The Zanzibar Princess | أَمِيرَةُ زَنْجِبارَ
"An Omani princess in Zanzibar must choose between her royal duty and her secret rebellion"
أَمِيرَةُ زَنْجِبارَ
The Zanzibar Princess
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: القَفَصُ الذَّهَبِيُّ
Chapter One: The Golden Cage
فِي قَصْرِ زَنْجِبارَ المُطِلِّ عَلى المُحِيطِ، عاشَتِ الأَمِيرَةُ سَلْمَى بِنْتُ السَّيِّدِ سَعِيدٍ. كانَتِ ابْنَةَ سُلْطانِ عُمانَ وَزَنْجِبارَ، وَحَياتُها مَرْسُومَةٌ مِنْ قَبْلِ وِلادَتِها.
In the palace of Zanzibar overlooking the ocean, there lived Princess Salma bint Sayyid Said. She was the daughter of the Sultan of Oman and Zanzibar, and her life was drawn before her birth.
لَكِنَّ سَلْمَى لَمْ تَكُنْ كَغَيْرِها مِنَ الأَمِيراتِ. كانَتْ تَقْرَأُ كُتُبَ الفَلْسَفَةِ سِرًّا، وَتَتَعَلَّمُ اللُّغاتِ، وَتَحْلُمُ بِحَياةٍ حُرَّةٍ.
But Salma was not like other princesses. She secretly read philosophy books, learned languages, and dreamed of a free life.
قالَتْ لِجارِيَتِها: «هَذا القَصْرُ قَفَصٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ. وَأَنا طائِرٌ يُرِيدُ الطَّيَرانَ.»
She said to her maid: "This palace is a golden cage. And I am a bird that wants to fly."
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الحُبُّ المُحَرَّمُ
Chapter Two: The Forbidden Love
تَعَرَّفَتْ سَلْمَى عَلى تاجِرٍ أَلْمانِيٍّ يُدْعَى رُودُلْفْ. كانَ يَأْتِي لِلْقَصْرِ لِبَيْعِ البَضائِعِ، وَكانَتْ تُراقِبُهُ مِنْ وَراءِ السِّتارِ.
Salma met a German merchant named Rudolf. He would come to the palace to sell goods, and she would watch him from behind the curtain.
بَدَأَتْ بَيْنَهُما رَسائِلُ سِرِّيَّةٌ، ثُمَّ لِقاءاتٌ خَفِيَّةٌ. وَقَعَتْ فِي حُبِّهِ، وَهُوَ فِي حُبِّها.
Secret letters began between them, then hidden meetings. She fell in love with him, and he with her.
قالَ لَها رُودُلْفْ: «تَعالِي مَعِي إِلى أُورُوبَّا! هُناكَ سَتَكُونِينَ حُرَّةً!»
Rudolf said to her: "Come with me to Europe! There you will be free!"
عَرَفَتْ أَنَّ هَذا يَعْنِي خِيانَةَ عائِلَتِها وَوَطَنِها. لَكِنَّها اخْتارَتِ الحُرِّيَّةَ.
She knew this meant betraying her family and homeland. But she chose freedom.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: الهُرُوبُ الكَبِيرُ
Chapter Three: The Great Escape
فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُظْلِمَةٍ، هَرَبَتْ سَلْمَى مِنَ القَصْرِ. نَزَلَتْ مِنَ النَّافِذَةِ بِحَبْلٍ، وَرَكِبَتْ سَفِينَةً بِرِيطانِيَّةً.
On a dark night, Salma escaped from the palace. She descended from the window by rope and boarded a British ship.
حِينَ اكْتَشَفَ السُّلْطانُ هُرُوبَها، غَضِبَ غَضَبًا شَدِيدًا. أَعْلَنَ أَنَّها لَيْسَتِ ابْنَتَهُ بَعْدَ اليَوْمِ.
When the Sultan discovered her escape, he was furiously angry. He declared she was no longer his daughter.
لَكِنَّ سَلْمَى لَمْ تَنْدَمْ. وَصَلَتْ إِلى أَلْمانِيَا، وَتَزَوَّجَتْ رُودُلْفْ، وَغَيَّرَتِ اسْمَها إِلى «إِيمِيلي».
But Salma did not regret. She reached Germany, married Rudolf, and changed her name to "Emily."
الفصلُ الرَّابِعُ: ذِكْرَياتُ أَمِيرَةٍ
Chapter Four: Memoirs of a Princess
عاشَتْ سَلْمَى حَياةً صَعْبَةً فِي أُورُوبَّا. ماتَ زَوْجُها، وَتَرَكَها بِأَطْفالٍ صِغارٍ وَمالٍ قَلِيلٍ.
Salma lived a difficult life in Europe. Her husband died, leaving her with young children and little money.
لَكِنَّها لَمْ تَسْتَسْلِمْ. كَتَبَتْ كِتابًا عَنْ حَياتِها: «مُذَكِّراتُ أَمِيرَةٍ عَرَبِيَّةٍ»، صارَ مَشْهُورًا فِي العالَمِ.
But she did not surrender. She wrote a book about her life: "Memoirs of an Arabian Princess," which became famous worldwide.
قالَتْ فِي كِتابِها: «اِخْتَرْتُ الحُرِّيَّةَ وَدَفَعْتُ الثَّمَنَ. لَكِنَّ الحُرِّيَّةَ لا تُقَدَّرُ بِثَمَنٍ.»
She said in her book: "I chose freedom and paid the price. But freedom is priceless."
وَبَقِيَتْ قِصَّتُها رَمْزًا لِلنِّساءِ اللَّواتِي يُحارِبْنَ مِنْ أَجْلِ حَقِّهِنَّ فِي الاِخْتِيارِ.
And her story remained a symbol for women who fight for their right to choose.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End