“Please, keep the change!” – he said. “I don’t need the change,” – the girl replied, raising her eyebrows and continued: “Give it to gypsies over there, and they will pray for you…”
Otabek put the change in his pocket. At that moment he didn’t want to go away from there and wished that moment last forever.
“Have you heard the legend about bread?” – asked Otabek from the girl, not taking his eyes off the girl.
“You do want to tell a story?! Girls, listen here, your brother wants to tell a legend!” – said the girl joyfully.
“So… there was a king of Khorezm, called Mohammed Rakhimkhon Feruz, have you heard of him?”
“We know, so what?”
“This girl knows everything, you can’t beat her, the history expert!” – said the saleswomen of bread, without giving way to another – “She studies in a university and she knows five languages!”.
“That’s great! And I know two and will remain in debt for three other languages!”
“Do not confuse us! Your legend is over?! Then you are free, you keep us away from our business!” – said the girl again raising her eyebrows.
“All right! All right! I start the legend. That king – Mohammed Rakhimkhon Feruz had a good habit. He used to wander in the city with his statesmen and get informed about his citizens. One fine day the king went to the city with his courtiers. He had his special adviser – Hassan with him as well. Walking in a street the king’s eyes were stuck in a small house. A woman was baking bread in tandyr with a fabric coating in her hands.
Feruz stopped his horse for a while. In accordance with the traditions, at that time when a king passed by a herald would cry and beat the drums, all citizens would come outside from their houses leaving their household business, and as a sign of respect they would bow. And that woman in that small hose was still baking bread forgetting the world around her.
Realizing this the king became upset and said to his adviser Hassan:
“Look at that woman! How come that she is not aware of my presence. Is she deafmute, or doesn’t she know that the king passes by?”
“That woman is baking bread, oh my king!” – said the adviser.
Feruz became angry and said: “Which one is greater – the king or bread?”
Hassan said: “Of course, bread, my king! The country can live without a king, but without bread – never!”