Folktales from Iraq

by C. G. Campbell (Translator), John Buckland Wright (Illustrator)

Who would not shudder when entering the skeleton-lined cave of the queen of the dead? How would a young man and his sister escape from the prison of a treacherous sultan? How would a poor farmer gain the hand of the beautiful daughter of the wealthiest sheik? These and thirteen more tales are spun in this stunning collection of sixteen traditional stories from the Shia tribes of southern Iraq. Gathered in the late 1940s and deftly translated to capture the elegance of the originals, these tales are full of action, adventure, love, and humor and are sure to delight anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of the Scheherezade.

Appearing here for the first time in paperback, the stories in Folktales from Iraq , each accompanied by specially commissioned engravings, allow the reader to travel to a distant, imaginary land swirling with great fortunes, terrifying predicaments, and quick-witted heroes.

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2005

Reviews

[Jody Mena]

Very interesting reading! These folk tales are much different from the ones I read as a child growing up in the West, they are from a totally different culture from my own. This was obvious in many places, and I would not have understood the significance and symbolism if not for previous readings and study. However, a lot of the moral lessons and ironies comedies were much the same. Its amazing how even such differing cultures can have threads of similarity. There were some remarkably unique and vivid stories that will stick with me, like the lascivious merchant who was driven mad by sequins, or the brother and sister slaves who drown their master in a vat of wine and served it to his customers - or particularly the prince who Noised the Noise! A cultures folk tales really give you a unique window into its peoples' world, more than sociological or anthropological investigation can hope to, because it is a totally uncensored and untainted dose of that cultures' values and norms. But this book of stories was not only informative, but entertaining as well, so you get a lot out of reading it!

[Saxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

These tales come from a tribe in southern Iraq. They were written down by an visiting englishman in the 40's. Thus, the title is a bit misleading. These are not common tales that hold any strong significance to Iraqi culture or its history. However, they do contain elements that can serve as a view into the Iraqi past.
Nevertheless, this book is actually really funny and full of fun and sometimes absurd adventures. The tales are written sort of like bible stories but way funnier and poetic.
Not something I would probably recommend to most people but overall really enjoyable and fascinating at times.

[Mary Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a random sales book at my favorite indie bookstore. I like folktales, and my expectations were pretty even. Given that these were collected and published in the 1950s, I thought it was decent. Probably not totally accurate, but it seemed respectful enough. Worth the read.