Open the book.
Read the tales.

Merchant, always watch your surroundings.
Even though genies lie,
date pits will bring you peril.
A merchant soul is the price
for you to see your family,
before saying goodbye
forever. 

Turn the page.
Another tale.

The merchant trusts you;
you don’t think he’ll find out.
The gold is yours,
undeniably yours.
You have buried your shame
in a vat of olives.
Your secret discovered,
by a youth playing Caliph…
your punishment awaits.

A Sultana spins
tales in the night.

A vigilant woodcutter
finds a worthy secret.
Oh woodcutter,
Kassim is better off than you,
richer than you;
he envies what you have.
Kassim will find that jealousy
easily takes a life.

Turn the page.
The tales continue to spin
into freedom.