Once there was an arrogant young man named Rhemi. It had never once crossed his mind that he would ever fall in love. For he was handsome, with eyes the color of the richest cocoa, and skin the color of gold as if he were kissed by the sun. And yet, he was incredibly unhappy, because he was the son of a farmer, not a rich, powerful king. So, after some years his heart hardened and he refused to ever love.

One day, while angry at his father for suggesting he start work on the farm instead of gazing at his reflection, Rhemi stormed off into the forest.

After a long walk, Rhemi gazed up into the sky and discovered the moon, bright and high in the sky. He found a nice bed of clovers next to a stream and lay down to sleep. His eyes were not closed a mere moment when he awoke to the most beautiful sound. It was a soft and melancholy voice that rolled over him like a cool stream, bringing tears to his eyes. Rhemi stood up memorized by the singing. It felt as if his sole purpose in life to find that voice, and he was determined to find the creature that made this sound.

So, Rhemi searched the forest, lumbering over the fallen trees, getting more desperate each moment. Just as the sun was peaking over the horizon, he reached his destination.




As he emerged through the vines his heart skipped a beat. There, sitting on a rock, her feet dangling over the small waterfall trickling into a spring, was the most beautiful, divine, girl Rhemi had ever seen. Her golden hair the color of flax, her skin as pale as moonlight and eyes the color of water. Quickly, Rhemi ducked behind a bolder to shield himself from her view. For hours he stayed silent and stiff, as if he was frozen in place, listening to the girl sing beautiful melodies. She sang of freedom, war, despair, and love. Everything he had ever been angry or confused about melted away, like rain running down your cheek. This was the most at peace he had ever been in his life, he heaved a large sigh.


The girl who had seemed so calm jumped at the sound, breaking her trance, and started to run. In a sudden movement Rhemi chased after her, yelling for her to come back. “What is your name?” he asked.

All he got in reply was a whisper of the wind and a ruffle of the trees saying, Qanunia.


For days, Rhemi was tortured with the constant thought of her. When he closed his eyes he saw her, at night he swore he could hear her singing. Eventually, he was not able to eat or drink, for she consumed his every thought.


Some days after, Rhemi decided to go and look for her, and try to once again hear her enchanting voice. So, one night he set off into the forest in search of Qanunia. Once again he followed the angelic notes of her songs to the small spring overgrown with lush green vines and beautiful smelling flowers.


Night, after night Rhemi stole away to secretly listen to Qanunia sing her stories, and not long after he decided that he was infinitely in love with her. With each passing day he listened his heart grew greater and greater, for he had never believed in love. Some kind of feeling that he had never thought of being good enough for him, but, oh, how sweet it was. Exactly one month after he first heard her sing, he decided to reveal to her that he had listened to her songs, and loved her and wished to be wed.


So, that very evening Rhemi with his heart full of hope, set off into the forest. Very soon, he became worried, because he could not hear her lovely singing. Instead he heard her loud heart wrenching scream! Flushed, he broke out running toward her. When he got to the spring Qanunia was nowhere to be found. He kept on running.


From far away he could see her perched in a tree, a jaguar pacing at the trunk. Another scream………….. By the time he reached the tree it was too late. Qanunia was gone.

As he approached the scene in horror, the tree in which she was perched slowly began to transform into a nymph.

“Rhemi, Qanunia has been taken by the jaguar. I too have enjoyed listening to her sing, and as a gift to you for loving her, her voice will always be with you.” The spirit chanted

With that, her body turned into a small instrument that he could hold in his lap. Each string he played sounded like a human voice, her voice. And so, he named it the Qanun, after his first and only love.