The Fan of Patience
A Pakistani fairy tale of patience, a magical fan, and a princess who speaks or cries precious gems.
The Fan of Patience (Urdu: Sabr ka pankha) is a Pakistani fairy tale from Punjab, published by Pakistani author Shafi Aqeel and translated into English by writer Ahmad Bashir. It is classified as Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 432, 'The Prince as Bird,' and shares similarities with the European fairy tale The Blue Bird. The story centers on a princess who uses a magical fan to summon a prince named Sobur (Arabic: 'Patience').
- Motifs
- D1425.3
Lore & Background
The tale begins with a king who has six daughters and no son. When the queen becomes pregnant, the king threatens to kill the child if it is another daughter. The midwife, however, spares the beautiful newborn princess, who speaks or cries precious gems from her lips. The queen hides the child and later reveals her when a famine depletes the treasury, as the princess produces gold and silver coins or jewels with every step. The king forgives his earlier order, but the six elder sisters grow jealous, leading the king to build the youngest a separate palace.
Reader's Guide
The Fan of Patience is significant as a South Asian variant of the international tale type ATU 432, 'The Prince as Bird.' Its motifs—such as the magical fan that summons a prince and the heroine's quest to heal him—appear in other regional variants, including the Sindhi tale Prince Sabr and the Pakistani tale The Patient Princess. The story preserves the core theme of patience (sabr) as both a virtue and a plot device, with the princess's utterance of 'patience' misinterpreted as a material object. Its inclusion in the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index highlights its place in global folklore, while its Pakistani origin underscores the cultural adaptation of a widespread narrative pattern.
Did You Know?
- The prince's name, Sobur, is Arabic for 'Patience.'
- The story contains motif D1425.3, a magic fan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Fan of Patience?
It is a Punjabi fairy tale in Urdu in which a princess uses a magical fan to summon a prince called Sobur. The published version was written by Pakistani author Shafi Aqeel and brought into English by translator Ahmad Bashir.
Who is the prince Sobur in The Fan of Patience?
Sobur is the prince the princess calls forth with her enchanted fan, and his name comes from the Arabic word meaning 'patience.' He is the central male figure in this ATU 432 'Prince as Bird' story.
What tale type is The Fan of Patience classified under?
The story is catalogued as Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 432, 'The Prince as Bird.' It also shows structural parallels to the European fairy tale The Blue Bird.
Where does The Fan of Patience come from and who wrote it?
It originates in Punjab, Pakistan, and was composed in Urdu by Pakistani author Shafi Aqeel. Ahmad Bashir produced the English-language translation that introduced the tale to a wider readership.
Why is The Fan of Patience important to Pakistani folklore?
It embeds the deeply valued virtue of sabr (patience) within a magical-object narrative rooted in Punjabi oral tradition. Its shared motifs with European tales like The Blue Bird also illustrate how universal storytelling patterns cross cultural boundaries.
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