Description
Book SynopsisAfter witnessing first-hand the death throes of this rich and captivating tradition, Richard Hamilton has tracked down the last few remaining storytellers of Morocco, recording stories that are replete with the mysteries and beauty of the Maghreb. Marrakech is the heart and lifeblood of Morocco's ancient storytelling tradition. For nearly a thousand years, storytellers have gathered in the Jemaa el Fna, the legendary square of the city, to recount ancient folktales and fables to rapt audiences. But this unique chain of oral tradition that has passed seamlessly from generation to generation is teetering on the brink of extinction. The competing distractions of television, movies and the internet have drawn the crowds away from the storytellers and few have the desire to learn the stories and continue their legacy. Moroccan tales have a huge educational, religious and moral impact on their audience, offering timeless values and guidance to all who listen. With their passing we risk losing something of Morocco's national psyche and also part of the world's tangible heritage. Those who have listened to the storytellers at Marrakech first-hand have witnessed something that is no longer part of this world, a treasure as precious as the planet's most endangered species and of immeasurable importance to humanity.
Trade ReviewInspiring . . . brilliantly illustrates an ancient oral tradition in my country. I cannot but commend your untiring, meticulous work. Building on stories gathered directly from some of our most renowned storytellers, you have introduced readers to a time-honoured Moroccan tradition. -- Mohammed VI, King of Morocco
Charming, fantastical and lively collection. Like a genie emerging from a flask, The Last Storytellers produces a startling amount of pleasure from some very small packages.... Both men [author and interpreter] deserve much praise for the successful outcome of this endeavour. * Times Literary Supplement *
Hamilton presents readers with a precious gift: a collection of content not quite like anything we have ever heard or seen before. Readers who might never reach Marrakech can find their own oasis by making a cup of mint tea and giving thanks for these enchanting stories rescued from oblivion. * New York Journal of Books *
Think of this as a collection of Grimm’s fairy tales with plenty of added North African charm. * Lonely Planet *
Hamilton does not only offer his readers a valuable, enchanting, interesting and entertaining read but also launches a
cri de coeur to rescue this vanishing and traditional form of storytelling as it slowly falls into the abyss of forgetfulness. * North South Magazine *
This is addictive material. * The National *
A truly remarkable piece of literature. * Essential Travel Blog *
Table of ContentsForeword: Circles in the Jemaa el Fna xiii Author’s Note Acknowledgements Introduction The Red Lantern The King and His Prime Minister The Gazelle with the Golden Horns The Imam and the Wager The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Hermit The Birth of the Sahara The Trials of Noureddine The Sultan and His Vizier’s Wife The Queen and the King, the Son of Amelkani Nour and the Sultan The Laundryman and the Fountain The Man Who Went Against His Father’s Wishes The Vizier and the Chicken The Fakir and the Frog The Two Hunchbacks El-Ghaliya Bent Mansour The Land and the Treasure The Statue and the Robber The Tailor, the Princess and the Eagle The Sultan and the Thief The Eyes of Ben’Adi The Shoemaker and the Bird The Vizier and the Barber Seven Coins and a Donkey The Sultan’s Daughter and the Leper The Nobleman and His Three Sons The Vengeance of Allah The Woman and the Black Cat Aicha Rmada The Traveller and the Pasha’s Daughter The Girl from Fes One Hundred and One Beheadings The Three Figs Suleiman, the Stork and the City of Gold The Woman and the Devil The Bird from the Land of Gabour The Pomegranate and the Talking Drum The Date Gatherers The Rich Woman and the Sacks of Corn Postscript
