The Stranger's Farewell

This timeless story has entertained people all over the world for hundreds of years. When a stranger who has been traveling for many days stops at the home of a young couple to ask for a glass of water and a place to rest, they make him welcome and invite him to share their meal. As we all know, small actions sometimes have large consequences, and this one did. As the stranger leaves to go on his way, he says, "May the next thing you do last until you say 'Enough.'" These parting words reward the couple's generosity in an amazing way. News of their changed status travels fast and prompts a greedy merchant to seek out the stranger in the hope of gaining a similar reward for himself - but, of course, the result for him is very different. This tale can teach us - in a very accessible way - something about the nature of giving and receiving. Its setting - Afghanistan, where the story is widely known - introduces children to a culture and a people that may be unfamiliar to them. The tale is retold here for young people by the Afghan storyteller and teacher Palwasha Bazger Salam, and is beautifully illustrated by Marie Lafrance.