الخیال التربوي في قصص کامل الکیلاني للأطفال

Educative Imagination in the Children's Stories of Kamel Al-Kilani

Abstract

The imagination of the traditional tale is a reflection of the cultures, knowledge and beliefs of peoples, as throughout the ages they have derived their existence from myths, magic, superstition, and the world of jinn and humans. Children of this era are less fortunate than their peers in previous eras, which were characterized by means that stimulate the imagination. In the past, there was nothing to hinder living this imagination. Today, in light of recent discoveries and scientific explanations for phenomena, children find it difficult to believe these stories. However, the importance of heritage stories lies not only in their imagination, but in their treatment of basic human problems that will continue to exist, such as poverty, jealousy, and fear of the unknown, which makes the appeal of these stories go beyond pleasure to a positive interaction with eternal human issues. Kamel Kilani’s interest in stories was "One Thousand and One Nights" and his selection of ten stories from it is interesting, as these stories are characterized by their imaginative content and connection to social behaviors and moral values. Among these stories we find:

• Sinbad the Sailor: A story about a wealthy merchant who inherited his money from his father, but after spending it, he began to search for his livelihood. He loved travelling. He made seven sea voyages full of hardships and horrors, during which he saw marvels of imagination and escaped destruction thanks to divine providence.
• Ali Baba: It tells the story of two brothers, one of whom is rich and selfish and the other is poor and kind. Ali Baba discovered treasure in a cave, but the greed of his brother Qasim led him to death at the hands of thieves.
• City of Brass: It is based on the idea of ​​magic, where an entire city of copper lives. Its heroes, Prince Iqbal and Prince Fadel, are trying to decipher the magic hieroglyphs to save the city.
• Khosrow shah: A prince who lost his way to the King of India, discovered an underground palace and an imprisoned princess kidnapped by a genie. He tried to save her, but the genie turned him into a monkey, and then the princess tried to restore his humanity.
• Aladdin: One of the most famous stories, as it tells about a young man who possesses a magic lamp that meets all his demands. He uses it to achieve his dreams and confront the African magician.
• King Ajeeb: A story about a king who survived a shipwreck and arrived on an island with a magnetic mountain. He fulfilled his dream by having the Brass Knight fall into the sea, causing the mountain to lose its magical powers.
• Baba Abdullah and the Dervish: A story depicting the consequence of greed, where Baba Abdullah was a greedy merchant who took loads of treasure, resulting in him losing his sight and the entire treasure.
• Abdullah Al-Bari and Abdullah Al-Bahri: We have discussed this in detail above.
• Abu Sir and Abu Qir: A depiction of the betrayal of friends. It tells the story of two friends who migrate in search of livelihood, one of them is good and the other is evil. Each of them receives a reward similar to his actions.