In a far, far away country, there lived three brothers. Since they lived far from the main roads and strangers did not often wander in to them, they simply called themselves “People.”
The eldest was called Adil, the middle one was Amin, and the youngest was named Arif.
One day, all three of them were sitting on the side of the road, when suddenly a traveler appeared on it. Approaching them and greeting them, he told them strange news.
“In a land far, far away, there is a King whose daughter, Princess Nafisa, has an invincible passion for figs. She eats them day and night, on the go and while talking. There are figs around her, dried figs, fresh figs, whatever. Because of this, no one wants to marry her. King Abd al-Ali declared that whoever cured the princess and proved himself worthy to be king would receive her hand and in due course inherit the kingdom.”
All three brothers were touched by this story and they asked what the name of the country in which Abd al-Ali ruled was called.
“It’s called the country of Acacia,” explained the wanderer. “But the road there is difficult.” If you are looking for the hand of a princess, you need to at least have a good plan.
He went his way, and the three brothers remained to discuss their plans on how to find, cure and marry Princess Nafisa. After much debate, they decided to overfeed the Princess with dates, so that she could not look at them.
Fortunately, the brothers had no shortage of this fruit: figs grew everywhere in the area.
“I will do this by right of seniority,” said the elder brother.
Then the younger ones helped him pick up a huge basket of ripe fruits and placed it on his shoulders. It was almost as big as himself, but since Adil was powerful, he could easily lift a full basket.
He set off along the road along which the traveler had come to them, and after many miles he met a poor dervish dozing in a roadside ditch. As Adil approached, he stood up and shouted:
- Hello, son of luck! Where are you going and what's in your huge basket?
“I am looking for the land of Acacias,” said Adil, “and my basket is full of figs, which I bring to Princess Nafisa, so that she will be satisfied with them and be cured of her attachment to figs, thereby making me worthy of her hand and subsequently the kingdom of her father, Abd al-Ali.”
Dervish said:
- Yes, it’s good that enterprising and brave people set out on the road that leads them to success and achievement with optimism, despite possible obstacles. Thus, the ignorant can become wise, and the humble person can become rewarded, and even the elders can preserve for those of us who come later, knowledge that serves as a reward for effort and dedication.
“Thank you,” Adil said politely, “but can you help me?” Which of these paths, for example, leads to the land of Acacia?
Dervish said:
“You will find the land of Acacia if you follow this road: turning when it turns, and not turning when it does not turn, and still do not allow yourself to be distracted by what is not from this road.” I could tell you more, because great trials await you ahead, but first could you give me some of your figs, for I am hungry, and the needs of the body constantly need to be satisfied.
Adil thought for a minute, weighing all the pros and cons to find the exact answer, for his name means “Justice,” and finally said:
- Noble sir! I applied all my logical abilities to your proposal and decided that I could not give you a single fig. The thing is that I have a strictly limited number of them, and it may happen that I don’t have enough of just one fig. Therefore, I am forced to leave you to your own devices and be left without your further recommendations. In any case, each of us must be able to do without the help of others.
Having said this, he went his way.
Then, having avoided many dangers and experienced many adventures and trials, Adil arrived at the palace of the King of the Acacia Country and was immediately escorted to Princess Nafisa. She was very pleased to see a whole basket of figs and without hesitation she sat down and began to eat them as quickly as she could. The figs were great. In the blink of an eye, the basket was empty, and the Princess loudly demanded more.
Poor Adil was shown the door with regret.
When, after many misadventures, he returned home, his second brother, Amin, whose name means “Truth,” set out on his journey.
Amin came out with the same basket, and, in addition, he was leading with him a donkey loaded with the same figs. In total he had three or four times as many figs as his brother.
Soon he met the same dervish walking, leaning on his staff, along the road.
- Good day to you, O man of Brilliant Prospects! - said the dervish. “I see your donkey is full of figs, will you fill my begging bowl with them?”
Amin thought for a moment and replied:
- O Noble Man of the Path! I have considered your request. Know that my name is Amin, which means truth. To tell the truth, if I start handing out figs left and right, I won’t get a single one to Princess Nafisa. I decided to do what my brother failed: overfeed the Princess and inherit the land of Acacia.
And he went his own way, convinced that principles are principles.
When, in his turn, having had his share of pleasant and unpleasant adventures, he arrived in the land of the Acacias, he found that the Princess's appetite had not diminished, but had increased even more, fueled by the figs brought by those seeking her hand from all over the world. It only took her a few minutes to empty his supplies. After which he had to quickly leave, as the Princess began to complain that Amin had only whetted her appetite with such a ridiculous amount of fruit, and she also said that she would imprison him if he did not bring her more.
And Amin, the Truthful, like his brother, the Just Adil, returned home, where Arif (whose name means Wise) was waiting for his turn, as firm in his decision as his brothers.
Arif collected many figs and dried them. Then he found the biggest and strongest donkey in the village and loaded it. With this, he doubled the number of figs with which his brother Amin set off on the journey. However, having done this, he said to himself: “We must be more careful on the road and not miss the opportunity.”
Like his brothers, soon after Arif left home, he met a dervish and told him his plans.
Dervish said:
- O thrifty Man of Business! Extend your hand and give me a couple of figs, for the road turned out to be rather difficult for your predecessors.
“Easily,” said Arif. “You can have all my figs if you just tell me how I can get the Princess’s hand.”
- Hands down! - shouted the dervish. - Know that my name is Ajib-o-Gharib, that is, Strange and Unusual. You will give me all the figs and the donkey, and I will give you something much more useful, but strange and unusual, as it may seem to you now.
Arif agreed. The dervish took a piece of cloth and sewed it onto Arif’s clothes.
“Now you have a pocket,” said the dervish, “put just one dried fig in it.” When you get to the Princess, give her this fig. While she chews it, a new one will appear in her pocket and so on, the supply is endless.
Arif thanked the old man and moved on. After his share of adventures, as strange and unusual as those that befell his brothers, he finally arrived in the land of Acacia, but getting to the princess was not so easy. The courtiers, guards and those who simply hung around the court did not know whether it made sense to present the Princess with a man with a single fig in his pocket.
However, everything happened as the dervish predicted: he was finally led to the Princess, and he handed her the fig. She began to chew it, immediately reaching out for the next one. As soon as she did this, a new fig appeared in her pocket and so on. This went on day and night, and all the next day, until finally the Princess made a gesture of disgust:
- Ugh! I ate too much of your figs. Stop thrusting them at me. I will never put a fig in my mouth again in my life!
And she really was cured, because day after day passed, and the Princess no longer wanted figs.
Then King Abd al-Ali, which means the Servant of the Highest, called Arif and said to him:
- Congratulations, young man. You have passed the test of figs, and we are very grateful to you. As I promised, the Princess is ready to marry you. However, the second part remains - you must be worthy to inherit the Kingdom. You must pass additional tests.
Arif replied that he was ready for any challenge. Now he was in love with the Princess and dreamed of inheriting the Kingdom.
- Mighty King, Essence of All Kings! Command and I obey, for is it not said that in the presence of a monarch the best words are: “To listen is to obey.”
“Everyone can obey only according to their abilities,” the king said doubtfully. “It’s them that we need to check.” First, find two witnesses.
According to the customs of that country, in order for the wedding to take place, two witnesses were needed who were not related to either the groom or the bride. But the Acacia Country was divided into two types of people - some themselves wanted to marry the Princess and therefore refused to help anyone in this matter, and others convinced themselves that the Princess could not be cured, and would never believe it, even if they were given all the evidence.
Nobody wanted to go as witnesses.
Arif returned along the road to the place where he met the dervish Ajib-o-Gharib. He was sitting in the same place, on the side of the road.
Without any preparation, the dervish spoke:
“Don’t start explaining to me that you need this and you need that.” If you know I can help you, do what I tell you. So, are you ready?
“I’m ready,” answered Arif.
Then the dervish said:
- Remember this sign. Do it when you talk to people, and they will believe you if you are telling the truth and if these people themselves are fair.
Arif thanked him and returned to the capital of the Acacia Country. He quickly found two witnesses and brought them to the King.
“Now,” said the King, “you must get the ring.” This will require three people, and a forest bird should bring it.
With this, all three went to the nearest forest, having nothing with them except their friendship and the signal that Arif had been taught by the dervish. After a long search for a ring or a bird, Arif remembered his magic pocket. He put his hand there and found a small flute there. As soon as he blew on it, a bird with a ring in its beak appeared from the forest. She sat on the hand of one of the witnesses and put the ring in the hand of another, after which she flew away.
All three returned to the King and showed him the ring.
“You have passed this test too,” said the King, “all that remains for you is to pass the test of “events and perceptions.” Here are four lambs. Take them to the field and graze them for four weeks. Then bring them back, for they are a symbol of our well-being.
Arif took the lambs away, and on the first night, under the cover of darkness, two witnesses sneaked up and stole one of them. The next night, the King came to Arif in disguise and offered him one hundred thousand gold coins for one of the lambs. Arif refused. The next day a dervish appeared.
“I lost one lamb,” said Arif and told everything in order.
The dervish handed him a pattern inscribed on parchment and said:
- Wave it in the air, and your lamb will always return to you.
Arif tried it and, naturally, the lamb, stolen by the witnesses, immediately appeared. After this, the King returned again, disguised as a bandit, and threatened Arif with death if he did not give him the lambs. Arif parted with them easily. Soon after the King left, he waved his parchment in the air and the lambs returned. Then the disguised Princess and the courtiers, taking turns, begged, threatened and begged, eager to get the lamb from him. Arif never refused anyone, always knowing that he could get everything back with the help of his magic diagram.
When time passed, he returned to the Palace, and the King said:
— You passed all the tests except the perception test. Who were the people who threatened, begged and seduced you while you lived on the field?
“Why, Sir,” answered Arif, “it was you yourself, two witnesses, the Princess and your courtiers.”
Thus Arif became the husband of Princess Nafisa, whose name means “Little Soul,” and eventually the King of the Land of Acacia, Ballad-as-Salam, which translates as “The Land of Peace and Perfection.”
In the language in which this story was originally told, the word "Karman" (jaib) means "Heart", and the word "Fig" sounds the same as "Dust" (tin), the earth and all the things that surround us...
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru