The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

The first interlude begins with a scribe praising God for marvels like Amina al-Sirafi, who is often accused of many things, such as having a sea-beast for a husband or being a sorceress because she sails so well. The scribe says these inaccuracies shouldn’t be a surprise, for to be a woman is to be misremembered and to have one’s story twisted. The scribe declares that women in stories are either limited to evil and adulterous roles such as witches, or else they are forgotten when they give birth to heroes. Amina al-Sirafi defies these labels. She is often called too much, inappropriate, and too old. The fact that she is also a mother is also unheard of, for when women give birth, their story is expected to end. Amina’s story, however, is driven by her motherhood and her urge to tell her story so that her child will understand why she left to go have adventures, and by doing so, became a legend. The scribe thinks it best that Amina speak for herself, and so the scribe promises to attempt to record her words truthfully.