Our Divine Biographer

“Surviving the Ages” is a first-person story of a desert experience told by a rich jewelry merchant. It begins…

“One day I was overtaken by a great storm. It buffeted me and my caravan this way and that until I was separated from the rest and became completely lost. I kept moving for days, until I discovered that I had wandered around in circles. It was then that I realized I had run out of food. I was half dead from starvation, and in dire need of nourishment.

“In a fit of panic, I unloaded every bag on my camel’s back, hoping desperately to find a morsel or two tucked away somewhere. I searched through every pack, again and again, but there was no food to be found. But suddenly, my heart beat with new hope when I came upon a small pouch I had overlooked.

“My hands were shaking and, with trembling fingers I tore open the pouch. And then, my heart sank…