This chapter opens with a flashback to the previous scene, in which Doha's house is being burned down. The narrator explains that poppies are a poisonous plant, which makes people feel "distracted or confused" and can lead to death. He also explains that the smell of the poppies reminds him of the scent of the king, which is the highest power in a country. He explains that if the smell is bad, it can't be given to the king.