Review by BRIGITTE ROZARIO
ABU NAWAS SERIES
(Pranks of Abu Nawas / Tricks of Abu Nawas / Antics of Abu Nawas / Wits of Abu Nawas)
Retold by Muhd Mansur Abdullah and Abdul Wahab Awang
Illustrated by Lam Le Siang
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
These are the stories of Abu Nawas, from the classic Iraqi tales. Each book has about five stories. Each page has a nice Arabic type of border with lovely Arabian Nights kind of illustrations by Lam Le Siang.
Abu Nawas was a poet who lived about 756 to 814 (according to Wikipedia which says there are disputes on the exact year of birth). He is the hero in these classic tales where he is portrayed as an extremely bright and witty man who finds ingenious ways to solve problems.
According to the classic tale retold here, Abu Nawas lived during the rule of Sultan Harun al-Rashid in the kingdom of Baghdad.
Abu Nawas spends his days trying to help the good people around him. These four books tell many stories of his pranks and tricks to teach the “bad” guys lessons.
These books are interesting because Abu Nawas has a unique way of solving problems – some of the methods he uses to teach people lessons are not anything you would think of.
The Sultan himself is not spared. He is featured prominently in the tales and is sometimes even taught lessons by Abu Nawas.
However, because Abu Nawas is wise and the Sultan is fair, somehow Abu Nawas evades getting into serious trouble with the Sultan.
One of my favourite stories involves the Sultan wanting to find a new Counsellor after Maulana (Abu Nawas' father) dies. He wants Abu Nawas to assume the responsibility.
Not wanting the heavy responsibility, Abu Nawas cooks up tricks to get out of it, even resorting to acting like a crazy man.
Another brilliant story is about a cruel merchant who cut off one pound of his worker's flesh when the man quit his job. Part of the job contract states that if the man quits, he must give the merchant a pound of his flesh; if the merchant scolds or sacks him, the man gets one pound of the merchant's flesh.
To teach the merchant a lesson, Abu Nawas poses as a man looking for a job at the merchant's house. He signs the same job contract with the merchant. He becomes the worst worker the merchant has ever had. The merchant can't sack him, of course. Otherwise he would lose a pound of flesh.
Knowing this, the merchant decides to cut off Abu Nawas' head when he is asleep. By some trickery, the merchant kills his own wife instead!
These stories are for middle to upper primary school children.
The books are fun to read although the stories might be a bit long for those in lower primary.
They teach children to think out of the box and to use creative ways to find solutions to their problems.
Kids will love Abu Nawas for his ingenuity and because he likes to teach others a lesson.
Recommended.
* A 20% discount will be given to readers interested in purchasing this book. All you have to do is call, write in or email the order to Marshall Cavendish.
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