Word reached the local Governor, a man whose greed was larger than his province. He arrived with soldiers, demanding the "luminous crop" for the Royal Gardens. "A common farmer has no use for such magic," the Governor sneered, leveling a blade at Firuz’s throat.
Firuz planted the seed in the center of his modest plot. While his neighbors’ wheat succumbed to the unusual heat of that spring, Firuz’s "Sun-Flower" grew at an impossible rate. Its stalk was as thick as a ship’s mast, and its petals were translucent, trapping the daylight even after the moon rose. The village began to talk: fellah firuz
, however, simply sat beneath its shade, sharing his water with the roots. The Choice Word reached the local Governor, a man whose