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Abu Jmeel's
Daughter and Other Stories -
Arab Folktales from Palestine and Lebanon
collected and retold by Jamal
Sleem Nuweihed
edited by Salma Khadra Jayyusi
These 27
traditional folk stories were written down,
shortly before her death, by Jamal Sleem
Nuweihed, who had recounted them to the
children of her extended family over many
years. Authentically Arab in their themes,
yet timelessly universal, they are sometimes
magical, sometimes naturalistic, and combine
a wealth of vivid detail with elements of
pathos and humor. Translated by family members
of various generations, then expertly edited,
the book is a precious store of the kind
of tale endlessly cherished but in danger
of disappearing.
About the
Storyteller and Editor
Jamal Sleem Nuweihed (1907-91)
was born in Lebanon to a Lebanese doctor
and a Turkish mother. She lived many decades
in Palestine where she raised a family and
spent all her free time quietly at home,
either reading or writing her poetry and
fiction. The author of three published novels
and many poems, she was one of the most
versatile creative people, enjoying writing
a story as much as telling it. The folktales
are only a small part of the rich repertoire
of tales she kept alive in her memory until
her last days.
Salma Khadra
Jayyusi, the author's niece and translator
of some of the stories, is a poet, critic,
literary historian, and anthologist. She
is the founder and director of PROTA, the
Project for the Translation of Arabic Literature.
Reviews
"Women are at the center of these
27 lively traditional tales that have been
told and retold in Lebanese, Palestinian,
and Turkish families for generations. The
stories were written down by Nuweihed when
she was 83, and they are translated here
by her children, grandchildren, nephews,
and nieces for a contemporary audience.
In a bright accessible paperback, the informal
style has the immediacy and timelessness
of family storytelling ("Do you think
she'd accept me as a husband?") with
lots of evil stepmothers, jealous sisters,
and angry cousins who get their comeuppance
with a vengeance, though some are forgiven,
prompting tearful reunions. There are motifs
from The Thousand and One Nights with kings,
palaces, and powerful genii, and also from
the Brothers' Grimm, including an Arabic
version of Snow White. In one of the best
stories, "The Fawwal's Daughter,"
the girl only agrees to marry the prince
if he learns a trade--and she proves right.
The tales are long, but storytellers will
select the parts they want for family, school,
and adult audiences."
- Hazel Rochman, Booklist
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