Herein are nine specifically Palestinian folk tales which make A GREAT READ FOR KIDS! Tales of Clever Muhammad, Idreh, Ijbeneh, Lela and the Wolf and more. As expected some are the Palestinian version of perennial favourites so popular in the West. By why shouldn't they be? After all, it is likely that travellers and traders along the Silk Route brought these to Palestine from India long before they made it to Western shores. Considering that modern day Palestine was at various times part of the Egyptian, Macedonian, Phonecian, Babylonian, Roman, Byzantine and Persian empires, it is not surprising that folklore and fairy tales exist in the region. That an abundance of Palestinian folklore hasn't previously come to the fore is surprising. But then one could point at the many volumes containing Tales of the Arabian Nights, Forty-Four Turkish Fairytales, Oriental Folklore and Legends and other volumes which undoubtedly would contain similar stories. Similar, but not specifically tales with a Palestinian dimension, which Dr. Fox brings us.
Nowadays, when one talks of Palestine and the Middle-East it is more often to discuss the troubles and the seemingly never ending search for Peace. So, to publish a book of Palestinian Folklore and Fairy Tales has been an absolute joy. It reminds us that there are children in the middle of the problems and children need fairy tales and stories. Stories that teach them patience, endurance and how to overcome problems while at the same time teaching that good will always overcome evil.
These are the first nine Palestinian tales translated by Dr. Fox and illustrated by Katherine Swainston. The good news is that there are more to come. So curl up in a comfy chair, have your child snuggle in and be transported into the wonder of an old-time story-hour that has a distinctive middle-eastern flavour.
Herein are nine specifically Palestinian folk tales which make A GREAT READ FOR KIDS! Tales of Clever Muhammad, Idreh, Ijbeneh, Lela and the Wolf and more. As expected some are the Palestinian version of perennial favourites so popular in the West. By why shouldn't they be? After all, it is likely that travellers and traders along the Silk Route brought these to Palestine from India long before they made it to Western shores. Considering that modern day Palestine was at various times part of the Egyptian, Macedonian, Phonecian, Babylonian, Roman, Byzantine and Persian empires, it is not surprising that folklore and fairy tales exist in the region. That an abundance of Palestinian folklore hasn't previously come to the fore is surprising. But then one could point at the many volumes containing Tales of the Arabian Nights, Forty-Four Turkish Fairytales, Oriental Folklore and Legends and other volumes which undoubtedly would contain similar stories. Similar, but not specifically tales with a Palestinian dimension, which Dr. Fox brings us.
Nowadays, when one talks of Palestine and the Middle-East it is more often to discuss the troubles and the seemingly never ending search for Peace. So, to publish a book of Palestinian Folklore and Fairy Tales has been an absolute joy. It reminds us that there are children in the middle of the problems and children need fairy tales and stories. Stories that teach them patience, endurance and how to overcome problems while at the same time teaching that good will always overcome evil.
These are the first nine Palestinian tales translated by Dr. Fox and illustrated by Katherine Swainston. The good news is that there are more to come. So curl up in a comfy chair, have your child snuggle in and be transported into the wonder of an old-time story-hour that has a distinctive middle-eastern flavour.
