"

domed mos &e, which glowed li$e a tin! s&n. On the longersides, the gatewa! to the Great Ba+aar faced the entrance tothe vast Frida! mos &e""a reminder to God"fearingmerchants to %e honest.

/Power, mone!, and God, all in one #lace,/ remar$ed m!mother, loo$ing at the %&ildings aro&nd &s.

/3nd chogan,/ - re#lied, noticing the goal#osts for #olo atthe far ends of the s &are, which was long eno&gh to host acom#etition.

From the to# of one of the Frida! mos &e's minarets, the

m&e++in %egan the call to #ra!er, #iercing the air with hissweet nasal voice. /3llah"h&"3$%ar""God is great2/ he cried,his voice drifting a%ove &s.

3s we wal$ed into the s &are, - noticed that most of the%&ildings were tiled in the #&rest colors of s&n and s$!. *hedome of the Frida! mos &e loo$ed all t&r &oise from afar,%&t closer - co&ld see it was enlivened with swirling vinesin !ellow and white. Garlands of white and t&r &oise

%lossomed on the dome of the hah's lemon"coloredmos &e. *he arched gatewa!s to the mos &es s#ro&ted a#rof&sion of tiled white flowers that loo$ed li$e starss#ar$ling in the %l&e of twilight. Ever! s&rface of ever!%&ilding glittered with ornament. -t was as if a mastergoldsmith had selected the most flawless t&r &oise, the


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rarest of %l&e sa##hires, the %rightest !ellow to#a+, and the#&rest of diamonds, and arranged them into an infinit! ofshimmering #atterns that radiated color and light.

/- have never seen an!thing so wonderf&l,/ - said to m!mother, forgetting for a moment the sadness that had%ro&ght &s here.

6! mother hadn't forgotten. /-t's all too %ig,/ she re#lied,gest&ring at the wide s &are, and - &nderstood that shemissed o&r tin! village, where she $new ever!one she saw.

*he s &are was f&ll of #eo#le. 0o&ng %o!s +oomedaro&nd &s, %alancing cs of hot, dar$ li &id, !elling,/4offee2/ /4offee2/ which - had never tasted %&t whichsmelled as rich as a meal. *wo &gglers #erformed a swifte(change of %alls, %egging the a&dience to %e genero&s withtheir coins. )aw$ers sto##ed &s a do+en times, as$ing &s toe(amine cloth, $ohl, and even the t&s$ of an ele#hant, anenormo&s animal from -ndia with legendar! #owers ofmemor!.

3fter a few min&tes of wal$ing, we reached the hah's#alace. 4om#ared with the Frida! mos &e, it seemedmodest. -t was onl! a few stories high, and it was #rotected%! a #air of thic$, carved wooden doors, eight %rass cannon,and a row of g&ards armed with swords. 6! mothera##roached one of the g&ards and as$ed how we co&ld findGostaham the car#et ma$er.

/ hat is !o&r %&siness with him1/ as$ed the g&ard with afrown.

/)e told &s to see$ him o&t,/ said m! mother. *he g&ardsmiled scornf&ll! at the so&nd of her long village vowels./)e invited !o&1//)e is #art of m! h&s%and's famil!./


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*he g&ard loo$ed as if he do&%ted her word. /Gostaham isa master in the hah's car#et"ma$ing wor$sho#, which is%ehind the #alace,/ he said. /- will tell him !o& are here./

/ e are the d&st %eneath !o&r feet,/ said m! mother, andwe went %ac$ into the s &are to wait. 5ear%!, there was a%a+aar of metal %eaters, and we watched the smiths #o&ndthe sha#es of %irds and animals into tea#ots, cs, ands#oons.

Before long, the g&ard fo&nd &s and led &s to meetGostaham, who was waiting near the #alace door. - wass&r#rised %! how little he and m! father resem%led eachother. -t was tr&e that the! were onl! half %rothers, %&t whilem! father had %een tall with feat&res c&t as cleanl! as if witha $nife, Gostaham was short and as ro&nd as a #otato, withdroo#ing e!es, a nose c&rved li$e a falcon's %ea$, and alarge gra! %eard. )e greeted &s $indl! and welcomed &s to-sfahan. Beaming at me, he gra%%ed m! two hands %etweenhis. / ell, then2/ he e(claimed. / o !o&'re -sma'il's child.0o&'ve got his waln&t color and his straight %lac$ hair, and -wo&ld $now those tin!, #erfect hands an!where2/

)e made a show of e(amining m! hands, which made mela&gh, and com#ared them with his own. *he! were ver!small for a man and, li$e mine, narrow with long fingers.

/*he famil! resem%lance is o%vio&s,/ he said. /9o !o&ma$e r&gs1/

/Of co&rse,/ said m! mother. / he's the %est $notter in o&rvillage./ 3nd she told him the stor! of how we had sold m!t&r &oise r&g while it was still on m! loom.

/6a! the hand of 3li alwa!s %e with !o&2/ said Gostaham,loo$ing im#ressed.

)e as$ed m! mother for news of home. 3s we followedhim o&t of the s &are, she %egan telling him a%o&t m! father.*he words #o&red o&t of her as if the! had %een %ottled


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for too long, and she told the stor! of his death with so m&chfeeling, it %ro&ght tears to his e!es.

e left the -mage of the orld thro&gh a narrow gatewa!and wal$ed for a few min&tes thro&gh a district called Fo&rGardens to get to Gostaham's home. *he district wasdivided into #leas&re #ar$s, which were %arren now that itwas winter. 3 cedar tree mar$ed the %eginning ofGostaham's street. From the o&tside, all the ho&ses loo$edli$e fortresses. *he! were sit&ated %ehind tall, thic$ wallsthat #rotected the inha%itants from #r!ing e!es.

Gostaham led &s thro&gh thic$ wooden gates, and westood for a moment loo$ing at the o&tside of his home. -t wasso large we didn't $now where to go at first. Gostahamentered a narrow corridor, wal$ed a few ste#s, and led &sinto the %irooni, or o&tside rooms, where he entertained maleg&ests. )is Great Room had long glass windows de#ictingtwo green swans drin$ing %l&e water from either side of afo&ntain. 4arved white #laster flowers and vines adorned theceiling and the walls. R&%!"colored car#ets, made with thetightest $nots - had ever seen, s#orted thic$ c&shions in

warm crimson tones. Even on this cold winter da!, the roomseemed to radiate warmth.

Gostaham lifted the windows, which o#ened all the wa! tothe gro&nd, and we ste##ed o&t into the large co&rt!ard. -thad a #ool of water shaded %! two #o#lars. - tho&ght of thesingle tree in m! village, a large c!#ress. For one famil! tohave its own shade and greener! seemed to me the greatestof l&(&ries.

e met Gordi!eh, Gostaham's wife, in the co&rt!ard. hewas an am#le woman, with large ro&nd hi#s and heav!%reasts, who advanced slowl! to $iss &s on %oth chee$s.One of her servants had &st %oiled water, and - watched himma$e tea o&t of #revio&sl! &sed leaves. -t was strange that aho&sehold this grand wo&ld &se its leaves twice. *he tea


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/3re we servants now1/ - as$ed m! mother in alarm. hewas stretched o&t on a %edroll, her e!es wide o#en.

/5ot !et,/ she re#lied, %&t - co&ld see that she was worrieda%o&t that ver! &estion.

3F*ER LEEP-5G, we arose and oined Gordi!eh andGostaham in the %irooni for the evening meal. hat a feastwas laid on cloths %efore &s2 - had not seen s&ch food evenat weddings, !et for Gordi!eh and Gostaham it seemed to %eever!da! fare. *here was a chilled !og&rt so with dill, mint,green raisins, waln&ts, and rose #etals, cold and refreshingon the tong&e8 stewed chic$en with tart sweetened%ar%erries8 tender egg#lant coo$ed with garlic and whe!8saffron rice with a cr&nch! %rown cr&st8 tang! shee#'scheese8 hot %read8 and a #late of radishes, fresh mint, and%itter greens for good digestion. - ate too m&ch the firstevening, as if to ma$e for the times in m! village when wehadn't had eno&gh.

hen we were all sated, m! mother %egan to s#ea$./E(alted hosts,/ she said, /we are honored that !o& haveta$en &s into !o&r ho&sehold and fed &s as if it were onl!!esterda! that we last #arted. 3nd !et, - haven't seen !o&,honora%le Gostaham, for more than twent!"five !ears. -n thattime, !o& have risen faster than the highest star. )ow did!o& come to %e here, in this grand ho&se, with all the goodfort&ne that a man co&ld desire1/

Gostaham smiled and #&t his hands on his large stomach./-ndeed, sometimes when - arise in the morning and loo$aro&nd, - can't %elieve it m!self. 3nd then when - seeGordi!eh %eside me, - $now m! dreams have %ecome real,and - than$ God for m! man! %lessings./

/6a! the! %e forever #lentif&l,/ re#lied m! mother./-t wasn't alwa!s li$e this, tho&gh. Long %efore !o& were

%orn,/ Gostaham said to me, /m! father reali+ed that if he


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was to remain in his village, he wo&ld alwa!s %e #oor.=nowing there wo&ld %e little to inherit, he moved to hira+to test his fort&ne. e were so #oor that - had to hel# %!ma$ing r&gs. hen - was twelve, - discovered that - co&ld$not faster than almost an!one./

/;&st li$e m! da&ghter,/ m! mother said #ro&dl!./O&r home was so small that there was no s#ace for a

loom. hen the weather was fine, - set m! loom o&tside, &st as !o& m&st have done,/ Gostaham said to me. /Oneda! - was $notting a r&g with s&ch s#eed that a small crowdgathered to watch. -t was m! good fort&ne that one of the#assers%! owned the largest r&g wor$sho# in hira+. )enever loo$ed for a##rentices o&tside the wor$sho#""wh!sho&ld he, when he co&ld &st train his wor$ers' sons1 B&twhen he saw me, he offered to hire me, for m! s#eed wo&ldincrease his #rofits.

/*he ne(t few !ears were the harshest of m! life. *hewor$sho# owner made his demands according to a%ilit!, notage. Beca&se - was fast, - was re &ired to finish r&gs more

&ic$l! than an!one else. Once, when the owner ca&ght meawa! from the loom, he told one of his %&llies to throw meonto m! %ac$ and %eat the soles of m! feet &ntil - screamed.5o one %&t a fool wo&ld destro! a $notter's hands, %&t whatdid he care if - co&ldn't wal$1/

)is stor! made me shiver. - had heard of children !o&ngerthan me, mostl! or#hans, who had %een forced to s#endlong ho&rs at the loom. ometimes, at the end of their da!,the! co&ldn't &n%end their legs to stand , and theircareta$ers had to %ear them home on their %ac$s. 3fter the!s#ent !ears la%oring with folded legs, their %ones grewtwisted and their heads seemed too large for their %odies.

hen the! tried to wal$, the! tottered li$e old #eo#le. - wasglad - had grown in a village where no one wo&ld allow aloom to %rea$ a child's %od!. Even so, when - was wor$ing at


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- sat straighter, eager to learn how he had made s&ch afort&ne.

/- heard that hah 3%%as the Great was coming to hira+and wo&ld %e holding a&diences for his s&% ects ever!afternoon. - finished the r&g, rolled it , and carried it to his#alace on m! %ac$. Presenting it to one of his g&ards, -e(#lained that it was a gift. *he g&ard &nrolled it, ma$ings&re there were no assassins, animals, #oisons, or the li$ehidden within""and #romised to #lace it %efore his e!es./

/)ow %old to #art with !o&r onl! treas&re2/ e(claimed m!mother.

/*he r&g was #resented to the hah after he heardtestimon! from a servant acc&sed of stealing and orderedhim to %e #&nished with a %eating,/ Gostaham contin&ed. /-thin$ he was read! to en o! some sweeter news. hen m!car#et was &nrolled %efore him, he fli##ed over a corner tochec$ the tightness of the $nots. - worried that he was sim#l!going to tell his servants to carr! it awa!, %&t then he as$edthat its ma$er ma$e himself $nown.

/Loo$ing at me with e!es that seemed to &nderstand m!#overt! and m! am%ition, the hah said, 'Ever! da!, $ingsoffer me gifts of gold, %&t not one com#ares with the sacrifice!o& have &st made.' -t was m! great fort&ne that he had &ststarted the ro!al r&g wor$sho# in -sfahan to ma$e the finestr&gs for his #alaces and to sell to rich men. )e li$ed m!car#et eno&gh to invite me to oin the wor$sho# for a !ear'strial. 6! mother almost %eat me when she heard - had givenawa! the car#et. hen - told her how m! fort&nes hadchanged, she #raised the hah's name./

/*hat is a stor! %e!ond stories2/ said m! mother./*here was a long road !et ahead,/ said Gostaham.

/ hen - started at the ro!al r&g wor$sho#, - was the lowliestof the low. - was l&c$! %eca&se all of &s were #aid an ann&al


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salar!, and even tho&gh mine was the smallest, it waseno&gh for me to live on and send mone! to m! famil!.4onditions were m&ch %etter at the hah's wor$sho# than in

hira+. e wor$ed from dawn &ntil midda!, %&t then wewere at li%ert! to wor$ for o&rselves. -n the afternoons, -freel! learned from the masters with the a##roval of the

hah.// o !o& have come to $now him1/ - as$ed with wonder,

for the hah was second onl! to God./;&st as his h&m%le servant,/ said Gostaham. /)e ta$es

great interest in car#ets and $nows how to $not themhimself. From time to time he sto#s %! the wor$sho#, whichis, after all, ad acent to his #alace, to see how the car#etsare #rogressing, and sometimes we e(change a few words.B&t to ret&rn to m! stor!, one of his chief colorists too$ aninterest in me and trained me to master the wa! h&es arecom%ined in a car#et. *hat has %een m! o% for nearl!twent! !ears, and after m! dear mentor went to meet God, -%ecame one of the assistant masters for color./

/*he! are second onl! to the master,/ said Gordi!eh#ro&dl!. /3nd #erha#s he will one da! %ecome master of thewhole wor$sho#./

/*here is no certaint! in that,/ Gostaham said. /- have astrong com#etitor in 3fsheen, the assistant master designer,and - %elieve the hah is more im#ressed %! designers thancolorists. till, - wo&ldn't change an!thing a%o&t the co&rseof m! life. Beca&se it was that ver! colorist""the one whomade me his a##rentice""who ta&ght me ever!thing - $now,and who also gave me his da&ghter as his wife./ 3nd herehe smiled at Gordi!eh with so m&ch affection and desire thatit reminded me of the wa! m! father &sed to loo$ at m!mother. 6! mother noticed, too, and for a moment her e!esfilled.


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/ hat $ind of r&gs do !o& ma$e in the ro!al wor$sho#1/ -as$ed &ic$l!, ho#ing Gostaham wo&ld sto# smiling at hiswife.

/*he finest car#ets in the land,/ he said. /4ar#ets thatre &ire an arm! of s#ecialists. 4ar#ets that the hah $ee#srolled and stored in dar$ rooms so the! will never %er&ined %! light. 4ar#ets ordered %! foreign $ings with theircoat of arms de#icted in silver"wra##ed thread. 4ar#ets thatwill %e treas&red long after we're all d&st./

/6a! God rain )is %lessings on hah 3%%as2/ e(claimedGor"di!eh.

/-f not for him, - wo&ld still %e a $notter in hira+,/ agreedGostaham. /)e is res#onsi%le not onl! for the rise in m! ownfort&nes, %&t for e(alting the craft of r&g ma$ing a%oveothers./

-t was getting late. 6! mother and - said good night andwent to slee# in o&r little room. 3s - #&lled the %lan$etsaro&nd me, - tho&ght a%o&t how for some families, goodfort&ne rains down with no end. Perha#s now that we werein -sfahan with a fort&nate famil!, o&r l&c$ wo&ld finall!change, des#ite what the comet had foretold.

*)E 5E


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scarf. 6! clothing had alwa!s %een tho&ght modest eno&ghfor m! village.

/ h! not1/

/-t's different in the cit!,/ she re#lied. / omen from goodfamilies $ee# f&ll! covered2/- was s#eechless. Gordi!eh too$ m! hand and led me into

her &arters. he o#ened a tr&n$ st&ffed with cloth andr&mmaged thro&gh it &ntil she fo&nd what she needed.P&lling me in front of her am#le %od!, she removed m! scarfand smoothed m! hair on %oth sides of m! head. -t was&nr&l!, - co&ld tell. *hen she wra##ed a lightweight whitecloth aro&nd m! head and fastened it &nder m! chin.

/*here2/ she said. /5ow !o&'ll loo$ li$e 5aheed and othergirls when !o&'re at home or visiting./

he held a metal mirror so - co&ld see. *he clothshielded m! hair and nec$, %&t - didn't li$e how e(#osed andflesh! m! face loo$ed. *he da!s in the desert s&n had madem! face dar$er, es#eciall! against the whiteness of the scarf.

- loo$ed awa! from the mirror, than$ing her and t&rning to

go./ ait, wait2/ #rotested Gordi!eh. /Let me finish./

he shoo$ o&t a hood and #laced it e(#ertl! over the to#of m! head. Even tho&gh the hood was white, it was dar$and airless inside.

/- can't see2/ - com#lained.Gordi!eh ad &sted the hood so that a #ortion of lace

covered m! e!es. *he world was visi%le again, %&t onl! as ifloo$ing thro&gh a net.

/*hat's !o&r #icheh,/ said Gordi!eh. /0o& sho&ld wear itwhen !o&'re o&tside./ -t was hard to %reathe, %&t once again- than$ed her, relieved that we were done.


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/Oh, %&t !o& are a f&nn! little one2/ said Gordi!eh. / mall,&ic$ as a hare, and &st as nervo&s. hat's !o&r h&rr!1ait while - find !o& ever!thing !o& need2/

he moved slowl!, sorting thro&gh the cloths &ntil shefo&nd a large white length of fa%ric. he dra#ed it over m!head and showed me how to hold it closed %! cl&tching thefa%ric in m! fist right &nder m! chin.

/5ow !o& loo$ as !o& sho&ld, all sn&g inside !o&r chador,/she said.

- led the wa! o&t of her room, feeling as if - were carr!ingaro&nd a nomad's tent. 3ltho&gh - co&ld see well eno&gh if -loo$ed straight o&t thro&gh the lace, - had no side vision. -was not &sed to holding a chador aro&nd me e(ce#t at themos &e, and - tri##ed on it &ntil - learned to #osition it a%ovem! an$les.

3s - wal$ed &nsteadil! down the hallwa!, Gordi!eh said,/For now, ever!one will %e a%le to tell that !o& are not fromthe cit!. B&t ver! soon, !o& will learn how to move as &ietl!and gentl! as a shadow./

hen we ret&rned to the %irooni, Gostaham congrat&latedme on m! new attire, and even m! mother said she wo&ldn'trecogni+e me in a crowd. Gordi!eh and - wal$ed together to5aheed's ho&se, which was a few min&tes awa! thro&gh theFo&r Gardens district. -t was a refreshing wal$, for hah

3%%as had %&ilt a grand aven&e thro&gh the district, lined %!gardens and narrow canals of water. *he road was wideeno&gh for twent! #eo#le to stroll side %! side, and it wasfilled with #lane trees, whose hand"sha#ed leaves wo&ldform a shad! green cano#! in s#ring and s&mmer. *he roadled to the Eternal River and the *hirt!"three 3rches Bridge,and had a view of the agros 6o&ntains, whose agged ti#swere covered with snow. *he homes we #assed hadgardens as large as #ar$s and seemed li$e #alacescom#ared with the tin!, cl&stered dwellings in m! village.


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)idden %! m! #icheh - felt free to stare at those aro&ndme, since no one co&ld see where - was loo$ing. 3n old manwho was missing #art of his leg %egged for alms &nder thecedar tree near Gostaham's ho&se. 3 girl dallied aimlessl!,her e!es darting aro&nd as if she were see$ing somethingtoo em%arrassing to name. On m! left, the t&r &oise dome ofthe Frida! mos &e hovered over the cit! li$e a %lessing,seemingl! lighter than air.

hortl! after *hirt!"three 3rches Bridge came into view,we t&rned down a wide street toward 5aheed's ho&se. 3ssoon as we ste##ed inside the door, we removed o&rchadors and #ichehs and gave them to a servant. - feltlighter after relin &ishing them.

5aheed reminded me of the #rincesses in the tales m!mother li$ed to tell. he wore a long ro%e of lavender sil$with an orange &ndergarment that #ee$ed o&t at the nec$,the sleeves, and the an$les. he was tall and thin, li$e ac!#ress tree, and her clothing swa!ed loosel! when shemoved. he had green e!es""the gift of her R&ssian mother,L&dmila""and her long hair, #artiall! covered %! an

em%roidered white head cloth, was wav!. *wo loose tressesla! on her %osom. -n %ac$, her hair was in wefts that reachedalmost to her $nees. *he wefts were held %! orange sil$ ties.- wanted to tal$ to her, %&t %oth of &s had to sit &ietl! whileo&r elders e(changed greetings. 5aheed's mother noticedo&r eagerness and said to her, /Go ahead, oonam""so&l ofmine""and show !o&r new friend !o&r wor$./

/-'ll %e glad to,/ said 5aheed. 3s she led me into her small,

#rett! wor$room, whose car#et was made in soothingshades of gra! and %l&e, she whis#ered, /3t last we can tal$witho&t the old fol$s2/ )er irreverence delighted me.

5aheed o#ened a tr&n$ f&ll of #a#er with %lac$ mar$s on itand #&lled o&t a sheet to show me. - stared at it for amoment %efore - reali+ed what she co&ld do.


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/God %e #raised2/ - said. /0o& can write2/ 5ot onl! wasshe %ea&tif&l, %&t a scholar, too. 3lmost no one in m! villageco&ld read or write8 - had never even met a girl who $newhow to &se a #en.

/9o !o& want me to show !o& how - do it1//0es2/5aheed di##ed a reed #en into a vessel of %lac$ in$ and

%r&shed off the e(cess. *a$ing a fresh #iece of #a#er, shewrote a word in large letters with the ease of long #ractice.

/*here2/ she said, showing me the #age. /9o !o& $nowwhat that sa!s1/

- clic$ed m! tong&e against m! teeth./-t's m! name,/ said 5aheed.- stared at the gracef&l letters, which had a delicate dot on

to# and a dash %elow. -t was the first time - had ever seenan!one's name recorded in in$.

/*a$e it""it's for !o&,/ she said.- #ressed the #a#er to m! chest, not reali+ing it wo&ld

leave a wet mar$ on m! mo&rning clothes. /)ow did !o&learn1//6! father ta&ght me. )e gives me a lesson ever! da!./

he smiled at the mention of him, and - co&ld see that shewas ver! close to her Ba%a. - felt a #ang in m! heart and -loo$ed awa!.

/ hat's the matter1/ 5aheed as$ed. - told her wh! we hadcome to -sfahan from so far awa!.

/-'m sorr! !o&r l&c$ has %een so dar$,/ she said. /B&t nowthat !o&'re here, -'m s&re things will change for !o&./

/God willing.//0o& m&st miss !o&r friends %ac$ home,/ she said,

searching m! face.


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/- #romise.//0o& m&st swear that !o& will never %reathe a word, or -'ll

#&t a c&rse on !o&./

/- swear %! the )ol! >&r'an,/ - said, frightened %! the ideaof a c&rse. - didn't need an! more %ad l&c$.5aheed sighed with #leas&re. /)e's one of the %est riders

in the #olo games at the -mage of the orld. 0o& sho&ld seehim on a horse2/ he arose and imitated him taming a%&c$ing stallion, which made me la&gh.

/B&t 5aheed,/ - said with concern, /what if !o&r motherfinds o&t1/

5aheed sat down again, slightl! %reathless. / he m&stnever find o&t,/ she said, /for she wo&ld ref&se a man of m!own choice./

/*hen how will !o& ensnare him1//-'ll have to %e ver! clever,/ she said. /B&t -'m not worried.

- alwa!s find wa!s to ma$e m! #arents do what - want. 3ndmost of the time, the! thin$ it's their own idea./

/6a! 3li, #rince among men, f&lfill all !o&r ho#es2/ -re#lied, s&r#rised %! her %oldness.

Few girls were as confident a%o&t their f&t&re as 5aheed.- admired her for her certaint!, &st as - was da++led %! hersmooth white s$in, her green e!es, her lavender sil$ t&nic,and her s$ill with the #en. - co&ldn't &nderstand wh! shewanted to %e m! friend, as - was &st a #oor village girl andshe was a learned child of the cit!, %&t it seemed that5aheed was one of those girls who co&ld ma$e or %rea$r&les as she li$ed.

O5 *)E 5E


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to m! e!es. 5o wonder ever!one tal$ed a%o&t the wonder ofthe %ean2 -f tea enlivened the a##etite, coffee was richeno&gh to &ench it. -t was sweet, %&t - stirred in anothers#oonf&l of s&gar when no one was loo$ing. - %eganchattering with m! mother a%o&t nothing in #artic&lar. )erchee$s were fl&shed, and - noticed that she, too, waschir#ing li$e a %ird.

hile we were eating, Gordi!eh sto##ed %! and told &sthat her da&ghters wo&ld %e visiting with their children, asthe! did on ever! hol! da!, and that ever!one wo&ld %eneeded to hel# ma$e the festive midda! meal. -t wo&ld %e alarge tas$, as the ho&sehold was even grander than it loo$edat first. *here were si( servants: 4oo$8 3li"3sghar, who wasres#onsi%le for men's o%s li$e sla&ghtering animals8 twomaids, hamsi and ohreh, who scr&%%ed, #olished, andcleaned8 a %o! named amad whose onl! o% was to ma$eand serve coffee and tea8 and an errand %o!, *aghee. 3llthese #eo#le wo&ld have to %e fed, #l&s m! mother and -,Gordi!eh and Gostaham, their da&ghters and their children,and an!one else who ha##ened to visit.

3li"3sghar, a small, wir! man with hands as %ig as hishead, had alread! $illed a lam% in the co&rt!ard that morningand s&s#ended it to let the %lood flow o&t of its %od!. hilewe #eeled egg#lant with shar# $nives, he stri##ed off its s$inand cho##ed the %od! into #arts. 4oo$, a thin woman whonever sto##ed moving, threw the meat into a ca&ldron over ahot fire, adding salt and onions. 6! mother and - c&t theegg#lant into #ieces and salted them to ma$e the so&r %lac$

&ice ert.Gordi!eh a##eared from time to time to chec$ on the

#re#arations. Loo$ing at the egg#lant, which had onl! &st%eg&n to sweat, she told m! mother, /6ore salt2/

- co&ld feel words %ehind m! mother's li#s, %&t she didn'ts#ea$ them. he s#rin$led more salt and then #a&sed.


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/6ore2/ Gordi!eh said.*his time, m! mother #o&red &ntil the egg#lant was nearl!

%&ried and Gordi!eh told her to sto#.

3fter the so&rness had drained o&t, we rinsed thecho##ed egg#lant in cool water, and m! mother fried it in a#ot %&%%ling with hot oil. hen each #iece was coo$ed, -#atted it with a cloth to remove the grease, and #&t it aside.*he egg#lant wo&ld %e laid on to# of the lam% &st %eforeserving to allow it to marr! the meat &ices.

ince the meal was still ho&rs awa!, Gordi!eh told &s toma$e a large vessel of vegeta%le torshi, a s#ic! relish thatadded flavor to rice. 4oo$'s reci#e called for egg#lant,carrots, celer!, t&rni#s, #arsle!, mint, and garlic %! the%as$etload, all of which we had to wash, #eel, and cho#.*hen 4oo$ meas&red o&t the vinegar she had made andmi(ed ever!thing together. B! the time we had finished, m!hands were tired and raw.

Gordi!eh's da&ghters, 6ehr%anoo and ;ahanara, arrivedand dro##ed in to the $itchen to see what we were coo$ing.6ehr%anoo, the eldest at twent!"two, had two da&ghters,who were dressed and groomed li$e little dolls, in !ellow andorange t&nics with gold earrings and gold %racelets.;ahanara was a !ear !o&nger and had one son,6ohammad, a three"!ear"old child who seemed small for hisage and who had a r&nn! nose. Both of the women livedwith their h&s%ands' families %&t came to visit their #arents atleast once a wee$. - was introd&ced to them as their father'shalf %rother's da&ghter""/a distant relative,/ Gordi!eh said.

/)ow man! of those do we have1/ 6ehr%anoo as$ed hermother, with a %ig la&gh that revealed several rotten teeth./)&ndreds1/

/*oo man! to co&nt,/ said Gordi!eh.


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- was ta$en a%ac$ %! this air! dismissal. 3s if ine(#lanation, Gordi!eh said to m! mother, /O&r famil! is solarge that m! girls can't $ee# ./

hamsi entered the $itchen &st then and said toGordi!eh, /0o&r revered h&s%and has arrived./

/4ome, girls, !o&r father is alwa!s h&ngr! after Frida!#ra!ers,/ Gordi!eh said, &shering them o&t of the room.

*he whole $itchen %egan to %&stle. /)&rr!2/ 4oo$ hissed,handing me a few cotton s#reads. /La! these over thecar#ets in the Great Room. 9on't dela!2/

- followed Gordi!eh and her da&ghters, who had arranged

themselves on the c&shions and were chatting witho&t#a!ing me the least attention. - was eager to sit and eat withthem, %&t 4oo$ called me %ac$ to the $itchen and handedme a tra! of hot %read and a dish of goat cheese and mint8she followed with the #late of honor, hea#ed with egg#lantand her%s, while ohreh tottered &nder the weight of therice. 6! mother emerged with a large vessel containing acool drin$ she had made of rose water and mint.

Bac$ in the $itchen, 4oo$ said, / e ma! as well %egin thewashing,/ altho&gh we hadn't eaten !et. he handed me arag and a greas! #ot encr&sted with egg#lant. - stared atthem, wondering when we'd %e called in to dine. 6! mother#&shed a strand of hair %ac$ into her scarf and %egancleaning the rice #ot. &rel! we'd %e as$ed to oin the famil!soon2 - tried to catch m! mother's e!e, %&t her head was%owed over her tas$ and she didn't seem to %e e(#ectingan!thing.

3fter we had com#leted most of the clean, 4oo$ sentme %ac$ to the Great Room with a vessel of hot water so thefamil! co&ld wash their hands. Ever!one had finished eatingand was reclining comforta%l! against the c&shions, their%ellies large with food. 6! stomach growled, %&t no one


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seemed to notice. ohreh and hamsi collected the #latters,and then 4oo$ divided the remaining food among the si(mem%ers of the ho&sehold staff and the two of &s. 3li"

3sghar, *aghee, and amad ate together o&tside in theco&rt!ard, while we women ate in the $itchen.

3ltho&gh the meal had %een served, 4oo$ co&ldn't seemto &it her la%ors. he'd ta$e a %ite, then rise to clean aserving s#oon or ret&rn a sto##er to a vessel. *he flavors inher food achieved an e(ce#tional marriage, %&t hernervo&sness d&lled the #leas&re of it. *he moment wefinished, 4oo$ told each one of &s what to do to finish theclean. hen the $itchen was s#otless again, shedismissed &s for o&r afternoon rest.

- threw m!self onto m! %edroll, m! lim%s aching. O&r roomwas so small that m! mother and - were nose to nose andfoot to foot.

/- have nothing left,/ - said, with a large !awn./6e, neither,/ m! mother re#lied. /9id !o& li$e the food,

light of m! e!es1/

/-t was fit for a shah,/ - said, adding &ic$l!, /%&t not asgood as !o&rs.//-t was %etter,/ she re#lied. / ho'd have tho&ght the!

wo&ld eat meat ever! wee$2 3 #erson co&ld live on the ricealone./

/God %e #raised,/ - re#lied. /)asn't it %een a !ear sincewe've eaten lam%1/

/3t least./-t had felt good to eat as m&ch as - wanted for two da!s in

a row./Bi%i,/ - said, /what a%o&t the egg#lant1 -t was too salt!2//- do&%t that Gordi!eh has had to coo$ in man! !ears,/ m!

mother re#lied.


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/ h! didn't !o& tell her it was too m&ch1/he closed her e!es. /9a&ghter of mine, remem%er that

we have nowhere else to go./

- sighed. afa had %een right8 we were not o&r ownmistresses now. /- tho&ght Gordi!eh wo&ld have invited &s toshare the meal with them again,/ - said.

6! mother loo$ed at me with #it!. /Oh da&ghter, whom -love a%ove all others,/ she said, /a famil! li$e this one $ee#sto itself./

/B&t we are their famil!.//0es, and if we had arrived with !o&r father, %earing gifts

and good fort&ne, it wo&ld have %een different,/ she said./B&t as the #oor relatives of !o&r grandfather's second wife,we are not good news./

Feeling more tired than - co&ld remem%er, - closed m!e!es and sle#t as if dead. -t seemed onl! moments %efore4oo$ $noc$ed on o&r door and as$ed for hel#. *he famil!wo&ld %e and a%o&t soon, she said, and the!'d %ean(io&s for their coffee, fresh fr&it, and sweetmeats.

/ hat a hone!ed e(istence2/ - m&ttered &nder m! %reath,%&t m! mother did not re#l!. he was aslee#, her e!e%rows$nitted together in a f&rrow of worr!. - co&ldn't %ear to wa$eher, so - told 4oo$ -'d wor$ for two.

* -4E 3 0E3R, -sfahan's Great Ba+aar was closed tomen so that the ladies of the ro!al harem co&ld sho# infreedom. 3ll the sho#$ee#ers' wives and da&ghters weresent in to r&n the stores for three da!s, and all the women,whether %&!ers or sellers, were allowed to wal$ aro&nd the%a+aar witho&t their heav! chadors.

Gostaham $e#t an alcove in the %a+aar with a few r&gs ondis#la!, not so m&ch for sale %&t to remind #eo#le s&ch asthe ro!al co&rtesans that he was availa%le for commissions.

ince these co&ld %e the most l&crative of o%s, and since


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chadors closed with one hand and the reins in the other. 5ot&ntil all the horses and horsemen had disa##eared did the!shed their wra#s and #i

Documents

Blood of Flowers