The Historic Fart

We see this concept come to life in “The Historic Fart.” Abu Hasan’s friends pressure him to get married again and eventually he obliges. On the night of his wedding, it comes time for Abu Hasan to go to the bridal chamber. “Slowly and solemnly he rose from his divan; but, horror of horrors, being bloated with meat and drink, he let go a long and resounding fart... Abu Hasan was so mortified with shame that he wished the ground would open up and swallow him. He mumbled a feeble excuse, and instead of going to the bridal chamber, went straight to the courtyard, saddled his horse, and rode off into the night, weeping bitterly,” (Tales from the Thousand and One Nights, pg.165). Abu Hasan is so embarrassed and worried about what all his friends think about him that he flees the country for ten years. Anyone who has ever farted in public can understand Abu Hasan’s embarrassment, but Abu Hasan overreacted. He is so concerned about what everyone thinks and couldn’t bear to face his wife and all his friends for a moment longer. After ten years he decides to return once again to his country, but even after all those years Abu Hasan is still worried about what everyone thinks of him. “He gazed upon his old house with tears in his eyes, saying to himself: ‘Pray God, no one will ever recognize me, I will first wander about the town and listen to the people’s gossip. Allah grant that after all these years no one will remember what I did’,” (Tales from the Thousand and One Nights, pg.166). He is so ashamed of what he did that fateful night many years ago. Walking around town Abu Hasan heard a mother tell her daughter that she was born on the night of Abu Hasan’s fart. That seemed to be the last straw! “ ‘Abu Hasan,’ he said to himself, ‘the day of your fart has become a date which will surely be remembered till the end of time.’” (Tales from the Thousand and One Nights, pg.166). I believe Abu Hasan’s fart would not have been remembered had he laughed it off and continued to have fun at his party, but instead he chose to make a big deal of it forever leaving his mark on the world.