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Wiil Waal: A Somali Folktale (Somali Bilingual Book Project)
A Somali-English Bilingual Children's Picture Book. The heart? The leg? The ribs? What part of the sheep is the answer to the Sultan s riddle? When wise Somali leader Wiil Waal asks the men in his province to bring him the part of a sheep that best symbolizes what can divide men or unite them as one, most present him with prime cuts of meat. But one very poor man s daughter has a different idea. In this clever folktale, a father reluctantly follows his daughter s advice and has astonishing results.
32 pages, Paperback
First published August 16, 2007
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169 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 4, 2019
In this traditional tale from Somalia, presented in both English and Somali, Sultan Garad Farah Garad Hirsi - nicknamed Wiil Waal, because he is a brave and wise leader - instructs the men of his province to bring him the part of the sheep that symbolizes "what can divide men or unite them as one." Most of them respond by returning with the best cuts, but one poor man, listening to his daughter's advice, brings the gullet to Wiil Waal...
Like Marian Hassan's Dhegdheer: A Scary Somali Folktale , this traditional Somali story was published by the Minnesota Humanities Center, as part of their Somali Bilingual Book Project. An engaging story, sure to appeal to anyone who enjoys folktales that emphasize riddles and clever thinking, it features gouache illustrations by Somalian-born artist Amin Amir. Highly recommended to readers with an interest in folklore, in the Somali culture and language, or who just likes a good story featuring clever girls.
Like Marian Hassan's Dhegdheer: A Scary Somali Folktale , this traditional Somali story was published by the Minnesota Humanities Center, as part of their Somali Bilingual Book Project. An engaging story, sure to appeal to anyone who enjoys folktales that emphasize riddles and clever thinking, it features gouache illustrations by Somalian-born artist Amin Amir. Highly recommended to readers with an interest in folklore, in the Somali culture and language, or who just likes a good story featuring clever girls.
March 31, 2008
i liked reading this book because it is about Somali and how Somali this book is good for the people who don't know any thing about somali
March 9, 2022
This bilingual (English and Somali) book tells the folktale of a wise leader challenging the men in his province with a riddle, and it being solved by a poor farmer’s eldest daughter. Based on a real Sultan from the mid 19th century, the book does not claim the story to be true, and leaves it up to the reader to form their own impression. The lesson however, is rich with culture, insight, charm, and perhaps surprise. There is no Islam present or hinted at, but the illustrator’s and translator’s names suggest that they are Muslim as the majority of Somali’s are, and the picture at the back of the book of members of the Somali Book Project show multiple females in hijab- so I’m sharing it on my platform to inshaAllah encourage often rarely seen, in western literature, cultures and traditions to be brought to more peoples’ attention.
The book starts with an author’s note explaining the tradition in East Africa of having a nickname and that Wiil Waal was the naanay of Garad Farah Garad Hirsi, a man who was a sultan for a brief time. He was known to be a great leader who was brave, and clever, and used riddles to unite people. Like all folktales though, this doesn’t claim to be a true story, but one filled with wisdom.
Long ago Wiil Waal set forth a riddle, “bring me part of one of your sheep. The sheep’s part should symbolize what can divide people or unite them as one.” The one who can do so will be honored as a wise man.
The men pick different parts to bring to the sultan with little success: a rib, a liver, a shoulder of meat. In a distant province a poor farmer who had few sheep and many children half heartedly prepared to slaughter his finest animal to present to Wiil Waal. His oldest daughter comes to help him, and he tells her the riddle. They work through it, and she thinks she is certain she knows the answer.
Trusting his daughter the farmer presents the sultan with what his daughter recommended. Quick to see that the farmer is not confident, he asks who solved the riddle and the story of the daughter’s intelligence is conveyed.
The book ends hinting that she is a future leader of Somalia. And no, I’m not going to tell you the answer. Go read the book!
The book starts with an author’s note explaining the tradition in East Africa of having a nickname and that Wiil Waal was the naanay of Garad Farah Garad Hirsi, a man who was a sultan for a brief time. He was known to be a great leader who was brave, and clever, and used riddles to unite people. Like all folktales though, this doesn’t claim to be a true story, but one filled with wisdom.
Long ago Wiil Waal set forth a riddle, “bring me part of one of your sheep. The sheep’s part should symbolize what can divide people or unite them as one.” The one who can do so will be honored as a wise man.
The men pick different parts to bring to the sultan with little success: a rib, a liver, a shoulder of meat. In a distant province a poor farmer who had few sheep and many children half heartedly prepared to slaughter his finest animal to present to Wiil Waal. His oldest daughter comes to help him, and he tells her the riddle. They work through it, and she thinks she is certain she knows the answer.
Trusting his daughter the farmer presents the sultan with what his daughter recommended. Quick to see that the farmer is not confident, he asks who solved the riddle and the story of the daughter’s intelligence is conveyed.
The book ends hinting that she is a future leader of Somalia. And no, I’m not going to tell you the answer. Go read the book!
October 17, 2022
Wiil Waal: A Somali Folktale (Paperback) by Kathleen Moriarty (Retelling), Illustrator- Amin Amir, Translator -Jamal Adam, Hindi language translation by Aravinda Gupta- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates a Somali Folk tale about their famous leader Wiil Waal. Wiil Waal always found puzzles to enquire from his tribesmen. One day and enquired that they should inform “which part of the body of a sheep best symbolizes what can divide men or unite them as one”. He declared that such person should present him with prime cuts of meat. All tribesmen collected various part of the body of sheep with them but the leader was not satisfied. One very poor tribesman’s eldest daughter has a different idea. She informed her father that the gullet is the part of the body which divides and unites a sheep’s body. She and her father went to the Leader with the gullet. The Leader appreciated the old man’s daughter. As a gift, he declared that she will be the leader of the Tribe after him. Coloured illustrations help the reader in relating to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.
May 5, 2019
What a wonderful ending!
March 13, 2017
Like every good folktale, this story celebrates the wisdom and sensibility of common people. I liked that the cleverest person in the land, apart from the sultan, was the poor shepherd's eldest daughter. (Yay, girls!) My only issue with the story really had to do with me struggling with my ethnocentric personal beliefs (vegetarianism because animal slaughter violates my personal morals, even though I know that other people and cultures depend on animal slaughter in their ways of life) which differ with the longstanding traditions, lifeways, and cultural practices of Somali shepherding people. (It's the same issue and squeamishness I have with my father who hunts and eats deer, my family who farm and eat cows and pigs, etc.)
December 9, 2009
Grades 2nd - 3rd
The story of Wiil Waal is a Somali folktale that is probably not very well known among children today. This story tells of greed and generosity, unity and division. Wiil Waal orders the village-men to bring him a part of their sheep that symbolizes what could divide or unite people. One village-man, listening to his daughter, reluctantly brought the gullet. The daughter explained her reasoning and was crown the wisest person in the village. She later became Wiil Waal's wife and ruled the land with him. Children will be intrigued by this folktale as it is different from any that they have probably heard already. The illustrations depict a culture and people that are different from what our children see everyday. This will appeal to them as well.
Related Content Areas
Social Studies, Science
Lesson Idea:
Children could learn about the country of Somalia and its people. They could learn about its geography, agriculture, and culture.
The story of Wiil Waal is a Somali folktale that is probably not very well known among children today. This story tells of greed and generosity, unity and division. Wiil Waal orders the village-men to bring him a part of their sheep that symbolizes what could divide or unite people. One village-man, listening to his daughter, reluctantly brought the gullet. The daughter explained her reasoning and was crown the wisest person in the village. She later became Wiil Waal's wife and ruled the land with him. Children will be intrigued by this folktale as it is different from any that they have probably heard already. The illustrations depict a culture and people that are different from what our children see everyday. This will appeal to them as well.
Related Content Areas
Social Studies, Science
Lesson Idea:
Children could learn about the country of Somalia and its people. They could learn about its geography, agriculture, and culture.
December 21, 2013
Warning: if your maama told you folktales when you were a kid this book will make you nostalgic
Want to read
July 16, 2014hi my name is ahamedek
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews