The Pearl of Pemba | لُؤْلُؤَةُ بِمْبا
"A legendary pearl diver discovers the greatest pearl ever found near Pemba Island"
لُؤْلُؤَةُ بِمْبا
The Pearl of Pemba
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الغَوَّاصُ الشُّجاعُ
Chapter One: The Brave Diver
كانَ فارِسٌ غَوَّاصًا مِنْ جَزِيرَةِ بِمْبا، أَشْهَرَ غَوَّاصٍ فِي السَّواحِلِ كُلِّها. كانَ يَغُوصُ أَعْمَقَ مِنْ أَيِّ إِنْسانٍ، وَيَبْقَى تَحْتَ الماءِ أَطْوَلَ مِنَ الجَمِيعِ.
Faris was a diver from Pemba Island, the most famous diver on all the coasts. He would dive deeper than any human and stay underwater longer than anyone.
قالَ النَّاسُ: «إِنَّهُ نِصْفُ سَمَكَةٍ!»
People said: "He is half fish!"
لَكِنَّ فارِسًا كانَ يَحْلُمُ بِشَيْءٍ واحِدٍ: أَنْ يَجِدَ اللُّؤْلُؤَةَ الأُسْطُورِيَّةَ الَّتِي تَحَدَّثَ عَنْها الأَجْدادُ.
But Faris dreamed of one thing: to find the legendary pearl that ancestors spoke of.
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الغَوْصَةُ المُسْتَحِيلَةُ
Chapter Two: The Impossible Dive
قالَ لَهُ شَيْخٌ عَجُوزٌ: «اللُّؤْلُؤَةُ مَوْجُودَةٌ فِي الأَعْماقِ المُظْلِمَةِ، حَيْثُ لا يَصِلُ أَحَدٌ. مَنْ حاوَلَ ماتَ!»
An old sheikh told him: "The pearl exists in the dark depths, where no one reaches. Whoever tried died!"
لَكِنَّ فارِسًا قَرَّرَ المُحاوَلَةَ. صَلَّى وَوَدَّعَ أَهْلَهُ وَغاصَ.
But Faris decided to try. He prayed, bade farewell to his family, and dove.
نَزَلَ وَنَزَلَ حَتَّى أَحاطَ بِهِ الظَّلامُ. شَعَرَ بِضَغْطِ الماءِ يَكادُ يَكْسِرُهُ. لَكِنَّهُ رَأَى ضَوْءً خافِتًا... وَهُناكَ كانَتِ المَحَّارَةُ العَمْلاقَةُ!
He descended and descended until darkness surrounded him. He felt the water pressure nearly crushing him. But he saw a faint light... and there was the giant oyster!
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الثَّرْوَةُ وَالحِكْمَةُ
Chapter Three: Wealth and Wisdom
صَعِدَ فارِسٌ وَفِي يَدِهِ لُؤْلُؤَةٌ بِحَجْمِ البَيْضَةِ، تَتَلَأْلَأُ بِأَلْوانِ السَّماءِ!
Faris surfaced with a pearl the size of an egg in his hand, sparkling with the colors of the sky!
عَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ السُّلْطانُ ثَرْوَةً هائِلَةً. لَكِنَّ فارِسًا قالَ: «أُرِيدُ شَيْئًا واحِدًا: أَنْ تُعْتَقَ عَشَرَةُ عَبِيدٍ.»
The Sultan offered him a huge fortune. But Faris said: "I want one thing: that ten slaves be freed."
أُعْتِقَ العَبِيدُ، وَبَقِيَتِ اللُّؤْلُؤَةُ فِي خَزِينَةِ السُّلْطانِ. أَمَّا فارِسٌ، فَعادَ إِلى البَحْرِ سَعِيدًا، يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ حَرَّرَ عَشْرَ أَرْواحٍ بِغَوْصَةٍ واحِدَةٍ.
The slaves were freed, and the pearl remained in the Sultan's treasury. As for Faris, he returned to the sea happy, knowing he had freed ten souls with one dive.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End