Long ago, the king of Ubrard, Abu, showered his wife with gifts. Every day it would be something new. The finest rubies made into a headdress or diamonds made into earrings. He knew he loved her and only wanted to give her the finest things in life to show she was appreciated.
The couple was young and in love, Abu met Jasmine when they were young and were inseparable since. They ruled their kingdom easily, but Jasmine got bored. Every night when the full moon came, she left at midnight with a different man. The older she got, the more she started to see Abu as just a friend. Someone she loved dearly, but not in a romantic way. This broke her heart but because of the laws, she knew she could not leave.
Abu found out about Jasmine's midnight escapades easily. He was red with anger, oh how could his wife, his best friend of many years betray him like this?
He took all of her jewels and prized items and locked them away, then put in his orders to have her sent to the darkest, dirtiest dungeon in all the land with all of the men she had been with. He wanted this to be a place where all adulterers go when they have committed that sin.
He planned a ball for the next day, only women were invited where he would choose his next wife. Someone who hopefully would remain faithful to him and their kingdom.
The ball took place in the palace and women from all over came dressed n their finest gowns and jewels. He had a ruby necklace stored for whoever his next wife would be.
He danced all night to forget about the mourning he had experienced. He ate and he laughed, but he couldn't help but miss Jasmine. He knew as long as she was around, he could not truly be happy.
Abu met many women who were viable options for him, all who seemed interested. He invited 10 women to stay in the palace. He wanted to know them, feast with them to make sure they were truly the one, to make sure he would not be hurt again.
The next morning, he talked to the guards of the prison and made a new law.
"Anyone who commits adultery," he said to anyone who was listening, "shall be banned from the kingdom."
He watched as the guard got out their shackles and went to the dungeon. They chained all the prisoners together and made them walk out from their dungeon and leave the kingdom by foot.
With them gone, King Abu decided to feast with all the women staying in the castle.
They enjoyed a large breakfast with the finest wines, meats, cheeses, and bread in the whole kingdom.
He truly enjoyed having their company around. He liked each one of them for different reasons, therefore deciding that they would all stay and be with him. They would be married if they so chose.
King Abu then had 10 wives. They all stayed in different rooms. He decided this was not technically adultery since they were all transparent and knew of each other.
They lived happily together for months before the women all came together and decided at once, King Abu must die for what he did to Jasmine, his first wife.
At dinner that night, they put poison in his wine. It was easy to trick him when he was so distracted by so many women at the table.
His death was shocking to the public, but the women took over, all of them remaining in power and bringing equality to the land.
(Scheherazade- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6pkL75zWk2AjxSOuIvTxdDDhuw6GMSopCb6zIHlMuqZ6CX40TylXiY8NFh5LQCwG3eyL_BM2Z1jWQ3PbiFV6EwpVIcpsrEThMc9V_eP5D2nNGZO1Bcw8qyBF78FJ32iu5nszZ2Zzo9w/s1600/00300.jpg)
The End.
Authors note:
I got this idea from the reading A, Scheherazade, in the Arabian Nights Unit. It starts out the same but I was really wishing for a different ending, one where the women were more powerful and not the worst like the man in that story.
Bib:
- Scheherazade - Andrew Lang
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