The Round Sultan and the Straight Answer

by Barbara K. Walker, Friso Henstra (Illustrator)

The sultan could not lose weight until the hamal told him his fate.

38 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one fanciful story of a sultan who loves to eat Lucullan banquets but finds that it’s getting perilous for his health. The story of how he finally sheds his debilitating pounds is accompanied by gaudily and gayly colored pictures filled with sumptuous displays of clothing, furnishings and copious meals that would choke a horse. The images are set against a stark white backdrop that sharply offsets the startling visuals.

The hamal (a Middle Eastern word meaning “porter, bearer or servant” according to the internet) is one clever man, the only one smart enough to provide the solution. In the grand tradition of fairy tales, he manages to outthink every one of the 40 doctors who have been summoned to help the rotund ruler and failed miserably.

(The artistic style reminded me of the one used in the animated Beatles film The Yellow Submarine. If you’re too young to get that reference, watch it for yourself. If not, your loss. It’s a funny film.)

With their tendency to be outspoken and tell someone when they’re ugly, foul smelling or fat, children will get a chuckle out of this story of an overweight adult who has to be tricked into shedding the pounds.