The King's Scribe 4

The King’s Scribe and the Lamp Maker

The Second Adventure

As time passed Amin al Siraj wanted more than ever to make lamps so he went into the nearby city, hoping to find a commission. He presented himself at the Lamp Makers Guildhall and offered his services. The guild leaders offered to send him on two commissions, for which he would be unpaid since they did not know his work. As was the custom, he would have to deposit copies of the lamp designs at the guildhall with his mark on them and they would ensure that the designs were never copied without payment to the guild and to him. He agreed on condition that he could do a commission from the village first. At this the guild leaders were astonished.

“Who in that village could possibly be so important!” they exclaimed. Finally, they agreed and the lamp maker returned home, ready to search for that special commission.

There was an innkeeper in the village, well known for his friendliness and hospitality. His name was Boutros Yasir, and he was kin to Wasim Yasir. Boutros had supplied the entertainment for Wasim’s feast for the poor widows and orphans. Amin knew of Boutros and decided to approach him with an idea for a very unique lamp for the inn. So one day he sent a message to the innkeeper and suggested a new lamp. Boutros responded at once with much interest and enthusiasm. He definitely wanted a new lamp for the window of his inn. The lamp maker was thrilled for now he could make a lamp. In fact Amin was so happy that he invited his friend, Rafi al Kateb abd al-Malik, to come with him to Boutros’ inn.

On the appointed day Amin and Rafi went to the inn and found Boutros with a few of his friends. The day turned into night as the lamp maker, the scribe, the innkeeper and his friends ate, drank, and discussed the design of the proposed lamp. At the end of the evening the lamp maker went home full of ideas for the lamp and the scribe went home satisfied that his friend had been given an opportunity to show off his craft.

Amin worked very carefully to create a special lamp and went to Boutros to ask more questions. Boutros was surprised since he thought he had answered everything that could ever be asked. Instead, he gave the lamp maker an old scroll bearing the design of a lamp that he had owned a long time.

“Use this if you need more ideas,” he told Amin. So Amin took the scroll home and continued to work on the lamp. After he finished the design he brought it to Boutros who professed his delight, and asked for one small change. Amin obliged and shortly thereafter he presented the lamp to the innkeeper after putting his mark on it, and on the copy of the design, which he sent off to the Lamp Makers Guild. For a few days the lamp sat in the window of the inn and several visitors remarked on its beauty. Few of the shopkeepers, who often visited the inn, had anything to say about the lamp. Amin went about making lamps for the commissions he had been given, believing that at last everyone knew he really was the lamp maker he said he was.

Then one day the lamp was gone from the window of the inn. The very next day the inn was being worked on by all manner of workmen. Within a few days the inn had been completely changed and a new lamp sat in the window. The new lamp was not the one the lamp maker made, although it looked very similar. Rafi noticed this when he stopped by the inn to visit. With him was another scribe, who had also seen Amin’s lamp. They both observed how similar the new lamp was with the lamp maker’s. Rafi carefully picked it up and looked for the maker’s mark on the bottom. There wasn’t any. Rafi exclaimed, “Why this lamp looks very much like Amin’s! Did someone copy his design?”

Now Boutros’ housekeeper heard Rafi’s remark and came running over, very agitated.

“That lamp has always been in this household,” she said. “You are wrong to think it is a copy.”

Rafi did not remember the lamp and told her so. Then he left, very confused about what he had seen and heard.

The scribe sent word to Amin, asking if he knew what had happened to the wonderful lamp he made for Boutros. The reply was very simple, “yes I have heard it is not there and will look into it.”

The next day Amin sent a messenger to Boutros to ask about the new lamp and the whereabouts of the lamp he made for the inn. Boutros replied that the new lamp was one he had kept for a long time and he would not be putting Amin’s lamp in his window. When this message came back to the lamp maker he ran at once to the inn and saw the new lamp. His heart sank when he realized how much it was like his own lamp. He went inside and spoke with Boutros.

“Your new lamp looks very much like the one I made for you,” he said. “If you do not change it, the Lamp Makers Guild may ask questions. I am very concerned and would like to help you.”

Boutros became very unhappy when Amin said those words.

“WHAT?” he roared. “Dare you suggest I have stolen something from you? That is my very own lamp from a long time ago. I decided to use it and not yours. Is that is why you are accusing me of theft? Because I no longer use the lamp you made?”

Amin was very worried. He had to live in the village with Boutros who sounded very angry, but he also knew the Lamp Makers Guild would be very upset if they saw the lamp in the window with no mark, and without their permission to use the lamp maker’s design. He offered again to make another lamp that would not look exactly like the one in the window. He told Boutros that others had noticed the similarities between his lamp and the one in the window.

“Their opinions do not matter!” shouted Boutros. “Besides, I am responsible for what I put in the window and I tell you this is MY OWN LAMP!”

The innkeeper was getting angrier and finally Amin said, “Very well, do not worry about it. If the Lamp Makers Guild comes calling, just let me know.” And then the lamp maker went home, sad that another opportunity had gone so wrong.

The next morning Amin went to Rafi’s house and told him all about the conversation with the innkeeper. The scribe was disappointed for his friend, and angry with Boutros for behaving so badly. The problem was, he did not know why the innkeeper would act that way for he had seemed like a good man. Once again there was nothing he could do to help his friend and he hoped the Lamp Makers Guild would not find out about the new lamp. It could make things very difficult.

Rafi pondered over what else he might do, however the King’s business kept the scribe busy for the next two days. On the third day he received a visitor. About mid-morning there was knock at the courtyard gate, and when the servant opened the gate there stood Boutros with a package.

“I have come to speak with your master, “ he told the servant, who promptly showed Boutros to a bench in the courtyard and ran to find Rafi.

Rafi hurried to the courtyard, surprised that Boutros would come to see him. He joined the innkeeper on the bench, and sent the servant to fetch tea.

“You honor me with your visit friend Boutros,” Rafi said. “Pray tell what brings you to my humble home.”

“Well,” said Boutros, “it is about Amin. He has been quite an annoyance over this lamp business. My housekeeper spoke to me about your conversation with her and I decided to speak to you, as a friend of course, about the matter.”

And then Boutros went on to talk about Amin and his lamp, and why the lamp in the window was in no way a copy of Amin’s lamp, and how hurt he was by Amin’s accusations. Rafi listened respectfully, and let Boutros have his full say. Finally, Boutros picked up the package he had brought and handed it to Rafi.

“I am sure you will understand why I cannot keep this lamp,” Boutros told him. “The pleasure in it is all gone, Amin has ruined that for me. You understand of course.”

Rafi nodded his head, but he did not understand at all. Not one bit. Boutros took his leave of Rafi, and the scribe sat silent in the sun, gazing at the package holding the lamp.

That evening Rafi went to see Amin and told him what Boutros had to say. Amin listened, then told Rafi how he had indeed looked over an old lamp design at Boutros' urging. He insisted that his lamp was an original. After Amin finished speaking Rafi gave him the lamp. For a moment, Rafi thought Amin might cry he looked so sad. Amin stared at the lamp, then looked up at Rafi and spoke very slowly, “I tell you, on my honor and in God’s name, that I spoke the truth about this matter.”

Rafi puffed on his pipe, thinking very carefully about what he would say next. Finally, he spoke.

“My friend, I believe you but this is a difficult matter. If it comes to lawyers, you will need all the evidence you can muster.” Rafi looked directly at Amin as he spoke, as if to imprint every word on the lamp makers mind.

“Oh yes, I know,” Amin said. “And I have what I need. I will let this moment pass as I have much more to do, and no money for lawyers. This is a small village, and he is not a well known innkeeper, so perhaps the Guild will not notice. But if they do, I will be ready.”

With that, Amin and Rafi bid each other good evening, and Rafi began his walk home. It was a long walk, and he had plenty to think about. He remembered that Boutros was kin to Wasim and had provided the entertainment for the feast. The innkeeper had been very eager for Amin to create a lamp, and then stopped displaying it and gave it back. Did Boutros commission the lamp at Wasim’s direction? If that were true, why would Wasim involve himself in the matter of a lamp? Both Boutros and Amin claimed to be telling the truth, yet Amin had refused to press the matter. Rafi could not understand why, except that Amin had to live in the same village with Boutros. Perhaps he did not want to create a scandal. Perhaps Boutros was telling the truth after all. Who to believe? Rafi barely knew Boutros, but knew Amin much better. Both thought it important to press their claims to him as to who was in the right. Why would Rafi’s view matter so much, especially to Boutros? Rafi was not a magician and could not read minds, so he wondered how the truth would manifest itself. The puzzle that began with the stoning was deepening and the scribe wanted it solved. But he needed to find a way to solve it and hopefully not hurt Amin, or Boutros for that matter.

The scribe looked up at the darkening sky and could see the stars beginning to twinkle as the sun left the sky. He pointed a bony finger at the heavens.

“You. You know Who I mean, You have to help me,” he said, punctuating each word with his finger.

Then he took another puff on his pipe, and continued down the path towards home.

The Third Adventure