From the Land of Sheba: Yemeni Folk Tales (International Folk Tale Series)

ISBN: 1566565715

Author: Han, Carolyn

Condition: New

Although Yemen, at the southern tip of the Arabian Penisula, is one of the oldest inhabited regions of the world, in the West, it is one of the least known places. Ancient Yemen is mentioned in the Bible as the home to frankincense and myrrh, which was once more costly than gold; but what else do we know of this place the Romans called Felix Arabia? As stories often moved with commerce, perhaps some of our earliest stories were born in Yemens legendary incense groves and traveled with caravans around the world. The Romans called this land happy or prosperous because of the regions geographic diversity: it is not just another country of vast deserts, and its history goes back thousands of years. Legends tell us, in fact, that Sanaa, the present-day capital, was established by Noahs son, Shem. The fabled past is ever present in Yemen, and stories are told about events that happened long, long ago-as if they happened only yesterday. From the Land of Sheba brings a rich assortment of folktales from this ancient land.