A silly old woman who had never seen an eagle before thinks that a golden eagle is a pigeon. Because she thinks that the eagle is silly looking she 'fixes' him to fit characteristics of a pigeon by cutting his claws, brushing his head, and straightening his beak. When he flies away, another eagle helps him to look like an eagle again. The story warns readers against the dangers of forcing your own views on people that are different from you. ( )

Taken from the folk traditions of Afghanistan and Central Asia, this Sufi teaching tale sets out the story of a foolish old woman who, having never before encountered an eagle, doesn't know what to make of one, when she finally does. In the absence of any knowledge, and despite the eagle's stated denial, she decides that he must be a "funny" kind of pigeon, and sets out to "correct" his flaws. After having his tuft of feathers smoothed and combed down, his claws clipped, and his beak straightened, the eagle looks very "funny" indeed! Fortunately, another eagle happens by, helping to set the aquiline victim to rights, and counseling him to avoid those who cannot or will not accept him for what he is...

Well known for adult studies such as The Sufis, as well as for the epic novel Kara Kush, Idries Shah was also a noted collector of folktales from around the world (World Tales: The Extraordinary Coincidence of Stories Told in All Times, in All Places), and many of his stories have been presented in picture-book form. It's interesting to me that a number of other reviewers have expressed dissatisfaction with The Old Woman and the Eagle, citing the fact that the old woman doesn't really learn the error of her ways, as I think it's clear, by the end of the story, that the reader is meant to identify with the eagle, rather than the woman. This is a story, not about learning to accept the realities of the world and the creatures in it, but about how to respond when the people around you won't accept those realities. That shift of perspective, in and of itself, is really quite fascinating.

I don't know that there is really a very engaging 'story' here, but The Old Woman and the Eagle is still worth reading, both for the idea being presented, and also for Natasha Delmar's appealing artwork, with its lovely decorative borders. Recommended primarily to young folklore enthusiasts (particularly those with an interest in Afghanistan), or to anyone looking for Sufi stories for children. ( )

folklore - afghanistan