Beware of Slave Girls Telling Stories
Nights 70-86
It looks like we are nearing a happy ending, but we’re not quite there yet. Prince Dau and Princess Nuzhat are reunited when she recognizes her brother by his poetic laments about how much he misses her. This reunion is followed by a more somber one: We learn that their father King Umar has died. Dandan the vizier finds the young brother and sister, tells them the news, and declares that Dau (not Sharkan) is the new king.
We then learn how King Umar has died: he was poisoned by Dhat al-Dawahi, the old woman famous from a couple weeks back for flatulating in night 48. Her scheme has worked. She has taken back Sophia from King Umar and punished him for the death of Abriza. Honestly, King Umar had it coming. He had a harem with a different girl for every day of the year! It’s hard to feel bad for the guy.
I didn’t find much to recommend in these nights. The worst of them are cryptic discourses, similar to what we saw from Princess Nuzhat. Instead of her discourse, we get stories by Dhat al-Dawahi’s slave girls. They are used to lure King Umar into wanting to purchase the slave girls. Beware of slave girls telling stories!
The funniest scene is the reunion between Nuzhat and her brother Dau. I think it’s unintentional comedy. It is obvious that Nuzhat and Dau will be reunited when she overhears his poetry. But when Dau is first asked to meet up with a woman that has heard her poetry, he shouts, “Where does this bitch come from who wants me? God damn her and her husband as well!” (p. 392, night 74) Just a total overreaction! But then, God may yet damn Nuzhat and her husband (Sharkan, or the chamberlain who pretends to be her husband).
No new Magic cards this week. I am still waiting for Dandan to turn into a fish.