12

SATURDAY

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stories submerged in the faster-paced sections of the Old Testament. One is the tale of Yusuf and Zulaika—or, as they’re commonly known, Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, who tried to seduce Joseph and, when she failed, had him imprisoned. In the Islamic tradition, this story has gotten much more attention, and love-starved Zulaika has received a more sympathetic treatment. New York storyteller Ron Sopyla takes his version of the fable mostly from 15th-century Sufi writer Abdul Rahman Jami’s novel-length account, although he has investigated other variations. As is typical of Sufi poetry, Jami’s images are sensuous but his ultimate message is chaste: Yusuf and Zulaika’s passion is really just a parable of divine love. Sopyla keeps the Sufi story’s spirituality but notes that tonight’s telling “has to be my version and come from my lips and my 20th-century perspective.” Sopyla spins his tale at 8 p.m. at the Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda. $12. (301) 891-1129. (Mark Jenkins)