The Storyteller's Daughter (16 page)

“Although she had thought all the rest of the night about the fisherman’s words, the water bearer’s daughter had not been able to find the hidden meaning in them. How did one see with the heart and not the mind? The more times she dove, the more frustrated the water bearer’s daughter became. And now, a terrible fear seized her for the very first time.

“She was going to fail, as all the others before her had. Both she and her father would die.

“Late in the day, she lay in the boat, gathering up her breath for one last dive. All through the long hours, the fisherman had remained silent. But he spoke now. ‘You should trust yourself more. You already have the gift to see as you need to, you just don’t recognize it.’

‘“How can I have a gift and not recognize it?_ the water bearer’s daughter asked, her tone waspish.
And by the way, I tire of you talking in riddles,
she thought. But out of gratitude for all he had done for her, she did not say this aloud.

‘“By not understanding it for the gift it is,’ the fisherman replied with a smile. Exactly as if he had heard what she had not spoken as well as what she had. ‘Now let me ask you something: How did you look upon my face and yet see that one as ugly as I could also be kind?’

“I don’t know, exactly,’ the water bearer’s daughter said.  ‘I just looked and saw it.’

‘“Then that is what you must do to find the treasure,’ the fisherman said.

‘“Very well,’ the water bearer’s daughter answered. ‘I will try.’

‘“Then it is time for your last dive.’

“The fisherman pulled her to her feet. The water bearer’s daughter clasped his hand in hers for just a moment, as if to draw strength from its solidity and size. Then she released it, took one enormous breath, and dove into the ocean.

“Down, down, down she plummeted through water as blue and sparkling as a sapphire, until she reached the shimmering white sand that lay at the ocean’s bottom. There she paused, her long hair moving about her. But this time she did not focus on the jewels. Instead, she did a thing her mind insisted made no sense at all: She closed her eyes.

“She felt her hair shifting around her in the ocean’s unseen currents. She saw the way the light, filtered through the layers of water, created a rosy glow against the inside of her eyelids. It even seemed to her she felt the heart of the great ocean itself, opening to enfold her in its liquid embrace.

“And then completely without warning, the face of the fisherman popped into her mind.

“At this, the water bearers daughters eyes sprang open, and she knew that she had found the treasure for which she had searched so long and so hard.

“It was a shell, enormous and dark. Encrusted with things whose names she could only guess at. Its scalloped edges looked as sharp as knives.
This shell is like the fisherman,
she thought. For buried deep within it, the water bearer’s daughter thought she caught the glimmer of a treasure precious beyond her ability to measure—in spite of its rough and ugly outside.

“With her last ounce of strength, she snatched up the shell, then shot to the surface. The fisherman hauled her into the boat. He waited for her to catch her breath, then asked softly, ‘Will you show me what you have found?

“The water bearer’s daughter held out the shell. At the sight of it, the fisherman’s great hands trembled, and he shielded his eyes. And it was only in this moment that the water bearer’s daughter realized what color they were: the same changeable blue-green as the sea around them.

‘“Well done,’ the fisherman said. For there is more in this than you yet know. But for now it is enough that you have found the thing you came for. Tonight we will sleep, and tomorrow, ransom your father.’

‘“But the way is long,’ the water bearer’s daughter protested. It cannot be possible we can ransom him tomorrow.’

“The fisherman took her face between his still-trembling hands. ‘Do you trust me?’ he asked softly.

‘“I trust you,’ said the water bearer’s daughter.

“‘Then believe in me also. For I swear to you that tomorrow your father will be free at last.’

“And the water bearer’s daughter’s heart was filled with joy. That night, for what she thought would be the very last time, she slept in the fisherman’s house. She awoke in the dead of night, as always. The fisherman sat beside the fire, turning the shell over and over in his hands, his eyes glowing as bright as the coals.

“At the sight of this, the water bearer’s daughter rose from her bed and went to sit by his side. He wrapped her in his cloak. She rested her head upon his shoulder. There she fell asleep once more. But the fisherman stayed awake all night, for in his head were thoughts that would not let him close his eyes. And so the hours passed until the dawn.

“Just as the first hint of light crept into the sky, the fisherman arose, placed the shell upon the breast of the still-sleeping water bearer’s daughter, wrapped both more securely in his cloak, picked her up, stepped out his front door, and closed it behind him. For a moment, he simply stood, looking out upon the ocean. Then, with one strong arm, he took up the net upon which he had labored every night since he had first made the cottage by the sea his home, and he turned his back upon the water.

“In a great swinging arc, he cast the net out, not across the sea, but across the land. The net was so vast, it stretched beyond the horizon. Then the fisherman gathered up the net, took one step forward, and cast it again, beyond the next horizon.

“Again and again, the fisherman cast out his great net and gathered it in. Cast it out and gathered it in. Each time taking one step forward. With each step he took, he brought himself closer to his own destiny and the water bearer’s daughter closer to her father. So that by the time she stirred in the fisherman’s arms and he set her down, they were but a street away from Prince Khasib’s palace.

“When the water bearer’s daughter realized where they were, her mouth opened and closed like a fish on the shore, a thing that caused the fisherman to smile.

‘“Don’t worry about the “how” of this yet,’ he said. For there will be time to explain all things after we have ransomed your father.’

‘“There is no way I can ever thank you enough,’ the water bearer’s daughter said, finally finding her voice.

“The fisherman raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you not think so? But that, too, can wait. Come, let us go to the palace.’

“Great was the amazement of the guards when they saw the water bearers daughter had returned. For after her departure, word of the deed she would attempt had spread until there was no one in the land who did not know of it. But even though all knew of her, none had expected her to return.

“She was shown to Prince Khasib’s great audience chamber at once, the fisherman trailing along behind her. There the water bearers daughter was astonished to discover that while for her the time had flown while she accomplished her quest, in the palace of Prince Khasib, time had crawled, so that little more than a month had passed since she first set out.

“Though it took him a moment to recognize her, for her feet were bare and covered with sand, and her hair was white as bone, when the prince realized the water bearer’s daughter had returned, great was his joy! His courtiers were struck dumb with wonder, then began to talk all at once. The beautiful court lady fainted dead away and had to be revived. In all the confusion, no one noticed the presence of the fisherman at all. He stood at the back of the audience chamber, watching as the water bearer’s daughter moved down its great length alone.

“‘Sire,’ she said as she knelt before Prince Khasib when order had been restored. ‘Behold! I have brought you the great treasure you asked for. I place it in your hand, as you bade me. Therefore, I beg you, free my father. Spare his life and mine.’

“‘Gladly,’ Prince Khasib said as he took the shell from her. He was so carried away by seeing the water bearer’s daughter again, he hardly noticed what it was that she had brought him. With a wave of his arm, he sent the captain of his guard to free the water bearer. ‘Not only that, I will make preparations for our wedding at once.’

“At these words the courtiers began to cheer so loudly, the court lady had to shriek like a banshee to be heard over them, and the water bearer’s daughter’s mouth fell open. For the truth was she had forgotten all about Prince Khasib’s pledge to marry her if she was successful. She had thought only of saving her father. But now that he mentioned it, she realized that she had no wish to marry the prince at all. In fact, if she had her choice …

“1 see no great treasure!’ the court lady shouted, interrupting both the courtiers’ cries and the water bearer’s daughter’s thoughts.  ‘I see only a shell such as anyone might find. Spare her father if you will, but do not marry this common girl, my lord. For I fear she leads you on for some purpose of her own.’

“‘Nonsense!’ Prince Khasib shouted back. And at his words, a silence fell while all gazed at the shell the water bearer’s daughter had brought. “Though, I must admit you do have a point. I see nothing special in this.’

“But how can that he?
the water bearer’s daughter thought. How could it be that a great prince saw only the surface of a thing, while she, a mere water bearer’s daughter saw so much more?

“And then a strange thing happened. For as the water bearer’s daughter looked upon Prince Khasib, she saw not only his outward form, she saw what was inside him also. She saw the thing that drove his heart. And it was love, this much was true. But not love for her. It was love of power. Love for himself.  Together, these were so strong, they left no room for loving anything else.

“Turning her eyes upon the court lady, the water bearers daughter saw into her heart also. And in it there writhed two snakes twined so tightly together, they appeared as one. And they were desire for Prince Khasib, and a will to vanquish any and all who might try to turn this desire aside.

That explains the iron shoes,
the water bearers daughter thought.

“And now the water bearer’s daughter turned her back upon Prince Khasib and looked upon the fisherman, knowing that she saw him with the eyes of her heart for the very first time.

How could I have ever thought him ugly?
she wondered. For now it seemed to her that he shone as bright and pure as the evening star. From the depths of his heart, her own face smiled back, and she knew in that moment that their hearts were one. Never again was the fisherman anything other than beautiful to her, for never again did she look at him through any other but the eyes of truest love.

“And in this way the water bearer’s daughter came to understand that though she had set out to win a treasure for Prince Khasib, she had won a treasure even greater for herself.

“And so she turned to the prince and said, “The treasure I have brought does not reveal itself in outward form. To discover its worth, you must find the way into its heart. You must see what is inside.’

“But Prince Khasib did not understand her, and, at her words, he grew annoyed. ‘How, exactly do you propose I should do that?’ he asked, rattling the shell. It is locked up tight, and I fear to open it, for the edges are as sharp as knives.’

‘“That is a riddle you must solve for yourself,’ the water bearer’s daughter said. ‘You bade me find the treasure and place it in your hand. This I have done. I can do nothing more.’

‘“Tell me, or I’ll marry another,’ the prince threatened, certain this would bring her around.

“But to the astonishment of all, the water bearer’s daughter simply smiled.   ‘I pray you, do, my lord. And let it be the one who first put the idea of this great treasure into your mind. For is it not she who is most truly responsible for bringing it to you? Without her, I would never have set out.’

“And in this way did she repay the court lady for the kindness she had shown her.

“You are right!’ Prince Khasib cried.  ‘I will marry that lady without delay. And as for you, collect your father and go far from my sight. For a more ungrateful young woman I never have beheld.’

‘“It shall be as you say,’ the water bearer’s daughter promised. And she left the audience chamber, the fisherman at her side. Outside the palace they found the water bearer waiting for them. Great was the happiness of the father and daughter at being reunited! Then the water bearer said to his only child, ‘My daughter, who is this who stands so quietly at your side?”

‘“This is he who helped me secure your release,’ the water bearer’s daughter answered. And more than that, he is the man I love.’

‘“Then I shall love him also,’ the water bearer said.

“At these words, the fisherman knelt down before him. ‘Once, I was just such a prince as this Khasib,’ he said. Concerned only with outward form and show. In my arrogance, I once did a powerful sorceress a great wrong. For this, I was condemned to a life of ugliness and loneliness until the day someone should come to love me not for the looks that had once made me so proud, but for the man I had become inside.

‘“Though many have looked, your daughter is the only one who ever looked at me and saw me truly. You have pledged your love for me on her word alone. Will you give me her hand in marriage?’

“Gladly, if this is what my daughter wishes,’ the water bearer said.

‘“It is,’ she vowed.

‘“Then one more choice lies before you,’ the fisherman said, as he rose to her feet and took her into his arms. ‘Now that the spell is broken, will you have me as I am, or as I was? Will you have a fisherman or a prince to be your husband?”

‘“That is no choice at all,’ the water bearer’s daughter said. For surely you are both. But if you are asking if I’d like to live in a palace, the answer is no. Let us live in the cottage by the sea,’

“And they did so, and lived in happiness for the rest of their lives. And in this way did the gifts the water bearer’s daughter had been born with—her kind heart, her beauty, her bravery, and her honesty—win her treasure precious beyond measure.

“Prince Khasib never did figure out how to open the shell, though he tried every day for the rest of his life. Eventually this pursuit consumed him, and he could do nothing else. When she perceived there was no love in her husband’s heart for any but himself, the court lady pined away and died. Khasib never married again, and upon his demise, his kingdom passed to a lazy and foolish cousin.”