Tales We Heard on the Silk Road: Plays, Puppet Shows, and Readers’ Theater for Children: Stories From Attar, Rumi, and Saadi

Here is an introduction to the rich literary heritage of three Sufi poets from the Islamic tradition: Attar, Rumi, and Saadi. Also included in this collection is a series of readers' theater pieces from the fables of Kalilah and Dimnah. These stories represent a variety of philosophical dilemmas and ethical concerns for children, pared down into entertaining stories that they will understand and hold on to long after reading and watching them. What are the limits of knowledge? How much control do you have over your own destiny? What is the best way to help the poor? Can you learn to read in 30 days? What is the value of friendship? Stretching over 4,000 miles from Chang'an in China to Istanbul in Turkey, the Silk Road has facilitated the exchange of goods and stories - connecting people from many different faiths and backgrounds. Much like the fairytales of the Grimm Brothers, these Sufi folk tales and fables which have long passed down in Muslim lands are now adapted to the theater in the form of short plays, puppet shows, and readers' theater. Young adults are now able to perform these moral tales for an audience of children. We hope that these plays will enable children and adults to understand the beautiful and complex cultural heritage of the Silk Road.

Nabeela M. Rehman is a writer and artist with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. Her short stories have been published in The Petrichor Review, Black Lantern Publications, Chautauqua, Critical Muslim, Bewildering Stories, and Literary Mama.