Firuz planted the seed in the center of his modest plot. While his neighbors’ wheat succumbed to the unusual heat of that spring, Firuz’s "Sun-Flower" grew at an impossible rate. Its stalk was as thick as a ship’s mast, and its petals were translucent, trapping the daylight even after the moon rose. The village began to talk:
The Governor left, unable to tax or carry away a spring. Firuz remained a simple fellah, but he never had to worry about a dry season again. To this day, the people of the Wadi tell the story of , the man who turned a piece of the sun into a drink for the thirsty.
, however, simply sat beneath its shade, sharing his water with the roots. The Choice
claimed the dew from its leaves could cure the "sand-cough."
The air in the was thick with the scent of roasted chickpeas and dust. Firuz , a fellah (farmer) whose hands were as etched and dry as the riverbeds in August, did not care for gold or the whispers of the Sultan’s court. He cared for his dirt. The Seed of the Sun
One morning, while turning the soil near the ancient ruins of a forgotten watchtower, Firuz’s spade struck something that didn't ring like stone. He unearthed a jar of blue glazed clay, sealed with wax that smelled of cedar. Inside was not jewelry, but a single, heavy seed that pulsed with a faint, amber light. The Flowering
offered Firuz bags of silver to chop it down and sell the petals as silk.