A Weave of Words by Robert D San Souci and illustrated by Raul Colon is honestly one of my favorite tales. We meet a prince named Vachagan who only desires to hunt. One day on a hunt he meets a girl named Anait who is an excellent weaver and a scholar. Smitten, Vachagan asks for her hand but she refuses, saying she cannot marry someone who can’t read or write or earn a living by his own hands.
Vachagan left, disappointed by motivated. He immediately applies himself to learning to weave and read and write. When he learns, he marries Anait. They eventually become King and Queen of the land.
One day Vachagan must see to trouble in the east. He is captured by a dev, an evil ogre with three heads. Vachagan is spared because he tells them he can weave. He weaves a carpet with a secret message for Anait. When she receives it she knows where Vachagan is. She has learned to ride and use a sword so she could be prepared to rule as well. She slays the dev who underestimates her because she is a woman, freeing Vachagan.
Because Vachagan learned a skill, he was saved and because Anait learned to fight she saved her beloved.
Great tale stressing the importance of learning, self-sacrifice, compromise, and not marrying for money. Anait was not blinded by Vachagan’s wealth and stuck to her principles. Vachagan loved Anait so much he did as she asked in order to win her hand. Neither relied on their wealth. Both were prepared for their roles in life. Neither were complacent. Both kept learning.
Robert D. San Souci is one of our favorite children’s authors. He retells (as well as writes his own) a lot of tales with powerful messages. Highly recommend this book and the author for future stories.