In the stars – The Hindu

A long time ago in Isfahan, there lived a kind and hard-working cobbler named Ahmed. He liked his quiet life and profession. But his wife, Sittara, dreamed of fancy clothes, jewels, and being rich and important. She was never happy with Ahmed’s simple job.

One day, at the public bath, Sittara saw a lady wearing sparkling jewels and surrounded by servants. She learned the lady was the wife of the king’s astrologer. When Sittara came home, she told Ahmed he too must become an astrologer.

“But I don’t know anything about the stars!” Ahmed cried.

“I don’t care,” Sittâra said. “If you don’t become an astrologer, I’ll leave you!”

Ahmed loved his wife and did not want to lose her, so he sold his tools, bought a star chart and an astrolabe, and went to the market shouting, “I am an astrologer! I can read the stars!”

People laughed at him. Everyone knew he was a cobbler.

First case

At this time, the king’s jeweller lost a priceless ruby and feared he would be killed. He begged Ahmed to find it. Ahmed muttered, “Oh, woman, you have ruined me!”

A servant overheard him and thought he was using magic. She ran to her mistress, the jeweller’s wife, who had stolen the ruby. Terrified, the wife confessed to Ahmed and begged him to help her. Ahmed told her to hide the ruby under her husband’s pillow.

Ahmed told the jeweller where the ruby was. When it was found, everyone thought Ahmed was a genius. He was paid in gold and praised all over the city.

Soon, another woman asked Ahmed to find her jewels. He accidentally helped her too by saying, “Look at the rent”, meaning her torn veil. But she thought he meant the place she hid the jewels. Again, Ahmed was rewarded.

A mystery

Ahmed was now famous. When thieves stole the royal treasure, Ahmed was called to find it. He guessed there were 40 thieves because 40 chests were missing. The king gave him 40 days to solve the mystery.

Ahmed asked for one date fruit every night to count down the days. The thieves were spying on him. Every night, when he ate a date, he said, “There is one of them… two of them…” The thieves thought he was counting them.

Terrified, the thieves confessed to Ahmed and offered him the treasure. Ahmed told them to bury it under an old wall. The next day, Ahmed led the king there and found the treasure. The king was overjoyed and made Ahmed his chief astrologer.

Ahmed became rich, but stayed humble and thankful. He knew his success came from luck and honesty, not magic.

Folktales are an oral tradition with stories being handed across generations. The stories are not necessarily true.