Anahita, daughter of the wiseman of their nomadic tribe is of age to be married. She is promised to the khan, a man who is older than her father and has had three wives before her. Outwitting the promise, Anahita convinces her father to let her have a contest. She will weave a riddle in her wedding carpet and the man to solve it will be her intended. A great story filled with culture and history. I love the character of Anahita, a girl who just wants to have the freedom to choose her life. The story is also suspenseful, trying to guess which suitor will win the contest. I also love how the author slips Rumi and his poetry in as well.