"Gül ki güller açsın al yanağında, Sana benzemeyen gül olmaz olsun." (Smile, so that roses may bloom on your rosy cheeks, Let there be no rose that does not resemble you.)
One afternoon, a traveling minstrel arrived at their gate. He carried a bağlama (a traditional lute) and sang a melody that seemed to pull the scent of jasmine right out of the air. He sang: gul_ki_guller_acsin
As the music swelled, the minstrel looked directly at Leyla. He didn’t ask for water or bread; he simply played for the silence in her eyes. For the first time in years, a memory of her mother’s laughter caught Leyla off guard. A small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Gül ki güller açsın al yanağında, Sana benzemeyen
To hear the traditional Turkish folk song that inspired this sentiment, you can listen to this performance by Cengiz Özkan: He didn’t ask for water or bread; he
Idris patted Leyla’s hand and whispered, "You see, my daughter? The world was only waiting for your permission to be beautiful again." From that day on, the villagers said that as long as Leyla was happy, the roses of the village would never wither.