Books in Hoopoe Teaching Stories series

A man tricks a young fox into believing that he will give him a chicken. The man traps him, but the fox, through his ingenuity and perseverance, manages to escape. This story can inspire children to face challenges and even to make use of obstacles in their paths to solve problems. This tale is one of the many hundreds of Sufi developmental stories collected by Idries Shah from oral and written sources in Central Asia and the Middle East. For more than a thousand years this story has entertained young people and helped to foster in them the ability to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves. Un hombre le hace creer a un joven zorro que le va a dar una gallina. El zorro queda atrapado, pero usando su creatividad y perseverancia consigue escapar.

The Silly Chicken is a delightful and humorous tale about a chicken who learns to speak as we do - with surprising and unexpected consequences. The events that follow intrigue young children and, and at the same time, alert them in a very amusing way to the dangers of being too quick to believe everything you hear. This is illustrator/animator Jeff Jackson's first children's book. It expresses his unique ability to create a lively and amusing world, rich in color, in which anything can happen.This story belongs to the rich and ancient storytelling tradition of Central Asia and the Middle East. Retold here by the author and educator Idries Shah, it is one of a series of illustrated books for the young. These tales are designed to foster thinking skills and perception. In an entertaining way, the stories introduce children to interesting aspects of human behavior and help them learn to recognize these patterns in daily life.

This story is about a badly behaved man and how a young boy initiates a plan to change his behavior and, with the help of all the villagers, succeeds. It will bring laughter to young children and, at the same time, teach them valuable lessons about conflict resolution, initiative and co-operation. Part of a rich body of literature from Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East, this story is one of many collected and retold for children by the Afghan author Idries Shah. It is the first in this series to be set in the West. Esta historia es acerca de un hombre que tenía malos modales, de cómo un niño inicia un plan para cambiar su conducta, y de cómo, con la ayuda de todos los aldeanos, tiene éxito. El cuento hará reír a los pequeños y, al mismo tiempo, les enseñará valiosas lecciones sobre solución de conflictos, iniciativa y cooperación. Parte de la rica tradición literaria de Afganistán, Asia Central y el Medio Oriente, esta historia es una de las tantas recogidas y recontadas por el autor afgano Idries Shah. Es la primera de esta serie que se sitúa en el occidente.

Because she fails to follow the precise instructions given to her by Arif the Wise Man, the Queen of Hich-Hich gives birth to a half-boy. That Neem is able to make himself complete by an act of cleverness, negotiation and compromise teaches children much more than the expected, usual lesson of bravery. This tale is one of the many hundreds of Sufi developmental stories collected by Idries Shah from oral and written sources in Central Asia and the Middle East. For more than a thousand years this story has entertained young people and helped to foster in them the ability to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves. Al no seguir las precisas instrucciones de Arif el Hombre Sabio, una reina da luz a un medio niño. Neem consigue volverse completo a través de un acto de inteligencia, negociación y compromiso, y esto enseñará a los niños algo más que la usual y esperada lección sobre valentía.

Fatima is a young woman whose life seems beset by one disaster after another. Setting forth on a journey from her home in the West, she is shipwrecked and cast ashore alone near Alexandria. Adopted by a family of weavers, and beginning to prosper in her new life, she is captured and made to work making masts. Undertaking a journey to sell the masts, her ship is wrecked off the coast of China. It is only here that Fatima finally realizes that what seemed to be disasters were really essential steps towards realizing her eventual fulfillment. A story of wisdom and depth, ideal as a bedtime story, it helps children understand the need for perseverance to reach their goals.This Teaching-Story is well known in Greek folklore, but this version is attributed to the Sheikh Mohamed Jamaludin of Adrianople (modern-day Edirne in Turkey) who died in 1750.This book is filled with wonderful illustrations by Natasha Delmar. Taught to paint by her father, the celebrated classic Chinese painter Ng Yi-Ching, she captures Fatima's adventures with a wealth of detail and color. Using Middle Eastern and Chinese design , Delmar transports readers into the exotic worlds of Fatima's travels, in a way delightful to both young and old. Fatima est une jeune fille dont la vie semble n'être qu'une mésaventure après l'autre. Au cours d'un long voyage vers l'ouest, son bateau sombre et elle s'échoue sur une plage près d'Alexandrie. Elle est adoptée par une famille de tisserands et commence à gagner sa vie lorsqu'elle est capturée et forcée à construire des mâts de bateaux. Elle part vendre ses mâts mais son bateau s'échoue près des cotes chinoises. Ce n'est que là que Fatima va comprendre que tous ces désastres étaient en fait des étapes indispensables pour arriver à son bonheur. Une profonde histoire de sagesse qui se raconte le soir avant de dormir. Elle aide les enfants à comprendre qu'il faut persévérer pour atteindre son but. Cette histoire-enseignement est bien connue dans le folklore grec, mais cette version est attribuée au cheikh Mohamed Jamaluddin d'Adrianople (actuel Edirne, en Turquie), mort en 1750.Natasha Delmar est l'auteur des magnifiques illustrations qui parcourent le livre. Élève de son père, le célèbre peintre classique chinois Ng Yi-Ching, elle a su capturer les aventures de Fatima avec une abondance de détails et de couleurs. Elle utilise des motifs du Moyen-Orient et de Chine, et transporte le lecteur dans les mondes exotiques où se rend Fatima. Elle enchantera les petits et les grands.

The Silly Chicken is a delightful and humorous tale about a chicken who learns to speak as we do - with surprising and unexpected consequences. The events that follow intrigue young children and, and at the same time, alert them in a very amusing way to the dangers of being too quick to believe everything you hear. This is illustrator/animator Jeff Jackson’s first children’s book. It expresses his unique ability to create a lively and amusing world, rich in color, in which anything can happen.This story belongs to the rich and ancient storytelling tradition of Central Asia and the Middle East. Retold here by the author and educator Idries Shah, it is one of a series of illustrated books for the young. These tales are designed to foster thinking skills and perception. In an entertaining way, the stories introduce children to interesting aspects of human behavior and help them learn to recognize these patterns in daily life.Das dumme Huhn ist eine lustige Geschichte über ein Huhn, das so zu sprechen lernt wie wir – mit verblüffenden und unerwarteten Folgen. Die Ereignisse in dieser Fabel werden Kinder faszinieren und ihnen gleichzeitig auf humorvolle Weise zeigen, dass es gefährlich sein kann, wenn man allzu gutgläubig ist. Dies ist das erste Kinderbuch des Illustrators und Animators Jeff Jackson. Es zeigt sein besonderes Talent für das Kreieren einer lebhaften und amüsanten Welt in satten Farben, in der alles Mögliche passieren kann. Diese Geschichte gehört zu einer reichen und uralten Tradition des Geschichtenerzählens in Zentralasien und dem Nahen und Mittleren Osten. Sie wird hier vom Autor und Pädagogen Idries Shah neu erzählt und ist Teil einer illustrierten Buchreihe für junge Leser. Diese Fabeln sollen die Denkfähigkeiten und das Wahrnehmungsvermögen bei Kindern fördern, indem sie ihnen auf unterhaltsame Weise interessante Aspekte des menschlichen Verhaltens zeigen und sie dazu anregen, diese Muster in ihrem eigenen Leben wiederzuerkennen.

The Magic Horse is the story of two brothers, one skilled in the practical arts, and the other, Prince Tambal, considered by most people to be only a dreamer. Their father, the King, announces a competition to produce "interesting and useful devices" – the entry produced by a woodcarver appears to be only a simple wooden horse – apparently of little value. But, when Prince Tambal looks more closely, he discovers that the horse is able to magically transport its rider to whatever place is in the rider's mind. In this way, Prince Tambal comes to learn a great many things, and eventually comes to know "his heart's desire."This book is one of a series of illustrated Teaching-Stories by Idries Shah, stories which have captivated hearts and minds for more than a thousand years. The stories are designed to help children learn to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves. In the Sufi tradition there is a continuum between the children’s story, the entertainment or folklore story, and the instructional or instrumental story. A story can help children deal with difficult situations and give them something to hold on to. It can, at the same time, stimulate a deeper understanding in adults.Le Cheval magique est l'histoire de deux frères, l'un doté d'un grand sens pratique, et l'autre, le Prince Tambal, dont la plupart des gens pensent qu'il n'est qu'un rêveur. Leur père, le Roi, annonce un concours de fabrication d'«engins intéressants et utiles». Un menuisier va proposer ce qui semble n'être qu'un simple cheval de bois, apparemment sans grande valeur. Mais lorsque le Prince Tambal regarde le cheval de plus près, il découvre qu'il est capable de transporter son cavalier partout où il le souhaite. Le Prince Tambal va ainsi apprendre beaucoup de choses, pour enfin trouver ce qui est son plus cher désir.Ce livre fait partie de la collection d'histoires-enseignement illustrées rassemblées par Idries Shah qui ont enchanté le cœur et l'esprit des gens de tous âges et de tous horizons depuis plus de mille ans. Elles sont conçues pour aider les enfants à analyser leurs idées et à penser par eux-mêmes.Dans la tradition soufie, il existe une continuité entre le conte pour enfants, le conte amusant ou folklorique et le conte didactique ou instrumental. Avec une histoire, on peut aider un enfant à gérer une situation difficile et lui donner un appui. Elle peut aussi développer une compréhension plus profonde chez les adultes.

When the good-natured Share the Lion, King of all the animals, sees his reflection in a pool of water, he gasps at the fierce creature staring back at him. He is too frightened to drink, until finally, he learns to overcome his fear. Children learn through Share how to deal positively with the fears and inhibitions that so often arise from situations they may not yet understand.This is one of a series of stories collected by Idries Shah – a Teaching-Story – used for hundreds of years in the East as an educational instrument to help children understand life. This story was originally told by the 13th century Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi.Ingrid Rodriguez's beautiful illustrations bring the story to life with warmth and humor and a distinctive richness of detail.Als der gutmütige Löwe Share, der König aller Tiere, sein Spiegelbild im Wasser eines Tümpel sieht, verschlägt es ihm beim Anblick des Wesens, das ihn ansieht, den Atem. Er fürchtet sich zu sehr, um zu trinken, bis er schließlich lernt, seine Angst zu überwinden. Durch das Erlebnis von Share, dem Löwen, können Kinder lernen, mit ihren Ängsten, deren Ursprünge sie vielleicht noch nicht verstehen, positiv umzugehen. Diese Fabel gehört zu einer Reihe von Lehrgeschichten, die von Idries Shah gesammelt wurden. Diese Geschichten dienen im Osten schon seit Hunderten von Jahren als pädagogische Werkzeuge und sollen Kindern helfen, das Leben besser zu verstehen. Die ursprüngliche Version dieser Geschichte stammt von Jalaluddin Rumi, einem Sufi-Dichter aus dem 13. Jahrhundert.Die wunderschönen, humorvollen Illustrationen von Ingrid Rodriguez zeichnen sich durch ihr Detail, ihre Lebendigkeit und Wärme aus.

This is the story of a very badly behaved man, how a young boy invents a plan to change his behavior, and, with the help of the other villagers, succeeds. Children, of course, love the idea of an adult behaving badly. At the same time, the story helps children learn valuable lessons about initiative, negotiation, conflict resolution and cooperation. This book is one of a series of illustrated Teaching-Stories, collected by Idries Shah and presented for children, stories which have captivated hearts and minds for more than a thousand years. These stories are designed to help children learn to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves. In the Sufi tradition there is a continuum between the children’s story, the entertainment or folklore story, and the instructional or instrumental story. A story can help children deal with difficult situations and give them something to hold on to, while the same story can stimulate a deeper understanding in adults.Diese Geschichte handelt von einem Mann mit sehr schlechten Manieren und von einem Jungen, der einen Plan hat, das Verhalten des Mannes zu ändern, und diesen Plan mit der Hilfe der anderen Dorfbewohner erfolgreich umsetzt. Kindern gefällt natürlich die Vorstellung von einem Erwachsenen mit schlechten Manieren sehr. Gleichzeitig erteilt ihnen die Geschichte eine wertvolle Lektion über Initiative, Verhandlung, Konfliktlösung und Zusammenarbeit. Dieses Buch gehört zu einer Reihe von illustrierten Lehrgeschichten für Kinder von Idries Shah – Geschichten, die schon seit Jahrtausenden die Herzen und Köpfe von Menschen jeden Alters erobern. Sie sollen Kinder dazu anregen, sich ihre vorgefassten Meinungen genauer anzusehen und eigenständig zu denken. In der Sufi-Tradition sind Kindergeschichten, Volksmärchen und Lehrgeschichten oft eng miteinander verwoben. Eine Geschichte kann Kindern helfen, schwierige Situationen zu meistern und ihnen Halt und Unterstützung bieten. Sie kann aber auch bei Erwachsenen Einsicht und tieferes Verständnis erwecken.

The Magic Horse is the story of two brothers, one highly skilled in the practical arts, and the other, Prince Tambal, considered by most people to be only a dreamer. Their father, the King, announces a competition to produce "interesting and useful devices" - the entry produced by a woodcarver appears to be only a simple wooden horse, nothing more than a toy, apparently of little value. But, when Prince Tambal examines the horse more closely, he discovers that the horse is able to magically transport its rider to whatever place is in the rider's mind. In this way, Prince Tambal comes to learn a great many things, and eventually, to know "his heart's desire". This book is one of a series of illustrated Teaching-Stories by Idries Shah, stories which have captivated hearts and minds for more than a thousand years. The stories are designed to help children learn to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves.In the Sufi tradition there is a continuum between the children's story, the entertainment or folklore story, and the instructional or instrumental story. A story can help children deal with difficult situations and give them something to hold on to, while the same story can stimulate a deeper understanding in adults.

The day a boy is born, his parents are visited by a wise man who says, "This is a very, very important boy, and I'm going to give him something marvelous one day, but I will have to give him his name first. So please don't give him a name yet." So, his parents call him Benaam, which means Nameless. The story tells how the boy seeks, and eventually finds his own true name – and also finds much more.This book is one of a series of illustrated Teaching-Stories by Idries Shah, stories which have captivated hearts and minds for more than a thousand years. The stories are designed to help children learn to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves. Among the many insights in this story is the idea that it takes patience and resolve to achieve one's goals in life.Mona Caron's beautiful illustrations embellish this unusual and captivating story, presenting the wonder of this hidden world to both children and adults.Am Tag der Geburt eines Jungen werden seine Eltern von einem weisen Mann aufgesucht, der zu ihnen sagt: „Dies ist ein ganz bedeutender Junge, und eines Tages werde ich ihm etwas Wunderbares schenken. Doch bevor ich das tue, muss ich ihm seinen Namen geben. Gebt ihm bitte jetzt noch keinen Namen.“Also nennen ihn seine Eltern „Benaam“, was „Namenlos“ bedeutet. Die Geschichte handelt davon, wie der Junge seinen wahren Namen sucht und schließlich findet – und gleichzeitig findet er noch vieles mehr. Dieses Buch gehört zu einer Reihe von illustrierten Lehrgeschichten von Idries Shah – Geschichten, die schon seit Jahrtausenden die Herzen und Köpfe von Menschen jeden Alters erobern. Sie sollen Kinder dazu anregen, sich ihre vorgefassten Meinungen genauer anzusehen und eigenständig zu denken. Eine der vielen Einsichten, die dieses Märchen den Lesern vor Augen führt, ist die Erkenntnis, dass es Geduld und Entschlossenheit braucht, um seine Ziele im Leben zu erreichen. Die wunderschönen Illustrationen von Mona Caron machen dieses Märchen noch spannender und zeigen jungen wie auch erwachsenen Lesern eine verborgene, magische Welt.

The Queen of Hich-Hich fails to follow the instructions given to her by Arif the Wise Man and, as a result, gives birth to a half-boy. This story tells how Neem becomes a whole boy through cleverness, negotiation and compromise. This story helps children learn to think creatively by using flexibility and perseverance, while also entertaining and delighting them. This tale is one of the many hundreds of Sufi developmental stories collected by Idries Shah from oral and written sources in Central Asia and the Middle East, presented here as one of a series of illustrated children's books. For more than a thousand years this story has entertained young people and helped to foster in them the ability to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves.