MYP 3: Unit 1: One Thousand and One Nights: The Barber's Story of His First Brother

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Dear students 

The Barber's Story of His First Brother (Adapted)

My first brother, El-Bakbook, was lame and worked as a tailor in Baghdad. He rented a small shop beneath the house of a wealthy merchant. One day, while sewing, he noticed a young woman looking out of an upstairs window. Distracted by her friendly smiles, he found it difficult to concentrate on his work.

Soon, the woman sent her servant to ask him to sew beautiful clothes for her. Eager to impress her, he worked tirelessly and accepted no payment for his work. Each time the servant returned with more fabric, she told him that her mistress appreciated his skill and kindness. Believing her words, my brother continued working day and night without earning any money.

The woman and her husband had secretly planned to make fun of him. They kept giving him more work while laughing at how easily he trusted them. Finally, they told him to spend the night at their mill, promising that he would be rewarded the next morning.

Instead, the miller mistook—or pretended to mistake—my brother for a work animal. He forced him to push the heavy millstone all night, treating him as though he were an ox and beating him whenever he slowed down. By morning, my brother was exhausted and badly bruised.

Although he realised he had been tricked, he was persuaded to trust the woman once more. She sent another message asking him to visit her house. Believing she wished to apologise, he went.

As soon as he entered, the woman's husband accused him of trespassing and took him before the city magistrate. Without listening to my brother's explanation, the magistrate ordered that he be whipped and publicly paraded through the streets as a warning to others. During the punishment, my brother fell and broke his leg, leaving him permanently lame. He was then banished from the city.

I later found him, brought him home, and have cared for him ever since.


Here's a link to the lesson. 


Happy learning

Ms Risha

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