King Kozoman’s Letter

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Author: Al-Sayed Ibrahim

Illustrator: Amer Al-Maghrebi

The original work of this book was made possible through the generous support of the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) Partners (the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Vision, and the Australian Government). It was prepared by Asafeer Education Technologies FZ LLC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ACR GCD Partners. Any adaptation or translation of this work should not be considered an official ACR GCD translation and ACR GCD shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation.

Once upon a time, there lived King Kozoman the Great, who ruled the Pomegranate Kingdom. The king decided that his son, Prince Farine, will marry Princess Nadine, the daughter of King Ned, of the Eggplant Kingdom. They had met a year earlier, on a hunting expedition.

King Kozoman wrote a letter to King Ned. With his pen he wrote, “Dear King Ned, I hope this letter finds you well. My fifth Royal Edict this year decrees that Prince Farine shall marry your daughter, Princess Nadine. The wedding will take place in twenty-four months and the wedding ceremony shall be held for forty days and nights within the mighty fortress of my Royal Kingdom. Awaiting your kind reply. Sincerely, King Kozoman.”

After the king finished writing the letter, he ordered his royal advisor, Rayan, to find the best runner to deliver the letter as fast as he could.

The runner took the letter and quickly ran as fast as he could. Day after day and night after night, he passed by rivers and bays. But after a few days, he was tired from the journey and from the constant heat of the sun.

So he decided to rest for a bit. But when he awoke, the letter was gone. He looked through the sand but it wasn’t there. He realized perhaps the wind blew it far away. The runner decided never to return to the kingdom as he feared the King’s anger. He disappeared and to this very day, no one knows just where he went.

The king anxiously waited for days and weeks and months but the runner never returned. King Kozoman was quite upset and so he wrote the letter again and ordered his advisor to immediately send another messenger.

Advisor Rayan recommended the bravest knight for the mission. The brave knight mounted his horse and off he went to deliver the royal letter.

Day after day, night after night, the knight passed through mountains, valleys and plains. His bravery was needed as he overcame obstacle, after obstacle. Until one day, while he was riding his horse, it stumbled on a huge rock, throwing him off. The horse was so startled it ran far away.

The knight thought and thought, but with no means to travel, he knew that he could not accomplish his mission and he knew he could not return to his King without a reply from King Ned.

The king waited for days and weeks and months but the knight never returned. King Kozoman was now quite upset so he wrote the letter once again and ordered his advisor to immediately send another messenger. This time, Adviser Rayan found a clever homing pigeon. He convinced the king that it would be much better to send the pigeon with such an important message. He assured the king that the pigeon would quickly return with King Ned’s reply.

They tied the letter on the pigeon’s foot and sent her on her way.

Day after day and night after night, the pigeon endured thunder, clouds and rain. Until one day, a hawk saw the pigeon and tried to catch her, injured her wing. Her wing needed time to heal and so she never returned to the kingdom either.

By now, King Kozoman was so tired of his adviser’s failed plans that he had him arrested.

King Kozoman decided that only he himself could deliver this im- portant message to King Ned. Prince Farine was put in charge while King Kozoman left, accompanied by his huge army.

Day after day, night after night, the king and his army bravely repelled wild animals and bandits.

The king’s sentries used torches to warn the others of danger and their smoke signals told the soldiers to prepare for a fight.

King Kozomon travelled for more than a year, barely stopping along the way.

All this to deliver one letter.

Finally, King Ned’s castle appeared in the distance.

When he finally arrived, they celebrated his arrival for ten long days.

After the celebration ended, he finally met the king and could then ask about his daughter, Princess Nadine.

King Ned of the Eggplant Kingdom said, “The princess is fine. She was married a year ago and guess what? Now she’s a mother of six babies!”

King Kozoman’s face fell as he said, “My next royal decree will find the wisest person in all the kingdom to invent better ways of communication!”

The End