The Snowflake Chronicles

Have you ever read a story, then told a short version of it?

19 Izzat 163 B.E. – September 26, 2006

"Invalid Entry"  The answer is of course yes. Actually, what happened was that I read a story and then acted out one of the parts at Ruhi study circle I’m attending. The story I read was about an historical event that took place in about 1846 in Persia (Iran), the incident that occurred to The Bab (which means The Gate) in the wilderness between the cities of Bushihr and Shiraz.

The governor of the province sent a detachment of guards to Bushihr to arrest The Bab, who was living in Bushihr at the time, and take him back to Shiraz in chains. However, The Bab had left Bushihr and was headed for Shiraz, so the guards the guards found him in the wilderness between the cities.

I reenacted the part of the commander of the guards, telling the story sometime after he had returned to Shiraz.

The guards approached The Bab, who greeted them and then ask where they were going. The commander decided not to tell The Bab why they were in the vicinity. The Bab knew why they were there; he told them that they had come to arrest him. He further stated that by coming to meet the detachment he shortened their journey. This made the commander comfortable, he tried to dissuade The Bab from returning to Shiraz by hinting at what the governor (who had already unjustly punished two of The Bab’s followers) would do to The Bab.

The Bab would not be dissuaded, the commander of the guards was so impressed by The Bab’s sincerity that he did not put The Bab in chains. In fact The Bab went in front of the guards who followed him at a respectful distance.