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Greater Than Gold: The Wisdom of Persia's Storytellers |
| Section: CULTURE / FOLK WISDOM |
| Author: Jan Knappert |
| Publication:
The World & I Online |
| Issue Date: 12/1/1992 |
| Size: 6,819 Words, 36,294 Characters |
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In the old days, every king had a storyteller. In medieval Europe, for example, he was called a jester. He was not a fool but a teller of gests, tales of the exploits of heroes. Only gradually did the jester become a jokester whose exclusive function was to amuse a bored sovereign rather than to enlighten him about the honorable deeds of ancient kings and knights.
The original function of the jester-storyteller was to educate princes, young kings, and, in Africa, aspiring chiefs. Invariably, the storyteller is old and wise; the princesses and noble ladies often had a female storyteller, a wise old woman who knew numerous tales about clever women. I may tell you more about them another day!
In ancient India, as long ago as the days of Buddha, the kings would appoint teachers for their sons; the princes often were spoiled, lazy boys, so the only way they could be taught was with entertaining histories. The storyteller had to know innumerable jokes to keep his blasé audience amused and listening. The purpose of his tales was to educate the princes and aspiring chieflings in the difficult art of politics, without which no king can hold his throne for long.
How to choose trustworthy counselors and incorruptible chancellors, how to resolve disputes between strong characters, how to win wars without fighting battles, how to keep the peace in the women's quarters, how to administer justice between litigants in court: These were some of the constant challenges facing any sovereign from the moment his reign began. In those days, before the separation between the executive and judiciary branches of government, the king also presided over the court of justice, sitting on given mornings to hear cases brought before him.
Therefore, kings needed to be able to choose wise counselors, men with great knowledge of manners and customs, the rules of morality, the laws of the forefathers, and most, important of all, the hidden springs of human nature. The storytellers' tales and fables schooled the kings in wisdom.
The Persian Perspective
These famous fables were translated into many languages of the ancient East, including Syriac, Greek, and Arabic. Presented here are a selection from Persia. Because the Persians were scholars of a highly refined literary taste, they rearranged some of the tales to form coherent dialogues between the king and his storyteller.
As a result, the reader or listener can follow the reasoning behind the logical sequence of questions and answers. The dialogue presented here is translated from the Persian collection Anwar-e-Suheili (c. 1490).
The storyteller does not speak until he is addressed by the king, because storytellers spend most of their time learning about people's characters and listening to their life stories. The storyteller has to be asked to tell a story, for each of his tales is a gem of wisdom that must be savored and consciously enjoyed. That way, its wisdom slowly penetrates the mind.
The storyteller recounts a tale only if he feels appreciated, but he refers, in every story, to the next one he is prepared to tell, if asked. Inevitably, he will arouse his listeners' curiosity. Someone is bound to ask, What happened to the poor donkey? And so, the chain of tales continues. The contents may change to suit the taste and knowledge of the audience. The tale of the monkey in the fruit tree, for example, is widespread. The monkey forms a friendship with a shark in the tales of the peoples who live on the shores of the Indian Ocean, such as the Swahili, but in the old Indian version the monk...
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...s and become wise. The young king reigned for many years, during which time no one was allowed to deceive his neighbor, for the king had learned to see through confidence men, tricksters, and all other dishonest characters.
As a result, the realm was peaceful, for there was no dispute. My friends, war and all other discord is the result of lying. Honest people will always live in peace.
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Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
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The World & I Online is a
comprehensive academic resource that encompasses a broad range of
articles by scholars and experts in the areas of Global Studies,
Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
includes the complete contents since 1986 and continues to publish
a new issue online each month. |
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