Zumrad and Qimmat retold by Nargiza Mo’minova Nosirovna

Zumrad and Qimmat

retold by Nargiza Mo’minova Nosirovna

Once upon a time there lived an old man, his daughter-Zumrad, a step-mother and her daughter- Qimmat. Zumrad was very hard-working and beautiful. But Qimmat was very lazy. The step-mother did not like Zumrad and always made her work from morning till evening.

One day the step-mother told the old man to lead astray his daughter Zumrad. The old man could not do anything and agreed. Zumrad and her father went to the forest and her father went to make firewood. But he did not come back.

Zumrad was very afraid and cried. She looked for her father around the forest and suddenly came across to a house. She knocked the door and an old woman opened it. The old woman was a magician.

Zumrad and the old woman lived happily. Every morning Zumrad woke up early and did all housework. The old woman was very pleased.

One day the old woman asked Zumrad to bring some firewood. Zumrad went up to the attic and from the roof she saw her house. She cried, because she missed her father.

The old woman told her to bring a red box, but not a white one. The old woman also gave Zumrad a cart with two white horses and told her not to open the box on the way.

Zumrad’s father was sitting on the street missing her daughter and he saw Zumrad coming. All neighbours gathered and they open the red box. There was lots of gold and jewelry.

The step-mother was very jealous and ordered the old man to lead astray Qimmat too. The old man went to the forest with Qimmat and told her to sit under the tree. He went to make firewood and did not come back.

Qimmat was so frightened and began crying aloud. She looked for the old man and came across the same house. She knocked the door hard and that old woman opened it.

Qimmat was very lazy and did not help the old woman. She spent all day sleeping and eating.

One day the old woman asked Qimmat to bring some firewood, but Qimmat did not want. At least she went up the attic and from the roof saw her house.

She cried loudly and the old woman told her to bring the white box from the attic. The old woman did not give Qimmat a cart with horses. She went on foot carrying the box.

The old woman told her not to open the box on the way. Qimmat’s mother was waiting for her. When Qimmat came home, they brought the box to the room and closed all windows and the door. When they opened it, two dragons came out and ate both of them.

When Zumrad, her father and neighbors came the room there was no one in it. finally, Zumrad and her father lived happily together forever.