ISSN: 2397-9607 Issue 241
In this 241st issue of the Baba Indaba’s Children's Stories series, Baba Indaba narrates the story of THE STORY OF NOOR-ED-DEEN AND ENEES-EL-JELEES - a tale from the Arabian Nights.
There was once, in El-Basrah (Basra), a certain King who loved the poor and indigent, and regarded his subjects with benevolence; he bestowed of his wealth upon them who believed and was celebrated in verse by the poets. The name of this King was Mohammad, the son of Suleymán Ez-Zeynee. He had two Wezeers (Viziers); one of whom was named El-Mo'een and the other, El-Fadl. El-Fadl was the most generous of the people of his age whereas El-Mo'een hated others, and was a man of inauspicious aspect.
Now one day the King was on his throne, surrounded by the court, and he called to his Wezeer El-Fadl and said to him, I desire a female slave unsurpassed in beauty by any in her age, of perfect loveliness, and exquisite symmetry, and endowed with all praiseworthy qualities. His courtiers told him such a woman could not to be found for less than ten thousand pieces of gold. And the Sultan agreed to pay this for such a beauty whose name was Enees-el-Jelees.
One day, one of the brokers came to the mansion of El-Fadl and told him the female slave for whom the noble mandate was issued had arrived in town. The Wezeer ordered she be brought and presented to him. When the Wezeer beheld her, she pleased him extremely, and he asked the broker her price? He replied ten thousand gold pieces and the price was agreed. She was sequestered in private and warned about the El-Fadl’s son who had not left a girl in the quarter without making love to her.
The Wezeer El-Fadl had a son as handsome as the shining full moon, with brilliant countenance, and red cheek, marked with a mole like a globule of ambergris, and with grey down. In time the youth heard about this damsel.
One day she went to bathe and, after certain of the female slaves had bathed her, she attired herself in rich apparel. She then went in to the Wezeer's wife who charged two young slave-girls to guard the door, saying to them that no-one but she and the Weezer were to be allowed entry under fear of punishment.
Later the Wezeer's son, came in, and asked after his mother and the family. The two girls said they had gone to bathe. Unfortunately Enees-el-Jelees heard the speech of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen and she said to herself, I wonder what this youth is like as I have a desire to see him. She approached the door and spied him through a crack in the door. The sight of him made her sigh a thousand sighs and hearing her at the door, he opened it. After glancing on her beauty, he was so affected, with him beginning to feel the same way about her, each was caught in the snare of the other's love. The two slave-girls realising what had happened, and cried out at them; whereupon they fled.
Well, what did he do? Did he do to her what he had done to so many other fair maidens? Did his favours fall foul of the King and bring his wrath upon himself and his father’s household? Well, you’ll just have to download and read this fascinating tale to find out what did happen.

Baba Indaba is a fictitious Zulu storyteller who narrates children's stories from around the world. Baba Indaba translates as "Father of Stories".

Each issue also has a "WHERE IN THE WORLD - LOOK IT UP" section, where young readers are challenged to look up a place on a map somewhere in the world. The place, town or city is relevant to the story. HINT - use Google maps.

33% of the profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities.
INCLUDES LINKS TO DOWNLOAD 8 FREE STORIES