Mah Jahan was a merchant. She collected beautiful things to sell but she also collected birds.
"She kept them in cages or in chains so they couldn't fly away and leave her."
Her favourite bird was a colourful talking parrot from India. Setting off to trade in India, Mah Jahan asked her parrot:
"Tell me what I can bring you to make you happy."
Do you know what will make this parrot happy?
Here are all her goods loaded onto her camels:
Just as she was about to head back home, Mah Jahan remembered to ask the wild parrots for advice - what will make her parrot at home happy? These parrots cannot talk of course and sadly one dies after hearing the question. On her return, Mah Jahan tells her parrot she has no answer to the question of happiness and that one of the wild parrots had dropped dead.
"Mah Jahan's parrot said nothing, but after a moment it too suddenly went still, and it dropped to the floor of the cage."
Can you guess what happens when Mah Jahan opens the cage and gently lifts out her precious parrot. YES, it is a trick, and the parrot flies off to freedom (and back to India).
This book has the most wonderful art and a very satisfying story. Be quick - this book in hardcover is available now for a really good price. Since it was published in 2017, I am sure it will soon be out of print. I highly recommend adding this one to your library collection - the art is scrumptious. Or look for the paperback edition [9781910328255].
Publisher (Tiny Owl) blurb: This exquisitely illustrated story is an enchanting fable exploring how hard it is to give something you love freedom. The merchant Mah Jahan loves to keep colourful birds in cages, especially a parrot who can talk to her. But when the parrot asks her to bring something back from her trading trip to India, Mah Jahan learns a valuable lesson about how to treat the things and people you love.
Read about Marjan Vafaian here.
Try to find some other books about the thirteenth century poet and philosopher Rumi.
No comments:
Post a Comment