The Tale of the Ensorcelled Youth

In the golden age of the Abbasid Caliphate, when Baghdad was the jewel of the Islamic world, there lived a young prince named Hakim ibn Yusuf. He was the son of a just and wise ruler who governed a prosperous province along the Tigris River. Prince Hakim was blessed with exceptional beauty, keen intelligence, and remarkable skill in both scholarship and swordsmanship. Yet beneath these gifts lay a heart that had grown cold with pride and cruelty.

The Prince’s Cruelty

“Bring forth the next supplicant,” Prince Hakim commanded from his marble throne, his voice echoing through the grand hall of justice. The morning sun streamed through ornate windows, casting colorful patterns on the floor, but the prince’s heart remained darker than the deepest shadow.

An elderly woman approached, her back bent with age and hardship, her clothes worn but clean. She carried a small bundle in her trembling hands. “Your Highness,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper, “my grandson is ill with fever, and I have no money for medicine. I beg you for a small portion from the royal treasury to save his life.”

Prince Hakim looked down at her with disdain, his handsome features twisted into a sneer. “Old woman, do you think the royal treasury exists to aid every beggar who darkens our doorway? What have you done to deserve the kingdom’s gold?”

“I have served in the palace kitchens for thirty years, Your Highness,” she replied, tears beginning to flow down her weathered cheeks. “I have given my life in service to your noble family.”

“Thirty years of taking our food and coin,” the prince retorted coldly. “Guards, escort this woman out. Let her learn that charity must be earned, not begged for.”

The woman fell to her knees, clutching her bundle tighter. “Please, Your Highness, he is only seven years old. Surely your heart can find mercy for an innocent child?”

But Prince Hakim had already turned away, dismissing her with a wave of his jeweled hand. “Remove her from my sight. Her pleas offend my ears.”

As the guards dragged the weeping woman away, she called out in desperation, “May Allah show you the same mercy you have shown me this day!” Her words echoed through the hall long after she had vanished from sight.

The Mysterious Visitor

That evening, as Prince Hakim sat in his private chambers reading ancient texts by lamplight, a servant announced the arrival of an unexpected visitor. “Master, there is an old man at the gates. He claims to be a scholar from distant lands and seeks audience with you.”

Prince Hakim sighed irritably. “Send him away. I have no time for wandering scholars and their endless philosophies.”

“He says he brings knowledge of the ancient arts, Your Highness. Knowledge that could increase your power beyond measure.”

These words sparked the prince’s interest. Despite his cruelty, he was genuinely learned and always thirsted for greater knowledge, particularly if it promised to enhance his position. “Very well, bring him to me, but make it brief.”

The man who entered was unlike any scholar the prince had ever seen. He was tall and lean, with eyes that seemed to hold the depth of centuries. His beard was white as fresh snow, and his robes, though simple, seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly quality. He carried an ornate staff topped with a crystal that pulsed with inner light.

“Peace be upon you, Prince Hakim,” the stranger said, his voice resonating with authority despite his humble appearance.

“And upon you,” the prince replied, though his tone held more curiosity than warmth. “I am told you possess knowledge of the ancient arts. Speak quickly, for my time is precious.”

The old man’s eyes seemed to pierce through the prince’s soul. “Indeed, I know many things. I know of the power that flows through words, through intentions, through the choices we make each day. But tell me, young prince, what do you truly desire?”

Prince Hakim leaned forward, intrigued despite himself. “I desire power, knowledge, the ability to command respect and fear from all who see me.”

“Ah,” the stranger nodded slowly. “And what of mercy? What of compassion for those beneath you?”

The prince’s expression hardened. “Mercy is weakness. Compassion is for fools who cannot see the harsh realities of the world. The strong survive, the weak perish. That is the natural order.”

The Curse Awakens

The old man’s expression grew sorrowful, and he shook his head slowly. “I see that your heart has indeed turned to stone. Very well, Prince Hakim ibn Yusuf, you have chosen your path. But know this - the universe has its own sense of justice, and those who show no mercy shall receive none.”

As he spoke these words, the crystal atop his staff began to glow brighter, and the very air in the chamber seemed to thicken. Prince Hakim tried to stand, but found himself frozen in place by an invisible force.

“What… what are you doing?” the prince gasped, feeling a strange tingling sensation beginning in his fingertips.

“I am showing you truth,” the old man replied solemnly. “You have lived as a beast in human form, showing no compassion to those who suffer. Now you shall experience what it means to be truly transformed by your own nature.”

The tingling sensation spread up the prince’s arms, and he watched in horror as his hands began to change. His fingers elongated and became covered with coarse, dark fur. His nails extended into sharp claws, and the transformation continued up his arms toward his torso.

“No!” he cried out, his voice already beginning to deepen and change. “Stop this madness! I am a prince!”

“You are what you have always been in your heart,” the old man said sadly. “A creature without mercy, without compassion. Now your outer form shall match your inner nature.”

The Beast’s Torment

The transformation continued relentlessly. Prince Hakim’s body grew larger and more muscular, covered in thick, dark fur. His face elongated into a wolf-like snout filled with sharp teeth, and his eyes became golden and wild. Yet his mind remained human, trapped inside this bestial form, able to think and remember but unable to speak or reason with others.

“The curse can only be broken,” the old man explained as he prepared to depart, “when you learn to feel true compassion for another’s suffering and perform an act of genuine selflessness. Until that day, you shall remain as you are - a beast in body, tormented by the human soul within.”

With those words, the mysterious figure vanished like morning mist, leaving behind only the faint scent of sandalwood and the echo of his final warning.

Prince Hakim, now trapped in his bestial form, tried desperately to call for his servants, but only growls and snarls emerged from his throat. When the guards found him in his chambers the next morning, they saw only a fierce wolf-like creature and immediately raised the alarm.

“A wild beast has entered the palace!” they shouted. “The prince is nowhere to be found!”

In the chaos that followed, the creature that had been Prince Hakim fled through the palace gardens and into the wilderness beyond the city walls, driven by instinct but guided by the desperate human consciousness trapped within.

Life in the Wilderness

For months, the ensorcelled prince wandered the rocky hills and dense forests surrounding his father’s kingdom. By day, he hid in caves and hollow trees, tormented by hunger and by memories of his former life. By night, he roamed the countryside, always careful to avoid human settlements, for he knew that any who saw him would try to kill him as a dangerous predator.

His human mind remained intact, a constant source of anguish. He remembered every luxury he had enjoyed, every comfortable bed, every delicious meal prepared by the palace cooks. He remembered the respect and fear with which people had treated him, and the power he had wielded with such casual cruelty. Now he was nothing - less than nothing, for even beggars were shown more kindness than a wild beast.

One particularly harsh winter night, as snow fell heavily and the wind howled through the trees, the creature sought shelter in a small cave. As he lay there, shivering and hungry, he heard the sound of human voices approaching. A family of travelers had also sought refuge from the storm in a nearby overhang.

Through the falling snow, he could see them clearly: a man, his wife, and their young son, huddled together around a small fire. The boy was coughing violently, and the creature could hear the parents’ worried whispers.

“The fever grows worse,” the woman said, her voice thick with tears. “We have no medicine, no warm shelter. I fear we will lose him in this wilderness.”

“Have faith, beloved,” her husband replied, though his own voice trembled with worry. “Allah will provide. We must trust in His mercy.”

The Moment of Choice

As the creature watched this family’s suffering, something stirred within his human heart. The sight of their desperation, their love for each other, and their quiet dignity in the face of hardship awakened feelings he had long suppressed. For the first time in his life, he felt genuine compassion for another’s pain.

The boy’s coughing grew worse, and the creature could see that the child was indeed gravely ill. The parents had no warm clothes to spare, no medicine, no food beyond a few dry crusts of bread. Their love for their son was evident in every glance, every gentle touch, every whispered prayer.

The creature remembered his own wealth, his comfortable palace, his abundance of everything these people lacked. But more than that, he remembered the old woman who had begged for help for her grandson, and how coldly he had turned her away. The parallel was unmistakable, and for the first time, he understood the full weight of his cruelty.

As the night wore on and the boy’s condition worsened, the creature made a decision that would change everything. Despite the risk to himself, despite the certainty that the family would flee in terror, he emerged from his hiding place.

The father saw him first and immediately moved to protect his family. “Stay back!” he shouted, grabbing a burning branch from their fire. “Do not come closer!”

But the creature did not approach aggressively. Instead, he slowly approached the edge of their firelight and gently placed something on the ground before backing away into the shadows. It was his most precious possession - a small golden amulet that he had worn around his neck since childhood, somehow surviving the transformation. It was worth enough to buy medicine and warm clothing for a dozen families.

The Father’s Discovery

The father approached cautiously and picked up the amulet, his eyes widening as he realized its value. “This… this could save our son,” he whispered in amazement. “But why would a wild beast…?”

He looked up toward the shadows where the creature waited, and their eyes met for a moment. In those golden, bestial eyes, the man saw something that made him gasp in recognition - intelligence, sadness, and unmistakably human emotion.

“You understand,” the father said softly. “You know what this means to us.”

The creature nodded slowly, tears streaming down his furred face. Then he turned and disappeared into the storm, leaving the family with the means to save their child.

The Transformation Begins

As the creature made his way back to his cave, he felt a strange warmth spreading through his body. It began in his chest, where his heart beat with a new rhythm - not the rhythm of pride and selfishness, but of genuine concern for others. The warmth spread outward, and he realized that the transformation was beginning to reverse.

His claws retracted first, becoming human fingernails once again. The fur on his hands receded, revealing human skin underneath. The change was slow but unmistakable, and with each passing moment, more of his human form returned.

By dawn, Prince Hakim stood once again in his human form, naked and shivering in the cold cave, but free of the curse that had bound him. He felt different - not just in body, but in spirit. The hard shell around his heart had cracked open, and for the first time in his life, he truly understood what it meant to care about someone else’s welfare more than his own.

The Return

When Prince Hakim returned to his father’s palace, he was greeted with joy and amazement. Everyone had assumed he was dead, killed by the beast that had been found in his chambers. But the prince had a different story to tell - a carefully crafted tale of being kidnapped by bandits and held prisoner in the mountains, which explained his long absence without revealing the supernatural truth.

“My son,” his father wept as he embraced him, “I thought I had lost you forever. Praise be to Allah for your safe return!”

But Prince Hakim’s first concern was not for celebrations or comfort. “Father, I must ask - do you know of an old woman who served in our kitchens, who came seeking aid for her sick grandson?”

His father’s expression grew sad. “Ah, poor Fatima. Yes, she came to me after you… after you turned her away. I gave her what she needed, but I fear it was too late. The boy died before the medicine could reach him.”

Prince Hakim felt as though a sword had pierced his heart. His cruelty had cost an innocent child his life. “Where is she now?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“She still works in the kitchens, though her spirit is broken. She blames herself for not seeking help sooner.”

Seeking Redemption

Without delay, Prince Hakim went to the kitchens to find Fatima. He found her there, older and more bent than before, mechanically performing her duties with the slow movements of one whose heart had been shattered by grief.

“Fatima,” he said gently, approaching her workplace.

She looked up and gasped, recognizing him immediately. Fear flickered in her eyes as she remembered their last encounter. “Your Highness,” she said, quickly bowing her head.

“Please, do not bow to me,” Prince Hakim said, surprising her. “I have come to ask for your forgiveness.”

The old woman looked up in confusion. “Forgiveness, my lord?”

“I was cruel to you when you came seeking help for your grandson. My hardness of heart cost that innocent boy his life, and you the light of your world. I cannot undo what I have done, but I can ensure that no other family suffers as yours has.”

Tears began to flow down Fatima’s cheeks as she struggled to understand this transformation in the prince who had once been so heartless.

“I am establishing a fund,” Prince Hakim continued, “administered by wise and compassionate advisors, to ensure that no one in our kingdom ever dies for lack of medicine or food. And I want you to oversee it, for you understand suffering in ways I never could.”

The New Prince

From that day forward, Prince Hakim became known throughout the land for his compassion and justice. He opened the palace doors to all who sought aid, established hospitals and schools, and ensured that no supplicant was ever turned away empty-handed. He spent long hours listening to the problems of his people, always remembering the lesson he had learned in his transformed state - that true nobility comes not from birth or power, but from the capacity to feel and respond to others’ pain.

The mysterious old man never appeared again, but sometimes, on quiet evenings when the prince sat in judgment, he could swear he felt a presence watching approvingly from the shadows. And in those moments, he would remember the curse that had saved his soul, and offer a silent prayer of gratitude for the harsh mercy that had taught him to be truly human.

The Lesson Lives On

Years later, when Prince Hakim had become ruler in his own right, he would often tell a story to young nobles who came to his court. He would speak of a prince who was so proud and cruel that he became a beast, and how only by learning to put others before himself could he become human again.

Many who heard the tale thought it was merely a parable, a moral lesson dressed in the garb of fantasy. But Fatima, who had grown old in honor and comfort under his care, knew better. She had seen the fear in his eyes when he returned - not the fear of a man who had been threatened by bandits, but the fear of one who had looked into the abyss of his own soul and barely escaped.

And sometimes, on nights when the moon was full and the prince thought no one was watching, Fatima would see him standing in the palace gardens, looking up at the stars with eyes that held depths of wisdom that could only come from having been lost and found again. In those moments, she would whisper a prayer of thanks for the mysterious ways in which Allah teaches even the proudest hearts to find their way home to compassion.

The tale of the ensorcelled youth became legend, passed down through generations as a reminder that transformation is possible for even the hardest heart, and that mercy, once truly learned, can break any curse - even the curse of our own making.