Expo Iran 2008

Individual Text Analysis
Text: “Forty Fortunes”

By: Laura Lehmann

“Forty Fortunes” is an ancient Iranian folktale retold in 1997 by Aaron Shepard. The story revolves around Ahmed, a young husband posing as a Holy Diviner. By the king’s order, he must uncover forty jewel thieves within forty days or suffer harsh consequences of lifetime imprisonment. Luckily but unintentionally, Jamell finds the bandits and is rewarded with riches, living with his wife as the story describes, ‘happily ever after’.

Throughout the narrative, evidence of Iranian values, languages, food, clothing, geography, and political issues can jointly be traced.

In Isfahan, an ancient Iranian city, husbands are traditional breadwinners as Ahmed’s wife, Jamell, demands him of a job. Women, unlike today, were more respected since she threatens him with her optional leaving. The kingdom is ruled by a royal family, clearly authoritative when the wife of the King’s Royal Diviner takes the public bath all to herself. Their power is likewise depicted with their many servants, treasure chests, and strict ruling—“If you succeed, I’ll make you rich. If you don’t, you’ll rot with the others in prison”. Nonetheless, issues of opposing rebel groups are evident in the robbery of the palace—“The royal treasury was robbed. Forty pairs of hands carried away forty chests of gold and jewels”. Ahmed’s use of dry dates furthermore suggests an arid climate while his basic tools propose an undeveloped civilization—“He knew no special craft or trade, but he had a shovel and a pick… ‘If you can dig a hole, you can always earn enough to stay alive’”. Similarly, the serious improperness of a small hole in the lady’s cloak conveys a conservative Islamic society. With the character’s dialogue—“By the grace of God” and “Oh great diviner”—factors of religion and unreasoned beliefs proved major influences in society. Multiple Persian and Arabic names such as “Ahmed” and “Jamell” also established a Middle Eastern setting. Clearly, the folktale conveyed much of Iran’s cultural aspects.

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