Once upon a time there was a man who had three daughters and, wishing to depart on pilgrimage, asked each of them what he should bring back for her.

“Gold and silver bracelets crusted with gems,” said the eldest. “Gilded slippers,” said the second. But the youngest asked time to reflect before she answered. As soon as she found herself alone in her own chamber, a Rouhaniya (a fairy) appeared before her, saying: “Ask your father to bring you The Kaftan (traditional piece of Moroccan clothing worn by women) of Love Spotted with Passion.”

Once upon a time, there was a rich merchant in Fez who was in despair because he had no child. Also, his advanced age seemed to forbid him any hope in this respect. But his desire was so great that he asked one of his friends, who lived at a great distance, to come to visit him and to give him advice. This friend was a magician. When he had consulted his art, he said: “ You will have a son.”

Once upon a time, there was a poor carpenter whose wife died in childbirth, leaving a daughter on his hands; in truth, a beautiful baby, but one whose upkeep was a grave burden upon her father, and who therefore seemed to have been born under very sad auspices. How could the unfortunate man take care of his child when he had no money, no relations, no slave, and was worn out by his work?

Reading and reflecting on the fairy tales, myths, folktales, proverbs, and sayings from another culture help us gain insight into that culture in ways we otherwise may not glean. Let’s look together at on such tale, called The Fatal House, taken from Tales of Fes.

William Gudykunst said, “One of the major factors influencing our effectiveness in communicating with people from other cultures is our ability to understand their culture.” Communication is about more than just the words we say; it is about both language and culture, what we communicate through words and actions. Here at Crossroads Cultural Exchange, we believe that we can't separate learning language from learning culture. As one of out teachers says, "Culture is the spirit of a language."