“Mended Sole”
Middle East, 100 Years B.C
SOL, fifty years of age, is a shoe mender. He is a nomad and travels with his two daughters, PASHA and HELENA. JESS, an apprentice, also travels with the group.
At a primitive market place, AMAL offers SOL a price for a pair of sandals but SOL refuses it, saying it is not enough. SOL offers to mend AMAL’s broken shoe for the same price as the new ones and AMAL agrees.
At a well, ALI introduces himself to PASHA. PASHA is immediately taken by the handsome young man and it is not long before she harbours private thoughts of marriage.
AMAL returns to SOL’s stall and is impressed by SOL’s handiwork on his shoe. AMAL turns to leave without paying for the shoe mending. SOL stops him and AMAL claims that he had previously paid in advance. SOL disagrees and a stand up argument results. AMAL storms off leaving SOL embarrassed and angry.
Sol’s bitterness with the transaction or lack of grows out of all proportion. SOL and AMAL have a public argument which leads to a fight. AMAL draws his sword but the young man of PASHA’s attentions, ALI intervenes to talk reason to the two men. It is revealed that Ali is AMAL’s son.
ALI is not thanked for his intervention. Firstly, AMAL is annoyed with ALI for publicly embarrassing him. On approaching PASHA, ALI finds himself shunned because he is AMAL’s son. She is deeply confused and upset because her heart is set on ALI and he feels the same.
At night, an intruder steals SOL’s tools from the family tent. SOL’s livelihood is threatened and he naturally thinks that it is AMAL who is guilty of the crime.
HELENA secretly enters AMAL’s tent to see if she can find the tools. JESS follows her and warns her to leave. AMAL catches the two of them in the tent. They are bound to a post by AMAL and interrogated.
ALI suggests that AMAL pardon JESS and HELENA. Reluctantly, AMAL agrees to let HELENA go but threatens to kill JESS. JESS tells AMAL of PASHA AND ALI’s love and of ALI’s selflessness in sacrificing his love for AMAL’s petty feud with SOL.
SOL arrives at AMAL’s tent, sword in hand and challenges AMAL to a duel to the death. AMAL refuses the duel and admits that he has recently found the coin that he intended giving to SOL in payment for the shoe. AMAL had made a mistake. AMAL also announces the intended marriage between PASHA and ALI. The two announce their marriage and both fathers agree to it.
SOL and AMAL have resolved their differences. The thief who stole the tools is found and the tools returned to SOL. JESS agrees to stay on and take over the family business from the frail SOL. ALI and PASHA get married.
