The Lantern Maker | صانِعُ الفَوانِيسِ
"A craftsman's lanterns hold magical properties that protect against evil spirits"
صانِعُ الفَوانِيسِ
The Lantern Maker
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: النُّورُ فِي الظَّلامِ
Chapter One: Light in Darkness
فِي أَزِقَّةِ مَطْرَحَ القَدِيمَةِ، كانَ هُناكَ صانِعُ فَوانِيسَ يُدْعَى سَعِيدًا. صَنَعَ فَوانِيسَهُ مِنَ النُّحاسِ وَالزُّجاجِ المُلَوَّنِ، وَكُلُّ فانُوسٍ كانَ تُحْفَةً فَنِّيَّةً.
In the alleys of old Muttrah, there was a lantern maker called Sa'id. He made his lanterns from copper and colored glass, and each lantern was a work of art.
لَكِنَّ فَوانِيسَهُ كانَتْ مُخْتَلِفَةً: قِيلَ إِنَّها تَطْرُدُ الأَرْواحَ الشِّرِّيرَةَ!
But his lanterns were different: it was said they repelled evil spirits!
قالَ النَّاسُ: «فَوانِيسُ سَعِيدٍ تَحْمِي البُيُوتَ. ضَعْ واحِدًا عِنْدَ بابِكَ، وَلَنْ يَدْخُلَ الشَّرُّ أَبَدًا!»
People said: "Sa'id's lanterns protect homes. Put one at your door, and evil shall never enter!"
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: سِرُّ الصَّنْعَةِ
Chapter Two: The Secret of the Craft
سَأَلُوهُ: «ما سِرُّ فَوانِيسِكَ؟»
They asked him: "What is the secret of your lanterns?"
ابْتَسَمَ وَقالَ: «السِّرُّ فِي النِّيَّةِ. حِينَ أَصْنَعُ الفانُوسَ، أُصَلِّي وَأَدْعُو اللهَ أَنْ يَحْمِيَ صاحِبَهُ. النُّورُ لَيْسَ فِي الشَّمْعَةِ، بَلْ فِي الدُّعاءِ.»
He smiled and said: "The secret is in intention. When I make a lantern, I pray and ask God to protect its owner. The light is not in the candle, but in the prayer."
لَمْ يُصَدِّقْهُ أَحَدٌ. ظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ يُخْفِي سِحْرًا قَدِيمًا.
No one believed him. They thought he was hiding ancient magic.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: لَيْلَةُ الاِمْتِحانِ
Chapter Three: The Night of Testing
ذاتَ لَيْلَةٍ، ضَرَبَتِ المَدِينَةَ عاصِفَةٌ مُخِيفَةٌ. انْطَفَأَتْ كُلُّ الأَضْواءِ إِلَّا فَوانِيسَ سَعِيدٍ!
One night, a frightening storm struck the city. All lights went out except Sa'id's lanterns!
يَقُولُ النَّاسُ إِنَّهُمْ رَأَوْا ظِلالاً سَوْداءَ تَحُومُ حَوْلَ البُيُوتِ، لَكِنَّها تَهْرُبُ مِنْ نُورِ الفَوانِيسِ.
People said they saw black shadows hovering around houses, but fleeing from the lanterns' light.
فِي الصَّباحِ، وَجَدُوا أَنَّ البُيُوتَ الَّتِي فِيها فانُوسٌ لَمْ يُصِبْها أَذًى. أَمَّا الَّتِي بِدُونِهِ، فَتَضَرَّرَتْ.
In the morning, they found that houses with lanterns were unharmed. Those without them were damaged.
الفصلُ الرَّابِعُ: الإِرْثُ النُّورانِيُّ
Chapter Four: The Luminous Legacy
صارَ كُلُّ بَيْتٍ فِي مَطْرَحَ يَطْلُبُ فانُوسًا مِنْ سَعِيدٍ.
Every house in Muttrah came to request a lantern from Sa'id.
قالَ: «لَنْ أَطْلُبَ مالاً مِنَ الفَقِيرِ. وَمَنْ لا يَسْتَطِيعُ الدَّفْعَ، سَأُعْطِيهِ مَجَّانًا.»
He said: "I shall not ask money from the poor. And whoever cannot pay, I shall give to them for free."
عَلَّمَ ابْنَهُ الصَّنْعَةَ وَالسِّرَّ: «يا بُنَيَّ، تَذَكَّرْ: الفانُوسُ بِلا دُعاءٍ مُجَرَّدُ نُحاسٍ وَزُجاجٍ. الدُّعاءُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَجْعَلُهُ نُورًا.»
He taught his son the craft and the secret: "O my son, remember: a lantern without prayer is mere copper and glass. Prayer is what makes it light."
وَإِلى اليَوْمِ، فَوانِيسُ آلِ سَعِيدٍ تُزَيِّنُ بُيُوتَ مَطْرَحَ.
And to this day, Al-Sa'id's lanterns adorn the houses of Muttrah.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End