User:ShakespeareFan00/The Merchant's Daughter

Listeners still, as I tell my tale.

In the Sultan's city, there are many Merchants, and my tale concerns but one of these, his daughter, the wicked step-mother, sisters and the Prince (who became the Sultan).

The Merchant traded well, and as is custom, took a wife, and in time the wife bore the Merchant a Daughter. Such happy times is a child for those with blessing. But such is fortune, for the Merchant's ships lost themselves in a storm upon the coast, and the wife fell into a fever and died. The Merchant, seeking solace, took another bride. This bride was not of good heart, for in her burned the passion not of love but of greed and ambition for own vanity. This women's former husband also lost, had left her with 2 daughters, and within them burned no less bright the dark flames of their mother.

The Merchant, weak with concerns of his trade attempted to stand for his own kin, but could do little. For soon his daughter, by the efforts of her step-mother feel from being his blessed child. 'What need?' remarked the step-mother (and in moments) her daughters also, 'to pay for those to keep thee house, when I have at hand those to whom I can put the work?'. And thus informed she cared not for the merchant's daughter. The step-sisters were no better, for conceit directed them also, 'Why take it on?' they remarked when 'we have those to whom we can pass the task?' and so they cared not also for the Merchant's daughter. And all this despite their duty for those whom should have been guest to their duties.

The Merchant's daughter was kind-hearted, but dared not stand forth against them, for mercy in adversity is a vritue, and to take the bitter poison of ones tormenters an honourable course. So the merchant's daughter although smiling not, took the fall with grace, though from the blessed child to that of no more than slave to new kin was fall indeed.

For many times did the moon pass, and did the Merchant's daughter hold fast, until one spring, with great noise was it declared that the Sultan's Son, a fine Prince had come of age, and sought a bride to share his eventual kingdom. This ignited further the avirace and ambition of the step-mother, for she in her daughters saw a marriage as her ticket to wealth and fame indeed. So she, began the instruction of the step-sisters in the finer points of how to be the women for a Sultan. For a Sultan! What conciet, for to be an honest women is enough. When the Merchants Daughter asked what this instruction was for, the rebuff was swift and stern. 'What girl as you should dream to be a Sultan's women? No more than a servant are thee"' remarked the stepmother and the sisters sniggering. And within her the Merchant's Daughter felt a wave of sadness. 'Dream not, mere girl, or you shall be shown your place' said the step mother raising a hand, but she did not strike.