Week 9 Story: Bata's Story

Bata's Story

Acacia Tree

Bata was sitting in the oasis, listening to the old man's story. He was quite impressed with the story, and it was definitely more impressive than the first one. A Genie sat there, scimitar in hand, listening intently. The Genie was going to kill a merchant that was sitting next to him, nervously listening to the story. The Genie, however, had made a wager with two old men.

The first old man had said that if his story was more marvelous than that of the merchant, the Genie would take away a third of the merchant's punishment. The second old man, wager that if his story was even more astonishing than that of the first man, he would take another third of the merchant punishment.

Bata, feeling bad for the merchant and knowing his story was more marvelous than that of the first and second old man consider for a moment. He then said, "Oh Prince of the Genii, listen to my story, and if you find that it is more marvelous than the stories you have just heard, do away with another third of the merchant's punishment."

The Genie consented, and Bata began his story.

"My name is Bata. I am from the lands of Egypt, far away from this oasis. When I was young, I lived with my brother, Anpu. He owned a farm and lived there with his wife. I grew up there and helped Anpu work the land.

Until one day, his wife falsely accused me of laying my hands upon her. For that, my brother wanted to kill me. I would have died if it wasn't for the great Sun God Ra, who came between us during that night and made us wait for his judgment until morning, for he sees everything and knows the truth.

During that sleepless night, I experienced visions of the things to come.  I saw things that no mortal could ever see, and I had a sense of what good and bad things destiny had in store for me. At dawn, after Ra had cleared me of my accusations, I left the farm. Before departing, I left my brother specific instructions on what to do when I needed his aid. I departed to the land of the flowering acacia.

When I say that the visions I had no mortal could ever see, is because if you were to learn the things I learned that night, you would be mortal no longer. I learned of deep and ancient magic. A magic that allows you conceal your soul, outside of your body.

I dwelt in the valley, and below the great acacia tree, I made my home–the acacia tree where inside its highest blossom I concealed my soul. Ra looked at my solitude and took pity on me. He bade the Gods to make me a wife. God Khnumu fashioned me a wife more beautiful than any other woman in the world. Her beauty was truly divine.

I loved her, but she betrayed me. She left me for some king to whom she told all my secrets. I had fought against hundreds of men, and I fought against armies, who could not kill my soul-less body. But when the king found out my secret, and the acacia tree was cut down, I perished.

My brother, true to his word, came to my aid. He found the seed containing my soul and restored me back to life as a bull. This had been my command, as I wanted to take revenge on my wife. My brother presented the bull to the king, who marveled at my size and splendor. After I revealed to the Queen that she had not killed me, she had me slaughtered as a bull.

When they beheaded me, to drops of blood fell on the ground, and from those drops sprouted two great mango trees. It was I who made them grow, and the fruits were magnificent. The Queen ate from the trees, and soon the tree withered away, and she became pregnant. When she had a child, I was born again as a prince.

After the King passed away, I inherited the kingdom, and in sight of noble men, I confronted the queen and sentenced her. I named my brother my Royal Heir and ruled the kingdom for a long time.

Now, I travel the world. Disguised as a poor old man, I try to deliver justice to those in need."

The Genie was impressed with his story and proclaimed "This was a marvelous story indeed. I shall spare the life of the merchant."

Bata replied "Thank you Genie, but this is not good enough. You have terrorized this poor merchant for over a year. Making him give away his possessions, and depart from his family. You will have to pay."

At these words, the Genie raised his scimitar menacingly. However, Bata took out an old lamp and proclaimed "I will take your soul, and put it inside this lamp where you will dwell for a thousand years. In that time, you will be a slave to the owner of the lamp and grant all of their wishes." With a cloud of smoke and the sound of thunder, the Genie disappeared.

Author's Notes:

This story is a combination of two different stories. It starts out with the story of "The Merchant and the Genius" from the Arabian Nights, and within that story, it transitions to "The Two Brothers" from Egyptian mythology.

In "The Merchant and the Genius", a merchant encounters an oasis where he finds a Genie that wants to kill him. Apparently, the merchant killed the Genie's brother without knowing it. The merchant pleads for his life and the Genie gives him 1 year to live and tells him to leave his affairs in order. The merchant comes back a year later, it is there when our story takes place and the three old men make the wager and tell their stories.

In the original account from Arabian Nights, the third story is not told by Scheherazade, but it is said that the third story is more magnificent than the previous two. Bata's story is my version of the third old man's story.

Bata's story is a retelling of "The Two Brothers." It is pretty accurate to the original except that I add some details, such as the visions in the night and the mango tree. Yes, the original story is very weird. I did not make up the whole thing about him being born as a prince as a child from his former wife.

The ending is completely made up. I thought it would be fun to make it into an origin story for the lamp in Alladin's story.

Bibliography:

Arabian Nights: The Merchant and the Genius

Egyptian Mythology: The Two Brothers