Summary

Chapter 1

Nahri, an Egyptian young woman, is standing outside her stall in an alley during morning prayer when two wealthy-looking Turkish, Arslan and a basha, approach. Nahri leads them into her stall and the men request for Nahri to diagnose the illness of the basha. Nahri can tell by looking at him that he is healthy and has nothing wrong with him, but she proceeds to perform a rite and tells him he is very ill. Before the men leave it is clear that Nahri has scammed them for a good deal of money.

Nahri leaves and goes to the shop of Yaqub, an old apothecary in a different section of the city. There she calls him “grandfather” and converses with him about the men she just sent to him for the prescription. She also discusses her diagnoses for some other ill people...