Once upon a time, there lived a pious man, Gul Noor. It was said that his mystic laughter
could make flowers bloom, even in winter.
It so happened that this secret about Gul Noor spread throughout the valley and beyond. The king wanted to see Gul Noor for himself, as well as proof of the tales, so Gul Noor was invited to the royal palace.
Gul Noor was excited to visit the king, and at the thought of so many people awaiting him, so he set off on his journey. While he was on his way he met a lame man. The man asked him, “Has Gul Noor left his house?” Now, the lame man had never seen Gul Noor’s face, so he was unaware of whom he was asking. Gul Noor smiled, and replied, "Yes." Joyed at the news, the lame heads towards Gul Noor’s house.
Gul Noor decides to follow the man. As he sneaks up behind the man, back to his home, he learns about the extramarital affair of his wife. Shocked and sad, he continues on his journey anyway, as he has to present himself before the king.
Upon reaching the palace, everyone welcomes Gul Noor. However, distraught with the
the revelation of the unfaithfulness of his wife, he finds himself unable to smile.
Several days pass, and Gul Noor does not laugh. This leads the king to conclude that Gul
Noor has been spreading lies. As punishment for his lies, the king orders his servants to keep Gul Noor in the stables, with the horses.
Some more days pass. Gul Noor makes friends with some of the stable hands. One evening, whilst in the stables, he hears two of his friends discussing their achievements. Overhearing the conversation makes him happy. One of the boys cracks a joke, and it makes Gul Noor laugh.
Lo behold! The whole stable becomes full of flowers!
People become spellbound to see the flowers. The King releases Gul Noor and invites him for an audience. The King asks Gul Noor to explain why he could not, or did not laugh earlier.
With a heavy heart, he narrates the story of his wife’s disloyalty to the King. The king then punishes Gul Noor's wife and her lover for their crime.