Theresa
Breslin
We’ve had a wonderful summer - we can’t often say that it
Scotland – and now it looks set to be a glorious autumn. I’m feeling very
buoyant and thought that I’d include special items in this month’s
post. There is a story for you and also two objects for the Cabinet of Curiosities - these give you a puzzle to solve.
But first you have to read the Blog…
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It
was a big dream of mine to travel along the Great Silk Road. I’d thought about
it ever since reading the adventures of Marco Polo when I was about twelve
years old, and hearing my father recite Coleridge’s magnificent poem that
begins:
‘In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
And
so, injected with medically prescribed health-protecting substances, fortified
by various vitamins, weighed down with a skip load of anti-diarrhoea tablets
and carrying a packet of Jacob’s cream crackers (proven on my various research
trips in the past to be the best sustenance for a gippy tummy), plus a large
sun hat, off I went to cross the desert and travel through
Uzbekistan.
Land of the Khans, of the mighty Timur, the warrior known as Tamerlane, who crushed the Golden Horde; meeting place of ancient nations and empires, with a fabulously rich history, Uzbekistan is a truly unforgettable country. From the spice market in Samarkand to the desert fortress of Khiva via the caravanserai and trading domes of Bukhara, it was crammed with breathtaking architecture, home to the most hospitable and friendly people, and bubbling with stories and legends.
Land of the Khans, of the mighty Timur, the warrior known as Tamerlane, who crushed the Golden Horde; meeting place of ancient nations and empires, with a fabulously rich history, Uzbekistan is a truly unforgettable country. From the spice market in Samarkand to the desert fortress of Khiva via the caravanserai and trading domes of Bukhara, it was crammed with breathtaking architecture, home to the most hospitable and friendly people, and bubbling with stories and legends.
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| Image Copyright Scarpa |
Possibly the most famous collection of anecdotes and
jokes are those of Hoja Nasreddin.
Many countries claim to be the birthplace of
this storyteller and trickster, but his tales display the natural wisdom of
common folk with themes that transcend national boundaries.
He is part
philosopher, part comedian, part buffoon.
Often the story has a twist in the tail where the
seemingly weaker character gets the better of
the bully or a rich or pompous
person.
Bookshops in Bukhara and the newsagent stands
on the streets of Samarkand
sell little booklets with
selections of the many hundreds of tales attributed
to him.
Years
ago I wrote a twist-in-the-tail historical story about a traveller lost in the
desert which is in the collection Through Sand, Snow and Steam but the one that came to me after
travelling across the Kyzyl Kum desert has a tale within a tale, part of which
is based on a true and shocking story from that region. You can read On
the Shoulders of Others
here, or download it, free of charge.
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| Image Copyright Scarpa |
In
one of the Trading Domes a stallholder became interested in the notebook and
pen I carried. I made him a gift of them and, in return, he presented me with a
tiny portrait of Hoja Nasreddin on his donkey, beautifully hand-crafted from
camel skin.
The Storytelling Sage is positioned near my desk, from where he
keeps a mischievous eye on my writing.
Finally, the puzzle of the Cabinet of Curiosities:
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| Image Copyright Scarpa |
The two objects pictured are hand made from wood. They
were integral to Uzbek family life as far back as anyone can recall and are
still in use, mainly outwith the towns and cities. Although used separately
their purpose is the same.
You can post a Comment here or Tweet or Facebook me your
ideas as to what they might be.
I'll be mightily impressed if you can work out their use without recourse to the Internet.
I might not reply immediately. By the time this Blog is up
I hope to be in Petra – probably the subject of a future post….
Photographs © SCARPA
LATEST BOOKS
The Traveller (from dyslexia friendly
publisher Barrington Stoke)
7 comments:
hmm one looks like the handle to a ball and string game though that can't be it if it's "integral"
the other looks like a hot pot handle. for grabbing the handle of a pot over the fire so you don't burn yourself is the other the same?
You make some wonderful journeys - thanks for this!
Thanks Sue. Sorry Momma Bear, that's not what these objects are - although a good guess. They are quite small, about 6/7inches 160mm. I'll post the answer next month or add a comment here if anyone gets the answer before then.
Are they opium pipes?
They aren't Opium Pipes Celia - that's what I thought they were when I first saw them. Not used for ingesting smoke or anything else.
Aren't those catheters for babies?
Aha Ann! see my post on 19th October.
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