Wanting badly to have a son, the Queen of Hich-Hich consults Arif the Wise Man on the matter.
The stories are designed to help children learn to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves..
Neem the Half-Boy is one of an illustrated series of Sufi teaching stories from the Middle East and Central Asia that were collected and adapted for children by Idries Shah, and that have captivated hearts and minds for more than a thousand years.
This enchanting tale, complete with fairies and a fire-breathing dragon, is marvelously and magically illustrated by Midori Mori and Robert Revels.
That Neem is able to make himself complete by an act of cleverness, negotiation and compromise teaches children much more than the expected, usual lesson of bravery.
But because she fails to follow his precise instructions, she gives birth to a half-boy, whom she calls Neem.
Wanting badly to have a son, the Queen of Hich-Hich consults Arif the Wise Man on the matter