Leyla: The Black Tulip

The Poet’s Gift

After several more days of training, Madam Siranush comes to tell the girls it was time to go to market. The girls stand in small groups while customers come and look at them. The customers are all men.

Some customers buy several girls. Laleena overhears one man buy a dozen girls. The man’s words feel like a stab to Laleena’s heart. They’re being bartered and sold off like chicken or eggs. One girl is exchanged for a suit of armor. Another, a horse. By the end of the day, many of the girls have sold, but not Laleena.

The next day, they are back again at the market. Laleena watches girl after girl be sold, but no one seems interested in her. Laleena is grateful. She thinks the men must sense how she despises them.

Then, she notices a man standing quietly watching her. He doesn’t look frightening. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gold coin. Handing it to Leyla, he explains it has the Padishah’s turah.

When Laleena asks him who the Padishah is, he explains the Padishah is the Sultan. Bu şehri Stambul ki bimislü bahadır… a poem. The Sultan rules all the way to Italy and the Alps Mountains to the west, to Persia in the east, and North Africa to Morocco. But the King is a peace lover and doesn’t believe in war or slaves.

Laleena is very confused. She doesn’t know these places, and the poet mentions a map—Laleena doesn’t know what a map is. The poet senses she’s confused, and says it’s okay. She can keep the coin. Laleena wants to give him something in return. She reaches into her sack and pulls out one of the tulip bulbs. She explains how she used to garden tulips at home. The poet smiles. He responds gratefully, saying he’ll plant it and write a poem about it. He cannot buy her, since his job is to find inspiration, not slaves, but he’ll do what he can to see she’ll go to a good home.

That evening, the big room where the girls sleep feels empty. Laleena overhears Madam Siranush talking to a man outside. She’s telling him that if the girls don’t sell on the first couple days, the likelihood of them selling at all is slim. But no matter, they’ll find use for all the girls. Some become thieves or beggars.

Laleena remembers the beggars in her village. Some were missing legs or arms, and some were blind. She promises herself that tomorrow she’ll smile more. She cannot let herself be maimed to just become a beggar or thief.

Later that night, Laleena hears that all the young girls, including Lena, have been sold to a single buyer here in İstanbul. Laleena is sad, because she had prayed they could stay together, but hearing Lena is gone reminds her of everything she’s lost.