News of the wondrous stories of Far-li-mas reached far and wide. Sali also came to hear of it. Sali sent a message to her brother the king: “Let me hear the stories of Far-li-mas just once.” The king replied: “Your wish is my command.” And Sali came. Sali wanted to hear the story. Far-li-mas saw Sali. For an instant, Far-li-mas lost his senses. Far-li-mas could see only Sali. Sali could see only Far-li-mas. King Akaf said: “Why do you say nothing? Do you not know any more stories?” Far-li-mas tore his gaze from Sali and began his story. Far-li-mas’s story was first like hashish when it produces a light stupor, then it was like hashish that makes us sleepy and fall into unconsciousness. After some time the guests fell asleep, King Akaf fell asleep. They now continued to hear the story in their dreams, until they were overcome by total ecstasy. Only Sali kept her eyes open. Her eyes were fixed on Far-li-mas. Her eyes absorbed the whole of Far-li-mas. Sali was overcome by Far-li-mas.

As soon as Far-li-mas had finished, he stood up. Sali stood up. Far-li-mas went toward Sali. Sali went toward Far-li-mas. Far-li-mas embraced Sali. Sali embraced Far-li-mas and said: “We do not want to die.” Far-li-mas smiled into Sali’s eyes and said: “The will is in you. Show me the way.” Sali said: “Now leave me. I will seek the way. When I have found it, I will call you.” Sali and Far-li-mas parted. The king and his guests slept.

Next day, Sali went to the chief priest and said: “Who decides on which day the old fire has to be put out and the new one lit?” The priest said: “God decides.” Sali said: “How does God communicate his will?” The priest said: “Every evening we study the stars. We never lose sight of them. Every night we see the moon and every day we know what star moves closer or farther away from her. And in this way we know the hour.” Sali said: “Do you have to do it every night? What happens if one night you see nothing?” The priest said: “If one night we see nothing, we have to offer a sacrifice. If for many nights we see nothing, then we would no longer know how to calculate the hour.” Sali said: “Then you would not know at what moment you had to put out the fire?” The priest said: “No, then we would no longer be able to carry out our task.” Sali said: “Great are the works of God. But the greatest of them is not his writing in the sky. The greatest of them is life on earth. I came to realize it last night.” The priest said: “What do you mean?” Sali said: “God has given Far-li-mas the gift of telling stories, as he had never done before. This is greater than the writing in the sky.” The chief priest said: “You are wrong.” Sali said: “You know the moon and the stars. Have you ever heard the stories of Far-li-mas?” The priest said: “No, I have never heard them.” Sali said: “Then how can you make a judgment? I tell you: listening to him, all of you will forget to study the stars.” The chief priest said: “Do you really say this, sister of the king?” Sali said: “Then show me I’m wrong, that the writing in the sky is more powerful and greater than life on earth.” The priest said: “I shall prove it.”