Once there was and once there wasn’t…
So begins every tale in the Persian tradition. But in a nod to the delight and relevance of such tales for today’s audience, Daniel Nayeri begins with a trip to his grandfather’s farm outside of Isfahan. Along the way, they stop at the house of Saba and Abbas, a childless couple who so love kids that they built a Ferris wheel made of car parts and scraps so they can hear the sounds of laughter and play. There, our young narrator begs Abbas for one of his famous stories - and is rewarded with the tale of three brothers, a giant, a captive princess, and a perfect lemon, so sweet it can cure sadness itself.
This tale is both ancient and modern, wistful and whimsical, sweet and supremely satisfying.