The Magic Apple: A Folktale from the Middle East

by Rob Cleveland, Baird Hoffmire (Illustrator)

Three brothers embark on separate journeys to fulfill their father's dying wish. In their journey's they go to distant lands, find curious treasures, and learn the true meaning of giving.

Genres: Folklore, Folk Tales

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2006

About the author

ROB CLEVELAND is storyteller-in-residence at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also an actor and comedian who can be seen in the films Drumline and That Darn Cat. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and twins.

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magic Apple: A Middle Eastern Folktale (Story Cove) by Rob Cleveland, Illustrator Baird Hoffmire- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates a Middle Eastern Folktale about an affluent father and his three sons. Before dying his father informs his sons that they after his death, they should travel in different directions and purchase a curious treasure and learn the importance of giving. First and eldest son goes to China and finds that a telescope is curious treasure. He purchases it and returns home. Second son travels to middle east and finds that a flying carpet to be a curious treasure, the purchases the flying carpet and flies to his house. Youngest son travels to Africa and finds that a golden apple is growing on a farm. He decides that this golden apple is a curious treasure and wishes to pay for it but the farmer’s son gives the golden apple without cost. He says that the third son will learn a lesson. The three sons meet at home. Eldest son sees from his telescope that in the Capital, the King and the ministers are sad. They sit on the flying carpet and reach the capital. Here they find that the cause of grief is that the King’s daughter is ill and no medicine has been able to cure him. If the Princess is cured by the medicine, King will marry his daughter with him. Youngest son comes forward and presses the golden apple so that its juice drops in the King’s daughter’s mouth. The Princess is cured. Now, the three brothers fight for the hand of the Princess stating their role in the incident. King decides that the telescope and the flying carpet are still intact with the owners while the golden apple has been given to cure the Princess. So, the youngest son deserves to marry Princess. They live happily together ever after. Message Importance of giving- whatever you give returns back many times more. Coloured pictures help the reader to relate to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[Sylvie Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite stories, because it is one that my grandfather used to tell me. I used to think that it was a story he had learned growing up in Russia, but he later explained that he had learned it from a book of stories that he had read at my house, which was part of my parents' home library. I don't remember if I ever figured out exactly which book that was and read the version of the story from which he had learned the tale, but if I did, it was long ago, and I no longer remember what book it was. Peninah Schram's "The Magic Pomegranate" is a lovely adaptation of this tale, changing the nature of the fruit to be more exotic, but Rob Cleveland's is closer to my grandfather's story as it goes back to the apple.

I like this retelling of the story, but I find some of the illustrations to be rather off-putting. Some of them are okay, but they are not consistent. Some seem to depict racial stereotypes, some don't exactly show what is described in the text, and I find the depictions of the characters with exaggeratedly large, "bugged-out" eyes to be unattractive. I read and listened to this story as a "Read to me" digital book on the Epic! website, read by an unidentified narrator. The text and telling of the story is good, and I think I would enjoy it more if I copy over the text and reread it without the narration or illustrations.

[Anne Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story about three brothers who set out to find happiness and riches as their father's dream told him they would. They each find a magic item which allows them to help a dying princess in a faraway kingdom. The princess chooses to marry the one of the brothers who gave up his gift, a magic apple, to save her life. The other brothers stayed in the kingdom with them and the father's dream came true. This story seemed very simple and perhaps a little too succinct and fast-paced. I would have liked more description and emotion from it. The illustrations are pretty interesting. The cartoonish characters have large eyes and their are a lot of shines in the pictures, which I think is kind of cool. This story can introduce readers to Middle Eastern culture and can teach readers that there is much to gain when they make sacrifices for others and share what they have.