The Coffee Master's Secret | سِرُّ أُسْتاذِ القَهْوَةِ
"A legendary coffee maker holds a secret recipe that a sultan would kill for"
سِرُّ أُسْتاذِ القَهْوَةِ
The Coffee Master's Secret
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: القَهْوَةُ المَلَكِيَّةُ
Chapter One: The Royal Coffee
فِي مَجالِسِ عُمانَ، كانَتِ القَهْوَةُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ شَرابٍ. كانَتْ فَنًّا وَكَرامَةً وَتَقْلِيدًا عَرِيقًا. وَكانَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ صالِحٍ أَعْظَمَ أُسْتاذِ قَهْوَةٍ فِي التَّارِيخِ.
In the gatherings of Oman, coffee was more than a drink. It was an art, a dignity, and an ancient tradition. Ahmad bin Salih was the greatest coffee master in history.
قَهْوَتُهُ كانَتْ لَها طَعْمٌ لا يُضاهَى. سُلْطانُ مَسْقَطَ نَفْسُهُ كانَ يَطْلُبُها، وَالأُمَراءُ يَتَنافَسُونَ لِدَعْوَتِهِ.
His coffee had an unmatched taste. The Sultan of Muscat himself would request it, and princes competed to invite him.
قالَ النَّاسُ: «عِنْدَهُ سِرٌّ لا يُفْشِيهِ لِأَحَدٍ!»
People said: "He has a secret he reveals to no one!"
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: طَمَعُ السُّلْطانِ
Chapter Two: The Sultan's Greed
طَلَبَ السُّلْطانُ مِنْ أَحْمَدَ أَنْ يَكْشِفَ سِرَّ قَهْوَتِهِ. رَفَضَ أَحْمَدُ بِأَدَبٍ قائِلاً: «هَذا السِّرُّ وَرِثْتُهُ عَنْ أَبِي، وَأَقْسَمْتُ أَنْ لا أُعْطِيَهُ إِلَّا لِابْنِي.»
The Sultan asked Ahmad to reveal the secret of his coffee. Ahmad politely refused, saying: "This secret I inherited from my father, and I swore to give it only to my son."
غَضِبَ السُّلْطانُ وَهَدَّدَهُ: «إِمَّا السِّرُّ أَوِ السِّجْنُ!»
The Sultan was angry and threatened him: "Either the secret or prison!"
قالَ أَحْمَدُ بِثَباتٍ: «السِّجْنُ لا يُخِيفُنِي، يا مَوْلايَ. لَكِنَّ خِيانَةَ قَسَمِي تُخِيفُنِي.»
Ahmad said firmly: "Prison does not frighten me, O my lord. But betraying my oath frightens me."
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الحِيلَةُ الذَّكِيَّةُ
Chapter Three: The Clever Trick
سُجِنَ أَحْمَدُ، وَحَزِنَ النَّاسُ. لَكِنَّ ابْنَهُ الشَّابَّ ذَهَبَ إِلى السُّلْطانِ.
Ahmad was imprisoned, and people grieved. But his young son went to the Sultan.
قالَ الاِبْنُ: «يا مَوْلايَ، أَنا أَعْرِفُ السِّرَّ. سَأُعَلِّمُهُ لِطَبَّاخِكَ إِنْ أَطْلَقْتَ أَبِي.»
The son said: "O my lord, I know the secret. I shall teach it to your cook if you release my father."
فَرِحَ السُّلْطانُ وَأَطْلَقَ أَحْمَدَ. عَلَّمَ الاِبْنُ الطَّبَّاخَ الوَصْفَةَ... لَكِنَّ القَهْوَةَ لَمْ تَكُنْ بِنَفْسِ الطَّعْمِ!
The Sultan rejoiced and released Ahmad. The son taught the cook the recipe... but the coffee did not have the same taste!
الفصلُ الرَّابِعُ: السِّرُّ الحَقِيقِيُّ
Chapter Four: The True Secret
غَضِبَ السُّلْطانُ وَطَلَبَ أَحْمَدَ. قالَ لَهُ: «خَدَعْتَنِي! القَهْوَةُ لَيْسَتْ كَقَهْوَتِكَ!»
The Sultan was furious and summoned Ahmad. He said to him: "You deceived me! The coffee is not like yours!"
ابْتَسَمَ أَحْمَدُ وَقالَ: «يا مَوْلايَ، السِّرُّ لَيْسَ فِي الوَصْفَةِ. السِّرُّ فِي الحُبِّ. أَنا أَصْنَعُ القَهْوَةَ بِقَلْبِي، وَهَذا لا يُمْكِنُ نَقْلُهُ.»
Ahmad smiled and said: "O my lord, the secret is not in the recipe. The secret is in love. I make coffee with my heart, and this cannot be transferred."
فَهِمَ السُّلْطانُ، وَاعْتَذَرَ لِأَحْمَدَ، وَصارَ صَدِيقَهُ. وَبَقِيَ سِرُّ القَهْوَةِ فِي العائِلَةِ أَجْيالاً.
The Sultan understood, apologized to Ahmad, and became his friend. And the secret of coffee remained in the family for generations.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End