Ever since childhood, Qays has been in love with Layla, whose feelings are reciprocal. Qays, being a poet, sings of his love, crying it out joyously far and wide - just the sort of proclamation which was strictly condemned at the time. Despite this unacceptable affront which Qays, son of a nobleman has made toward Layla, her father does not frown upon their marriage. nevertheless, Qays did indeed dare, to sing out in public of his passion and lust for this man's daughter...Layla's father therefore forbids Qays to see her again, and in his fervor sought and obtained the Prince's permission to have him killed if he persisted. Distraught and yet fearless, Qays stubbornly persists, proclaiming his love even stronger and louder than before for Layla, who remains trapped by her own clan. Little by little, the increasing obstacles cause Qays to lose his mind, and he now becomes Majnun, the 'Fool'. Majnun then slips into the oblivion of the desert, into hiding, coming out only to wander around Layla's encampment. For Layla's father, this pathetic boy who has now gone mad no longer poses a threat to his daughter. Meanwhile Layla, whose name means the night, lives in the darkness of solitude, suffering with Majnun over their struggle for an impossible love affair. Majnun's father emerges from the silence in which he cloaked himself since the scandal caused by his son began, making several attempts at reconciliation with Layla's father - a new incident occurs which tears the two men asunder. Layla and Majnun are now apart forever. When Layla is married off by force, Majnun's discovery of this plunges him into a deep stupor. He refuses to eat, burns his hands, and vows to never leave the dreaded place where he witnessed the palanquin leading Layla away to her unknown husband. On morning, Majnun leaves this place only to vanish into the desert for good. Amina, his nanny, discovers him and becomes his sole link with the outside world. Henceforth, Majnun can only live with the image of his beloved Layla, forever present in his new-found kingdom : 'Upon seeing me', he declares, 'one may think me mad, well, yes indeed,there is madness inside me, and that is Layla'.