Stories bind us together. They may be the stuff of dreams, but through well-trodden themes, they present dilemmas and desires relatable to us all.

These age-old tales talk of the ocean, royalty and wealth, anchoring themselves in present-day Qatar. Moreover, through their morals, they are still important to us and our heritage within the Arabian Peninsula. Allandabout is about to guide you through the unique stories from Qatar’s past.

Bu Dhyhar

Bu Dhyhar is of the best-known stories from Qatar’s history. Set in the Gulf Waters, the monster represents the perils of the sea, which for many of our ancestors, was a great danger. The tale charts the descent of the doomed protagonist, swallowed by the capricious ocean creature, and typically seductive. The legend also sheds light on the grueling burden of silence cast on the sailors. Sight of the monster was bad luck, so the sailors were told. Unable to express their experience of the monster, the men harboured their experience with themselves whilst on board the ship. In all it’s a classic, which illustrates the grit of Qatar’s ancestors and the grave beauty that they embodied in the Ocean.

Zarqa Al Yamana

Zarqa Al Yamana is the story of a woman’s intuition, and what happens when it’s ignored! Legend tells of a uniquely gifted member of a tribe. She was relied on as a watchwoman. An enemy king, noticing an opportunity, disguises his men in shrubs and bushes. Zarqa, seeing through the ruse immediately, warns a nearby elder. He spurns her message, patronises her and labels her a hack. When the rest of the men fail to heed her warning, the entire camp is subject to the brutality of the enemy. Today, it’s thought that her legacy lives on through the region of the same name. She’s still a symbolic martyr that ties us back to our ancient past.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters tells of dreams, jealousy and a young woman’s quest to recover her father’s love. The Sultan, striding through the city, overhears three young women dreaming of their ideal husbands. Amused, she decides to fulfill their dreams on a whim. He marries the youngest himself and the other sisters to his royal courtiers. Satisfied, the sisters live on in harmony in the king’s court. However, the sister’s grow jealous of the youngest, secretly kidnapping her children and leading her to a shameful prison sentence for her neglect. All seems lost until, years later, the children find their way back to the king and they are reunited as a family.

The Three Apples

The Three Apples is an ancient whodunnit. A chest is sold between two merchants, believed to be of great value. Here begins a murder mystery, when inside, a body is discovered. The new owner of the chest is scrutinised by the king, twice failing to find the murderer. The murdered woman‘s husband comes forward as the culprit. To nurse the wife through illness, the husband had bought his wife particular apples. Finding another man eating the same apples, he discovers her infidelity and strikes out, murdering them both. The story is classically harsh, and full of plot twists, making it a timeless detective story.

 

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By: Alex Glendinning