العُرْسُ المَلَكِيُّ

The Royal Wedding

الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الخِطْبَةُ البَعِيدَةُ

Chapter One: The Distant Betrothal

أَرادَ السُّلْطانُ ثاني أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ، لَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَجِدِ امْرَأَةً تُناسِبُ طُمُوحَهُ. سَمِعَ عَنِ الأَمِيرَةِ شَمْسِ، ابْنَةِ شاهِ فارِسَ، الَّتِي يُقالُ إِنَّها أَجْمَلُ نِساءِ العالَمِ وَأَذْكاهُنَّ.

Sultan Thani wanted to marry, but found no woman who matched his ambition. He heard of Princess Shams, daughter of the Shah of Persia, said to be the most beautiful and intelligent woman in the world.

أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْها رَسُولاً يَحْمِلُ هَدايا نَفِيسَةً: لُبانًا عُمانِيًّا وَلُؤْلُؤًا وَذَهَبًا.

He sent her a messenger bearing precious gifts: Omani frankincense, pearls, and gold.

جاءَ الرَّدُّ: «الأَمِيرَةُ قَبِلَتْ!»

The reply came: "The princess has accepted!"

الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الاِسْتِعْداداتُ العَظِيمَةُ

Chapter Two: The Great Preparations

اسْتَعَدَّتْ مَسْقَطُ لِعُرْسٍ لَمْ تَشْهَدْ مِثْلَهُ. زُيِّنَتِ الشَّوارِعُ بِالأَضْواءِ وَالوُرُودِ. جِيءَ بِالطُّهاةِ مِنَ الهِنْدِ، وَالمُوسِيقِيِّينَ مِنَ اليَمَنِ، وَالشُّعَراءِ مِنَ العِراقِ.

Muscat prepared for a wedding unlike any before. Streets were decorated with lights and flowers. Cooks were brought from India, musicians from Yemen, and poets from Iraq.

وَصَلَتِ الأَمِيرَةُ شَمْسُ عَلى سَفِينَةٍ ذَهَبِيَّةٍ، وَأَلْفُ خادِمَةٍ تَتْبَعُها.

Princess Shams arrived on a golden ship, with a thousand handmaidens following her.

حِينَ رَآها السُّلْطانُ، عَرَفَ أَنَّ الوَصْفَ كانَ أَقَلَّ مِنَ الحَقِيقَةِ.

When the Sultan saw her, he knew the descriptions had been less than the reality.

الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: لَيْلَةُ الأَلْفِ وَلَيْلَةٍ

Chapter Three: The Night of a Thousand Nights

اسْتَمَرَّ الاِحْتِفالُ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا! كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ وَلِيمَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ وَرَقْصٌ وَشِعْرٌ. فُتِحَتْ خَزائِنُ السُّلْطانِ لِلْفُقَراءِ وَالغُرَباءِ.

The celebration lasted forty days! Every night a new feast, dancing, and poetry. The Sultan's treasuries were opened to the poor and strangers.

قالَتِ الأَمِيرَةُ شَمْسُ: «لَمْ أَرَ كَرَمًا كَهَذا فِي أَيِّ مَكانٍ!»

Princess Shams said: "I have never seen generosity like this anywhere!"

قالَ السُّلْطانُ: «الكَرَمُ صِفَةُ العُمانِيِّينَ يا حَبِيبَتِي. وَأَنْتِ الآنَ عُمانِيَّةٌ!»

The Sultan said: "Generosity is the trait of Omanis, my beloved. And now you are Omani!"

عاشا مَعًا خَمْسِينَ عامًا فِي سَعادَةٍ، وَأَنْجَبا أَوْلادًا صارُوا سَلاطِينَ وَأَمَراءَ.

They lived together fifty years in happiness and had children who became sultans and princes.

تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End