Week 6 Story: Miemun and Khojisteh

The prince wanted nothing more than to have a son. He prayed day and night for a strong and beautiful boy who would carry on his lineage. After what seemed to be years of prayer, the Creator acquiesced, and created for the prince a son who was shining as the sun, bright and kind. The boy's father, the prince, knew that it was not fitting for such a beautiful creature to be alone. So, he immediately began seeking a wife for his child, whom he called Miemun.
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Khojisteh seemed to be the perfect match for Miemun. She was beautiful in her own right, the moon to his sun. Shortly after the prince introduced Khojisteh to his son, they became inseparable. They shared a deep love for their families, storytelling, and learning more about the world around them. They were married in only weeks.

A Happy Day for Khojisteh and Miemun

Khojisteh was deeply infatuated with her husband. She could not fathom that he had been born of the Creator Himself, and that such a kind and beautiful man was her's to love. The longer their relationship lasted, the harder Khojisteh fell for Miemun, and the more she began to doubt herself. Khojisteh genuinely believed that she was not worthy of such a wonderful husband. Thus, she became clingy and desperate, striving to earn the love of her husband.
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Miemun was ecstatic when his father suggested Khojisteh for his wife. He had noticed the woman long ago, and had loved and lusted after her since. From the day they met, Miemun knew that they would marry, and hated waiting the prerequisite weeks to court Khojisteh. However, the waiting period was worth it, as he learned of Khojisteh's passions and fears. 

Despite Miemun's deep feelings for his wife, he was nevertheless frustrated by her at times. She had no confidence in his love, and overcompensated with neediness and self-pity. Miemun suspected that Khojisteh had a tendency to self-destructed, and worried what that may mean for the success of their marriage. He began to devise a plan. 

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Miemun would go away for an extended business trip, hoping to put a healthy amount of distance between himself and his wife, praying that his absence from her would make his heart grow fonder. Before leaving, he purchased a parrot to keep her company as he was away. Little did he know, the parrot would keep his wife from the company of others...

Author's Note: "Miemun and Khojisteh" is inspired by Tales of a Parrot, an ancient Mideastern legend in which a parrot prevents his mistress from committing adultery by distracting her with stories. As I read the legends, I found it odd that Khojisteh would cheat despite her alleged love for Miemun, and thought that more context was needed to make that jump. 

Reading Notes: Tales of a Parrot, Part B

To review, this week I have been reading the Middle Eastern Myth Tutinameh, or Tales of a Parrot. In these stories, a creative parrot is the pet of a merchant and his wife. When the merchant takes leave on an extended business trip, the wife becomes enamored with a stranger, and makes a plan to cheat on her husband. Thus, the parrot takes it upon himself to prevent the act of adultery, and begins to tell the wife many stories, which distract her from leaving home to be with her lover.

A Parrot Prepares to Tell a Story

In today's readings, I am focusing on an aspect that is common to all of the stories, along with the eventual conclusion of the series. First, I will discuss the woman's seeming obedience to the parrot. Then, I will recount my thoughts on the events of her husband's homecoming. 

Khojisteh and the Parrot

Each night when darkness falls, Khojisteh (the wife) prepares herself to visit her lover, but stops at the cage of the parrot. She seems to be asking the parrot's permission to leave and commit adultery against her husband. On the surface, the parrot seems supportive, encouraging the woman to make herself happy. Yet, he is a trickster, always telling stories that keep Khojisteh awake until dawn, preventing her from going to the man.

Khojisteh, while sometimes expressing her frustration with the parrot, never became outright angry with him. What would have happened if she had shown her anger? What if the parrot had not been allowed to continue tricking Khojisteh? 

A Husband's Return

Eventually, Khojisteh's husband, Miemun, returns from his travels. He asks what has happened to the parrot's companion. the sharuk bird. At this point, the parrot reveals all of the events that have transpired since the man has been gone, especially Khojisteh's attempted adultery. Miemun becomes angry at his trying wife, and kills her immediately. 

What I found most shocking about this reading was how quick Miemun was to believe the parrot, without evening questioning his wife. He killed Khojisteh so quickly, but I think their original passion demands more details as to how Khojisteh's death came about. 

Reading Notes: Tales of a Parrot, Part A

This week, I was most interested in reading Tutinameh, or Tales of a Parrot. In the original myth, a wise parrot belongs to a rich and beautiful couple. The husband goes away for several weeks on business, at which point the wife begins to wander into the arms of another man. So, the parrot conspires to distract the wife from her adultery through stories. Notes on the introductory stories can be found below.

A Wise Parrot

In my initial readings, I was fascinated by two important origins in this myth. First, the relationship between the man, Miemun, and his wife, Khojisteh. Second, the origins of the parrot himself. Read on for my thoughts on how both may have come into being.

Miemun and Khojisteh
According to the original myth, Miemun was created by God himself. "His countenance was resplendent as the sun." His earthly father, who had prayed to God for the creation of Miemun, married him off to Khojisteh. It was said that Khojisteh had a "body as fair as the silver moon," making her a fitting partner for Miemun. The myth also explains that the pair was deeply in love, and practically inseparable.

When writing a story for this week, I could potentially tell how Miemun and Khojisteh originally met. Furthermore, I think seeds need to be planted to explain why Khojisteh, who is said to truly love her husband would eventually move to cheat on him.

Khojisteh and the Parrot
The parrot, after learning of Khojisteh's intentions to cheat on her husband, moved to prevent the adultery by distracting his mistress with stories. This came only after the parrot watched as Khojisteh murdered his companion, the sharuk bird, after the other bird instructed Khojisteh not to be unfaithful to her husband.

In my stories, I hope to write more background for the parrot's character. How did he come to know the stories the shares with Khojisteh? How did he feel as he witnessed Khojisteh's killing of the sharuk?