The story of Al-Asma'i. Long ago there was a tyrant of king in the Middle East with an exquisite memory, nearly an eidetic, he could remember anything recited to him after hearing it only once. He prized memory over many things and thus his servants were expected to be the same his attendants could memorize anything after hearing anything only twice and his maids after only three times. The king loved all literature and the prosody of poetry was his greatest joy, so thus he decided to hold a contest. He challenged the poets in the land to write an original poem that he had not heard, and if any of the poets succeeded, then he would grant the winner gold equal to the weight of the material the poem was written on.
Many poets accepted the challenge and came to the royal court with the poetry in hand ready to win the prize, but after each poet recited their poem the king then his servants and maids would recite the poem, thus proving that the poetry was not new. As word quickly spread that the challenge was now more difficult a young and talented poet heard of the peculiar challenge. Al-Asma'i thought of a poem that would surely be too difficult to be memorized quickly. He spent days in the hills off of a marble quarry writing his poem. His work was difficult and not easy, but after he had successfully finished the work he himself had memorized the poem.
Al-Asma'i journeyed to the court. He had never seen the immensity of the palace and was astonished at the beautiful artwork and architecture that adorned every space that the eye could journey upon. Vaulted ceilings and high doors with gemetric symbols and cascades of light keeping no corner obscure. Soon he made his way to the royal chamber. The king duly surprised, but ready prepared his court the hear the poet recite his master work.
The poet confident although afraid of the power of the royal court stood quietly, until a servant signaled him to begin. The poet began, "I will recite the song of the nightingale" and he began in Arabic, "Sow too safee bulbulee, heyaa abqul al-thamalee ..." he continued on and the court listened patiently. Dust settled lightly in the silence that surrounded the poet as he recited his poem with rythmic excellence. When he had finished the king began to recite the poem, slowly, but soon his words faltered and he erred. He commanded his servants to recite the poem, they too began the recitation, but soon their worlds also faltered. The maids began for the third time, but their words too became lost in the immensity of the poem.
The king relented. He spoke, "You have been a worthy challenger. So I will thusly reward you gold equal to the weight of the paper the poem was written upon."
Al-Asma'i replied in eagerness, "Ah, yes, but I have not written my work upon paper."
Confused the king replied, "Then where have you written it?"
Al-Asma'i now almost modest in his reply said only, "On the marble in the marble quarry near my village."
The king was duly surprised, but without alternative he was left only to pay the noble poet with all the gold in the kingdom.
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The above is an adaptation of a common story told in the Middle East. It was recounted to me by my friend in Saudi Arabia and then my friend in Kuwait. I have adapted the story a bit, and it's just a rough sketch of what this great story could really be. Enjoy.
The poem that Al-Asma'i wrote below:
Many poets accepted the challenge and came to the royal court with the poetry in hand ready to win the prize, but after each poet recited their poem the king then his servants and maids would recite the poem, thus proving that the poetry was not new. As word quickly spread that the challenge was now more difficult a young and talented poet heard of the peculiar challenge. Al-Asma'i thought of a poem that would surely be too difficult to be memorized quickly. He spent days in the hills off of a marble quarry writing his poem. His work was difficult and not easy, but after he had successfully finished the work he himself had memorized the poem.
Al-Asma'i journeyed to the court. He had never seen the immensity of the palace and was astonished at the beautiful artwork and architecture that adorned every space that the eye could journey upon. Vaulted ceilings and high doors with gemetric symbols and cascades of light keeping no corner obscure. Soon he made his way to the royal chamber. The king duly surprised, but ready prepared his court the hear the poet recite his master work.The poet confident although afraid of the power of the royal court stood quietly, until a servant signaled him to begin. The poet began, "I will recite the song of the nightingale" and he began in Arabic, "Sow too safee bulbulee, heyaa abqul al-thamalee ..." he continued on and the court listened patiently. Dust settled lightly in the silence that surrounded the poet as he recited his poem with rythmic excellence. When he had finished the king began to recite the poem, slowly, but soon his words faltered and he erred. He commanded his servants to recite the poem, they too began the recitation, but soon their worlds also faltered. The maids began for the third time, but their words too became lost in the immensity of the poem.
The king relented. He spoke, "You have been a worthy challenger. So I will thusly reward you gold equal to the weight of the paper the poem was written upon."
Al-Asma'i replied in eagerness, "Ah, yes, but I have not written my work upon paper."
Confused the king replied, "Then where have you written it?"
Al-Asma'i now almost modest in his reply said only, "On the marble in the marble quarry near my village."
The king was duly surprised, but without alternative he was left only to pay the noble poet with all the gold in the kingdom.
----
The above is an adaptation of a common story told in the Middle East. It was recounted to me by my friend in Saudi Arabia and then my friend in Kuwait. I have adapted the story a bit, and it's just a rough sketch of what this great story could really be. Enjoy.
The poem that Al-Asma'i wrote below:
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