The Queen
with
the Folding Fan
By Mary Hobbs
There once lived a beautiful queen named Imani. She had incredible wealth owning many farms and treasures.
Although she lived a fabulous lifestyle she had a heart of gold.
Her most precious item by far was her beautiful silk folding fan. Whenever the fan was waved a huge feast of food and drink would appear.
Whenever there was conflict between her country and another she would invite them all together and wave her folding fan. To everyone’s surprise a huge feast would appear and everyone would eat. Instead of fighting people would leave feeling thankful and content.
The only drawback to possessing the fan was that if the owner ever stepped on a crack on the ground while holding it all the feasts from that point forward would be poisonous. Although the food would still look edible it would cause all those who feasted to become ill.
One day a poor village woman named Asha decided she would take advantage of the queen’s kind heart in order to get her magic folding fan. The queen was out in the village one day with her bodyguards and as she passed by Asha threw herself on the ground screaming that one of the queen’s bodyguards had knocked her down. Although the queen knew the woman was being untruthful she could see the woman was very poor and she felt bad for her. So the queen said, “You may come back to the castle with me and take anything you like for the harm I have caused you.”
Back at the castle Asha quickly looked around then blurted out, “There. I want your folding fan."
“Very well,” said the queen “but I must warn you..”
“No buts”, shouted Asha. She then snatched the fan and stormed out of the castle without knowing the bad things that could happen if she stepped on a crack while holding the fan.
The first two weeks that Asha had with the folding fan were magnificient--she waved the fan several times a day and ate herself full every meal. She bragged to everyone around the village about her feasts. At first the villagers did not believe her for they knew she was very poor.
“Come take a look in my window tonight at supper time you’ll see,” Asha said.
A few curious villagers showed up at her window that night. They were shocked to see Asha had a table full of food she was enjoying. The villagers then knocked on Asha’s door and asked her if they could join in on her feast.
“No. Now go away!” Asha shouted.
Asha was greedy and cruel and never shared any of her food with the other villagers.
One day Asha traveled into the village market to buy some wine to go with her afternoon feast. She carried the fan with her wherever she went for she could not trust the others in her village not to steal it. On the walk back home she stepped on a crack on the ground. Not realizing what she had done Asha immediately waved the fan when she got home. Instantly food appeared on her table. She decided to start with the chicken and immediately began stuffing a chicken wing in her mouth.
She thought it tasted a little funny but she finished the whole wing anyway. After swallowing her last bite of chicken she became nauseous and dizzy. Seconds later Asha threw up everywhere. She was shocked. She filled a cup with water and began to drink. The water instantly made her throw up more. Asha crawled over to the edge of the table and grabbed some crackers hoping it would settle her stomach. No sooner did she put the crackers in her mouth did she instantly start vomiting.
“Why..Why?!!”, yelled Asha. She then passed out from exhaustion.
Asha woke up during supper hours. Although she did not understand why she got so sick earlier during lunch she now had to eat dinner. So again she waved the fan and food appeared before her. As she was eating she could feel a knot in her stomach. She tried her best to fight it but she could not and before she could even finish one plate of food she threw up all over the floor. Not only did she throw up food this time but now she was also throwing up blood. By the time Asha was done vomiting her dining room, all the remaining food, and she herself was covered in blood. “This is a curse,” she shouted, “And I will not be a victim anymore.” Asha then stormed out of her home headed towards Queen Imani’s castle.
The guards recognized Asha and let her in to speak with the queen. Asha ran up to the queen's thrown and blurted out, “Here take this cursed thing back!”
“What is the problem with it?” asked the queen.
“It is evil--it started off fine but now whenever I try to eat the food that appears after I wave it I become violently ill,” cried Asha.
“I tried to warn you of this but you dismissed me remember? If one steps on a crack in the ground while holding the fan all the food that appears from that point forward will be poisonous,” explained the queen. “There has been much talk around the village about you lately. I’ve heard that you are so selfish that you will not share any of your food with anyone else. I also know that my bodyguards did not really knock you down that day at the market. Perhaps it serves you right to be plagued.”
“Please! Have mercy on me queen. Take this awful thing back” Asha said sobbing.
“Ok. I will take it back on one condition” said the queen, “You must give away every single thing you own to people in the village who are needier than you. Then for the rest of your life you will work as a church missionary in hopes that Olorun will have mercy on your soul.”
“Fine. I'll do it” said Asha.
Asha went home and did as the queen said. And from that day forward Asha never did anything selfish or deceiving ever again.
