Catalina Rug

Long, long time ago, there was a young man named Qays. Qays was a romantic poet who fell deeply in love with Layla, often writing poems to show his feelings for her.

Local people saw all the effort he was putting in trying to woo Layla and began to call him “Majnun”; which in Arabic means a crazy person. Because of people’s opinion of Qays, Layla’s father refused to give him her hand in marriage. Instead, making her marry a rich nobleman who belonged to the Thaquif tribe.

When Qays heard about the marriage, he fled the tribal camp and began wandering through the desert, never to return. His family gave up hope that he would come home and began leaving food for him in the wilderness. Sometimes people would see him reciting poetry to himself or writing in the sand, falling deeper into his madness.

After she was married Layla moved North with her husband, and quickly fell ill. Her sickness was never cured and led to her death. Some people believe her death was caused by the heartbreak she suffered from never being able to see Qays again.

Soon after, Qays was found dead in the wilderness, near Layla’s grave. The following poem was found carved into stone nearby, and is known as the last verses he wrote –

“I pass by this town, the town of Layla

And I kiss this wall and that wall

It’s not Love of the town that has enraptured my heart

But of the One who dwells within this town

Tell the story that you want in your home”

This tragic story depicts a tale of undying love that has lived on for centuries. Being recreated in poems, songs, and art. Which we can see here in the beautiful depiction of the couple together in this Pictorial rug.