Lesson 5: Maryam's Story

When Maryam awoke, her bedroom was already flooded in sunlight. Her Grandma was standing by her bed. “Good morning, dear,” she said, “I thought you’d never wake!” Maryam rubbed her eyes and sat up a little. “Oh, Grandma, I had the nicest dream ever... I dreamt of Grandpa - but he was a young man in my dream. He was diving.” “Your grandfather was a pearl diver...,” said Grandma. “Yes,” continued Maryam. I was standing by the shore. He was on a wooden boat.” “A dhow,” said Grandma. “He waved to me and I waved back. And then he dived into the water. He seemed to be under the water for so long, but then he appeared and another man pulled him into the boat. Later he came ashore to me. He opened my hand and placed something inside. ‘What it is, Grandpa?’ I asked. ‘It’s a pearl... the first of the season,’ he said. His eyes were so kind. He knelt beside me and we looked at it together. ‘They say pearls are raindrops filled with moonlight that have fallen into the sea,’ he said. I was so happy.” Grandma smiled. “What a lovely story! And it’s your story,” she said.