Showing posts with label fairytale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fairytale. Show all posts

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Namaki and Giant

When I was young my mother used to tell me this story in bed. Iranian fairy tales often begin with "Yeki bood, yeki nabood"(There was, there wasn't), like "Once Upon a Time...

A girl named Namaki lived with her big family in a big house. Everyone in the family had 1 chore, and Namaki's was to close all 7 doors of the house each night. One night, she forgot to close the 7th door and a Giant came inside, putting the entire family in danger...

Namaki's mother softly wakes her up and sings this song bobbing her head side to side:

Ay Namaki Ay Namaki,
Yek dar ra basti Namaki (1st door you closed, Namaki)
Doh dar ra basti Namaki (2nd door you closed Namaki)
Seh dar ra basti Namaki (3rd door...
Char dar ra basti Namaki (4th...
Panj dar ra basti Namaki (5th...
Shish dar ra basti Namaki (6th...
Haft dar ra Nabastiiii Namakiiii (7th door, you didn't close, Namaki!)

Namaki must pay the consequences of her mistake. Giant is tired and hungry. Namaki searches the house for the biggest pot, and cooks all the rice she manages to find, perfuming it with her salty tears. Giant eats with delight. Then he says he would like some tea. Every time Namaki becomes weary of the job, her Mother sings the song once again, in a disapproving but gentle tone...So she finds the biggest glass and hugest sugar cubes, and serves a giant steamed tea with 2 giant cubes of sugar. Then, she finds the largest mattress and the biggest fluffiest pillow, drags them out. Giant sleeps like a giant baby.

In the morning, Giant is so happy and touched by Namaki's caring for him, he realizes he is in love with her and demands her hand in marriage. Namaki cries in despair, but her mother sings the song once more...oh the cursed 7th door has determined Namaki's fate, and she must go with him.

Giant lives in a beautiful castle in the mountains, full of streams and frolicking creatures. He cares for Namaki, truly loves her. Eventually Namaki sees beauty in Giant, and loves him too...

One day, as they take tea on their grand balcony, birds chirp around them, the sun twinkles between the trees and the mountain streams gurgle beneath their feet...Namaki sighs. Giant sees that Namaki is unhappy about something and, determined to make her happy, asks her what is wrong. Namaki says everything is perfect, except she misses her family. In an instant Giant decides to fulfill her wish, and orders Namaki's family to join them in their new home. They live happily ever after.


...The other day, I sighed. And this story popped in my head. It's one of those I'll never forget, perhaps because of the eerie song. I am with my Giant I thought. Giant is ugly, hideous at times. But I can't help but love it for some beautiful things it also has...and now I'm waiting for my love, so we can live happily ever after! :P

Why must we make things so complicated, I wonder. Why do we need ugly Giants...because of stories like this? What is your Giant?