The King’s Scribe and the Lamp Maker
The First Adventure
It is not every day that a King’s scribe becomes involved in matters beyond his profession, yet that is what happened to Rafi al Kateb abd al-Malik. This is the first of his adventures with the lamp maker Amin al Siraj. If you wish to know if the story is true, then you must ask the Divine. When He speaks to your heart you will have your answer.
Rafi al Kateb abd al-Malik was a King's scribe who lived in a village in a great valley. At each end of the valley stood a great city of stone, paved streets, fine houses and many other wonders. Rafi’s village was not so wondrous, but for a King’s scribe it was enough. The village was situated on a trade route, next to a clear running river. Surrounded by olive groves and fruit orchards, it was a pleasant place to live.
Rafi, middle aged, bearded, and seeking only a pleasant life as his sunset years approached, was content with the village. His house was not very grand, but it had a library and a simple courtyard. He was paid well enough to afford two servants to look after the house, and that was enough wealth for him. Each morning he would walk beside the river, giving thanks to God for yet another day. At night he might be found in his library reading new scrolls, writing scrolls of his own, or at a friend’s house engaged in passionate discussions. He was well known for his integrity and also his ability to debate. The years he spent in the King’s service had provided him with much knowledge and he loved a good argument. He was so generous that some thought him quite naïve, but he was glad to help and besides there was always a chance that a hardened heart might soften at some unexpected moment. Surely nothing could be more pleasing to the Divine.
The trade route connected the two cities and Rafi would ride his chestnut mare Uri (for the star Uriel) along this route as he went about the King’s business. The King himself lived very far away in an even larger, more impressive city. The country itself was full of many beautiful cities, verdant forests, towering mountains, and sweeping grasslands. Its farms and vineyards were fertile and its trade routes filled with caravans. It was a peaceful and prosperous land, and many came there to make their fortunes.
Now the village had some well off families and one of these was the family of Yasir. They had many relatives who could be found in the various trades. There were many sons in this family and the most prosperous was named Wasim. Wasim had been part of a grand partnership with seven partners and made a huge fortune. The partnership had dissolved, but he was careful with his wealth and safe from poverty. He owned a marketplace on the trade route and visitors journeying between the cities, or other parts of the country, would often stop to look at the goods there and share news. The women who came to the marketplace often watched for Wasim, whose home was nearby. He was known to be unmarried and they would dream of catching his eye.
Occasionally, Rafi could be found in this marketplace searching for lamps. Not ordinary household lamps, but real works of art. An art lamp carried a design that told a story, and the lamp itself could be quite large. When they were lit, the light and shadows from their flames illuminated the story even more. Over the years he had collected many such lamps and at odd moments would see one of interest in the marketplace. One day he noticed a new visitor. This was a small man, wizened yet energetic. He would visit the shopkeepers, looking over their lamps with great care, and asking detailed questions. Rafi was impressed, but the shopkeepers were not. They got very exasperated with the little man’s incessant questions and discussion. They did not like the way he questioned everything, talked about his own skills as a lamp maker, and pointed out flaws in their products. In fact some of their customers, hearing the lamp maker expounding on the lamps, would join in the questions. There were heated arguments about the qualities of various lamps. Several of the shopkeepers did not know what to do, and were very offended by the little man's tone. They grumbled to each other about the little man.
“He is an annoying little man. We must find a way to hush him up,” they agreed and they waited for that day.
Rafi finally introduced himself to the little man and learned that his name was Amin al Siraj. He was indeed a lamp maker by trade. He had journeyed to the village from another land after selling all he had except a few lamps to use as samples. Amin belonged to the Lamp Makers Guild, but no one in the village had heard of him so it was very hard to find a commission. In the meantime, he found work doing whatever needed doing, and in his free time he would go to the village market and examine the lamps made by other lamp makers. He also made many new friends, and that now included Rafi, a King’s scribe.
One day, the village learned that Wasim had set a date for the annual feast on behalf of poor widows and orphans. Everyone would be attending. Amin told Rafi that he would offer a special lamp for the feast, and hired a messenger to take the offer to Wasim. Now it so happened that some of the shopkeepers were also friends and relatives of the Yasir family. When the message arrived they did not share it with Wasim because they were so annoyed with Amin. When he heard nothing from Wasim, he went to the house and was told, “We will tell him of your request.” Of course no one spoke to Wasim about it.
On the feast night Amin, very disappointed that he had heard nothing, went to the feast with his friend Rafi. Wasim was mingling with the guests and soon the lamp maker had a chance to speak with him.
Amin said, “Greetings O generous one! I am a lamp maker and wished to provide you with a special lamp for this night, but unfortunately I was never able to speak with you and learn your wishes.”
Wasim replied, “I would be very interested in a special lamp. We are going to auction very special furnishings for the benefit of the widows and orphans. Such a lamp would be welcome in the auction.”
This pleased Amin very much, so he asked, “When can I meet with you and discuss the lamp?”
Wasim replied, “Send a messenger to my family’s house, and tell me how to find you and a good time to meet.”
The lamp maker shook his head and said, “O kind sir, I sent messengers many times and even came myself to the house, and I was told the messages would be passed on to you. When I did not hear from you I thought perhaps you never received them, or perhaps I offended you in some way and you would not speak to me. That is why I ask you now.”
At this news Wasim was very distressed saying, “I do not know what happened. I never received the messages. Send a messenger in two days time and I will be certain to receive it. I want you to make a lamp for me!”
Amin, very excited with his good fortune, agreed, and two days later sent the messenger as directed. This time Wasim received the message, but the shopkeepers in the family filled his ears with their complaints.
“He is an annoying man, he has no respect for us, he thinks he knows more than we do, he talks down to us, how can we be sure he is really a lamp maker,” and on and on and on it went. So Wasim, to silence the family (the lamp maker was a stranger after all), did not send an answer back with the messenger.
Amin, not knowing what occurred, went to the market to look at lamps. As was his custom, he questioned everything and this time certain shopkeepers, encouraged by the success with Wasim, argued even more heatedly with him. They finally accused him of not being a lamp maker at all, and drove him from the market by stoning him. No one stopped them. Amin’s friends, for he did have friends, were shouted down and given dark looks. The market gatekeeper, who was in the pay of the Yasir family, turned his back and did nothing. The lamp maker, bleeding and bruised, stumbled about the village, not knowing where he was and wishing only to die. His good name and reputation had been smeared, his body ached all over, and he did not know what to do. He finally found himself at the house of his friend Rafi, who was about to leave on a mission for the King. The scribe was shocked by Amin’s injuries and brought him in to be cared for by the servants. He recommended rest to his friend and promised to help.
Many days later Rafi returned and listened as Amin described all that occurred that terrible day. The lamp maker was very sad that he had been called a liar, it was a terrible thing to say to anyone. After he went home he sent two of his remaining lamps to Rafi. It was Amin's way of giving thanks for the care he received at Rafi's house. The lamps were wrapped in fine linen, and when Rafi removed the linen he saw at once that he had been given two very unique lamps. One told the story about a boy, while the other told the story of a girl. The scribe looked carefully for the maker's mark, and sure enough on the bottom of each lamp was the mark of Amin. Here was the proof of the truth of the lamp maker's claims! To be certain, the scribe wrote to the Lamp Maker’s Guild in Amin’s old land, describing Amin and the lamps. In a few days time he had an answer, “Yes, that is the lamp maker Amin al Siraj you described and that is his mark. He makes very beautiful lamps. We wished him well when he left us for your country.”
So Rafi took one lamp to the market and showed it to the shopkeepers who harangued and stoned the lamp maker. He also told them about the letter from the Lamp Makers Guild. The shopkeepers laughed scornfully.
“You are truly gullible if you believe that is not a forgery,” and so dismissed his arguments. Even the market gatekeeper turned his back on Rafi. At that, the scribe vowed never to search the market again for lamps and he went home, appalled at the meanness of the shopkeepers. Especially by those who were friends and kin to Wasim Yasir, who was a good man, or so the scribe had heard.
As for Amin, he considered what he might do. His good reputation had been harmed and he had been stoned, but he had no money to hire a lawyer and interrogate witnesses. The stoning would most likely go unpunished. Worse still, the lamp maker learned that some of the shopkeepers were friends and relatives of the Yasir family. He wondered whether Wasim knew what happened, so he sent a message about the stoning, and Rafi wrote also to Wasim on Amin’s behalf. Both messages came back with a stern warning to leave Wasim alone.
Amin could not believe that Wasim had sent such a response and was sure someone else had written it. He decided to try again to contact Wasim. Amin threw his heart into it, sending messages to the family home and even going to the house himself. It was for nothing. There was never a response. The lamp maker, very discouraged, finally gave up trying.
Meanwhile Rafi, who was a scribe after all, wrote down all that he saw and heard. He walked by the riverside, and through the groves and orchards, wondering why Wasim Yasir had acted so. He would stroke his beard while he walked, and ponder at the mystery. It was truly a puzzle, but Rafi al Kateb abd al-Malik was not one to give up. He had been the King’s servant for over 25 years and acquired some wisdom in that time. Amin al Siraj had been badly treated, for no apparent reason other than he annoyed the shopkeepers. The marketplace belonged to Wasim Yasir, some of the shopkeepers were kin to him, and the gatekeeper was certainly in his pay, so Wasim must know all that happened. If he knew, then it would be as if he had stoned Amin himself. Worse still he had ignored Amin's complaint, which could only embolden the shopkeepers who threw the stones. It was a sobering thought, and Rafi knew patience was called for. Time, and the help of the Divine, would ferret out the truth.