The Sweetest of Lemons

Once there was and once there wasn’t … So begins every tale in the Persian tradition. But in a nod to the delight and relevance of such tales for today’s audience, Daniel Nayeri begins with a trip to his grandfather’s farm outside of Isfahan. Along the way, they stop at the house of Saba and Abbas, a childless couple who so love kids that they built a Ferris wheel made of car parts and scraps so they can hear the sounds of laughter and play. There, our young narrator begs Abbas for one of his famous stories—and is rewarded with the tale of three brothers, a giant, a captive princess, and a perfect lemon, so sweet it can cure sadness itself. This tale is both ancient and modern, wistful and whimsical, sweet and supremely satisfying.