Tales Told In Tents

Retells folktales from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, and includes several stories that cross regional lines, proverbs, riddles, and poems.

Why are some carpets magic? What is a wish-tree? And where can the fountain of eternal life be found? The answers to these and many other intriguing questions can be found in Sally Pomme Clayton’s enchanted storytelling journey through Central Asia. On her travels in the region, Sally has accumulated a wealth of folklore and knowledge of nomadic cultures. The 12 exotic retellings of stories related to the author in storytelling tents are linked by a mix of memories spiced with homespun wisdom, as she retraces her steps through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan and Afghanistan. Sophie Herxheimer’s brilliantly-patterned artwork, together with a glossary and brief notes, combine to reveal the richness of these little-known, faraway lands of Central Asia.

The Camel That Had No Hump

All the camels are worried when a baby camel is born among them without a hump. The adult camels try unsuccessfully to fix this problem. Surprising events lead to a happy ending to this gentle story where children expand perceptions of the differently gifted among all of us.

Grandma Chickenlegs

In this variation of the traditional Baba Yaga story, a young girl must rely on the advice of her dead mother and her special doll when her wicked stepmother sends her to get a needle from Grandma Chickenlegs.