Madhumati

Rabeya Khatun's 'Madhumati' opens with a beautiful description of a girl with golden skin and cloud-like hair, adorned with diamonds and pearls in her chignon. But the girl's eyes are shut. She is not dead, yet she is not fully alive either. A deep sleep has settled over her, unbroken through both day and night. Her sleep is only disturbed when the old ogress wishes it to be.

At her head and feet lie two magic wands, one of gold and one of silver. A prince from a distant land sees this girl in his dream and immediately sets sail on his magnificent peacock boat, crossing the seven seas to find her. In the golden morning light, a million diamonds sparkle on the river's waves as his boat moves forward. This seems to be a fairy tale filled with magic, destiny, and the power of dreams, written in a lyrical, enchanting style.