Ann Redisch Stampler

One night, the Shah decides to go out disguised as a servant to check on the state of his subjects. Wandering around Kabul he come upon the household of a poor cobbler and his wife celebrating Shabbat with a modest meal. When the Shah asks the poor tradesman why he and his wife are so content, the response he discovers is that it’s the man’s faith that God will always provide. “If one path is blocked, God leads me to another, and everything turns out just as it should,” replies the Jew. Impressed by his faith, but curious about its strength, the Shah decides to test the shoemaker.

In the author’s note Stampler says that she chose this Jewish Afghani version of the folktale to adapt because of the respect that the two central character have for each other despite their different religions and stations in life. The benevolent smiles that Liddiment expresses in her cheerful illustrations harmonize beautifully with the author’s sentiment.… (meer)