Arabic Short Stories

Before Eid, Grandma bakes date-filled Eid cookies (kaak). Adam can’t resist and eats five. Tempted to blame the cat, he confesses instead. Grandma thanks him for his honesty, and they bake a fresh tray together.

Khalid wants to give his grandfather a birthday present but has no money. He makes a handmade book of old photos and family memories and learns Grandpa’s favorite song on the oud. His grandfather calls it the best gift of his life.

After thousands of years of lighting the night, the tired Moon wishes for a night off. The stars offer to cover the sky and shine so brightly that children see the constellations like never before. Now the Moon rests once a month — the new moon.

Zeina is the tallest giraffe on the plains but is secretly afraid of heights. When a baby elephant gets lost in the tall grass, she takes a deep breath, looks far into the distance and spots his trunk waving by the lake — discovering her courage.

An old olive tree in the middle of the village gives blossoms to the bees, shade to passers-by and olives to the villagers. During a harsh winter, the villagers prop up its branches, the children tend its roots and birds nest in it. The next spring it is greener and more fruitful than ever.