In the city of Aceh in what is now known as the island of Sumatera, Indonesia there was an
ambitious and vain man named Abu Hasan who worked hard to become a wealthy and important
businessman. However the one thing that continued to elude him was to gain fame and importance in
Unfortunately Abu Hasan's wife was not what you would call a social butterfly and in her husbands
eyes was the reason for him not gaining his expected place in society.
"I divorce you. I divorce you. I divorce you. " Abu Hasan invoked the Islamic law of divorce and
unfeelingly rid himself of his social albatross. Friends and family immediately paraded prospective
brides in front of the rich man's door. However none of them took his eye.
Tired of his friend's hassling him, and seeing a way to possibly gain prestige, Abu Hasan talked to the
old woman that made matches in the city. He paid the old woman a lot of money. The old woman
found him a match and he was married to a very popular young woman who was as beautiful as the
Friends, family, and all the wealthy and important people from the Achenese social set were invited
to the wedding feast which was held in the most famous building in the city. Of course there was no
expense spared by Abu Hasan in his desire to impress.
The whole room was feasting. There were five different colours of rice. Twenty different colours of
ice cream. Roasted goats were stuffed with three kinds of nuts - walnuts, almonds, and pistachios. A
buffalo was roasted whole on a spit in the middle of the room. Even by Aceh's high standards this
They all ate and drank, and ate and drank, and ate and drank some more. Everyone was full and
very happy, much to Abu Hasan's delight.
When the bridesmaids showed the bride in her seven dresses to all the guests none could take their
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