Looking for Qatari Folktales

Folktales are stories that haven't been written down, but are passed from one generation to another through word of mouth, within families, and by elders to children. Examples include the story of Fsaijrah and the magic fish, or stories about djinn.

These folktales transmit precious cultural knowledge, morals, values, and histories, but due to the rapid lifestyle changes in recent years, such stories are beginning to disappear. 

We are collecting these stories to publish in a book about the folktales of Qatar. In doing so, we aim to help preserve and share Qatar's rich heritage and storytelling traditions. The publication will include the original Arabic (in dialect) and a quality English translation, as all as the name of the storyteller. Credit will always be given as wished. 

This project is sponsored by the Qatar National Research Fund, and our team includes students and faculty from Qatar University and Cornell. 

 If you'd like to contribute a Qatari folktale, or have a friend or relative who might like to share theirs, please contact us at qatarifolktale/-a-t-/hotmail.com.

We're happy to answer questions or talk about our project in more detail. I hope you'll consider helping us, and please spread the word!