The Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East

Title: The Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East

Retold by: Eric A. Kimmel

Illustrator: Leonard Everett Fisher

Publisher: New York: Holiday House, 1994

ISBN: 0-8234-1115-X

Plot Summary: A wise and beautiful princess must choose between three suitors: Princes Fahad, Muhammed, and Mohsen. Each prince is an acceptable match by bloodline, but although the princess likes Mohsen best, he is poor and her counselors do not see Mohsen as being the preferable partner. Being wise, the princess must base her decision on more than affection. Therefore she send the princes on a quest to find a great wonder and present it to her in one year’s time—giving Mohsen the opportunity to bring something that will demonstrate his worth to her government. While they are absent the princess becomes deathly ill. Working together and using the wonders they have discovered, the princes heal the princess. Although all were involved in her recovery, Mohsen sacrificed his wonder while Muhammed and Fahad retained theirs. Thus proving his merit, the princess and Mohsen marry.

Critical Analysis: Kimmel and Fisher adaptation of “The Three Princes” captures the essence of the ancient Arabian world and places it in our hands through this picture book. The simple plot—a quest to win the hand of a princess—is made extraordinary by one character, a wise and beautiful princess. She is a strong and subtle leader of her kingdom, able to juggle her heart and her government’s concerns, articulated through her chief minister the wazir. Her personality and power dominate the story; the princes wooing seem commonplace by comparison. At the beginning of the story Prince Mohsen is prominent only because he’s the one she loves. By the end of the story Prince Mohsen’s claim on the princess is still her love for him because although he used up his wonder in healing her, there is no indication that the other princes wouldn’t have done the same.

Kimmel’s text is formal, but not stiff or meager. The story is told as matter-of-fact, even the existence of the magical wonders collected by the princes does not provoke excitement in the reader. The illustrations support the mildness; only the scene depicting the princes flying on a carpet provides any sense of movement or urgency.

Oddly, the calm consistency of the text and illustrations is exactly what the story needs. It evokes the unchanging desert in which the story originates. The illustrations suggest the sand—concurrently smooth and harsh. The chalk medium allows Fisher to smudge and obscure details as well as stipple shadows that seem to be made of black sand. The primary cultural markers are the robes worn by the characters and a crescent moon and star in the night sky.

Most importantly, the tale brings us to a people wise and peaceful. The universality of the themes—wisdom, sacrifice, and cooperation—are appropriate and necessary to all cultures.

Reviews and Awards:

“Kimmel's sprightly retelling of a Middle Eastern folktale and Fisher's ambient artwork shimmer with wisdom and magic.”--Publishers' Weekly

“A smooth, accessible adaptation, much enhanced by the spare, powerful art.”--Kirkus Review

Eric Kimmel has received numerous awards for his books, including: Caldecott Honor Medal, Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award, National Jewish Book Award (twice), and the Naylor Award.

Leonard Fisher has received numerous awards as well: 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Painting, Arbuthnot Citation, National Jewish Book Award, Christopher Medal for Illustration, and many others.

Discussion Prompts: (adapted from Hampton-Brown teacher guide) 

Is it better to work together or alone? When?

How would the three princes answer this question? 

The three princes have to work together. Have you ever had to work in a group to solve a problem? What did you like about it? What did you not like? 

What if only two of the princes agreed to work together and the third did not?

Lesson Plan about Middle Eastern Folk Tales:

http://www.csames.illinois.edu/documents/outreach/Middle_Eastern_Folk_Tales_Lesson_Plan.pdf

Created for course 5603.21 at Texas Woman's University