On a hot night in an Arab city a group of strangers had come together in the house of five sisters under unlikely circumstances.  

They had heard stories of love, war, death and misunderstanding, of the trickery of women and the treachery of men. Through these stories, secret identities had been revealed and the true nature of some of the present party, as well as the vulnerability of others, has been laid bare to be judged by the guests. 

 

This illustration captures a small moment amongst a long, knotted yarn of interweaving stories, much like a fish in the fisherman’s net. Each of the sisters had told a tale about how they had their freedom taken from them and had been subject to great cruelty at the hands of men.  

 After sitting in horrified silence at these stories, the Caliph, previously disguised as a merchant, revealed himself. He promised that he could undo the great injustice that had been served to his hosts and they all agreed that something must be done to make up for the treatment these women had endured. They awaited eagerly for the reaction of the Caliph. 

 

As if he had unheard all of the horrors he hads just witnessed, he decided that he would instruct a male member of the present company to marry each of the women, so that they need not grow old husbandless and miserable, an idea that was greeted by a mumble of approval from the male guests. 

 

The women were astounded. Had these people not heard what they had gone through at the hands of men?  

At that moment they were defiant, seething, strong and steadfast. They would not obey the Caliph, not even if disobedience meants death… 

 

You will have to wait til tomorrow night to find out what happens next…