Monday, December 17, 2018

30 funny stories of Joha, the beloved folk hero of the East bilingual English - Arabic To learn Standard Arabic and enhance vocabulary


New book! Read extract below. buy it on Amazon!             

    30 funny stories of Joha The Beloved folk hero of the East                       

                                                                  bilingual

                                                            English - Arabic

                                     To learn Standard Arabic and enhance vocabulary


Joha, his son and the donkey


Joha once said to his son when he was about twelve years old:
- Tomorrow, you will come with me to the market.
Early in the morning, they left the house. Joha settled on the back of the donkey, his son walking beside him. At the entrance to the market square, Joha and his son were subjected to harsh taunts:
- Look at this man, he has no mercy! He is comfortably seated on the back of his donkey and he lets his young son walk on foot.
Joha said to his son:
- Did you hear? Tomorrow you will come with me to the market again!
On the second day Joha and his son did the opposite of the day before: the son climbed on the donkey's back and Joha walked beside him. At the entrance of the square, the same men were there, who cried out
- Look at this child, he has no education, no respect towards his parents. He sits comfortably on the back of the donkey, while his father, the poor old man, is obliged to walk!

                                     https://www.amazon.com/dp/1790829143

Joha said to his son:
- Did you hear? Tomorrow you will come back with me to the market!
On the third day Joha and his son came out of the house on foot, pulling the donkey behind them, and so they came to the square. The men laughed at them:
- Look at these two idiots, they have a donkey and they do not even benefit form it. They walk without knowing that the donkey is made to carry men.
Joha said to his son:
- Did you hear? Tomorrow you will come with me to the market!
On the fourth day, when Joha and his son left the house, they were both perched on the back of the donkey. At the entrance to the square, the men let their indignation burst out:
- Look at these two, both riding the donkey! they have no pity for this poor beast!
Joha said to his son:
- Did you hear? Tomorrow you will come with me to the market!
On the fifth day, Joha and his son arrived at the market carrying the donkey on their shoulders. The men burst out laughing:
- Look at these two crazy, you have to lock them up. They are the ones who carry the donkey instead of riding on his back.
And Joha said to his son;
- Did you hear? Whatever you do in your life, people will always find fault and criticism.

                            30 funny stories of Joha The beloved folk hero of the East

                                                               جحا وابنه والحمار


في يومٍ من الأيام كان جحا وابنه يحزمون أمتعتهم إستعداداً للسفر إلى المدينة المجاورة، فركبا على ظهر الحمار لكي يبدأوا رحلتهم، وفي الطريق مروا على قريةٍ صغيرة فأخذ الناس ينظرون إليهم بنظراتٍ غريبة ويقولون: "أنظروا إلى هؤلاء القساه يركبون كلهما على ظهر الحمار ولا يرأفون به"، وعندما أوشكوا على الوصول إلى القرية الثانية نزل الأبن من فوق الحمار وسار على قدميه لكي لا يقول عنهم أهل هذه القرية كما قيل لهم في القرية التي قبلها، فلما دخلوا القرية رآهم الناس فقالوا: "أنظروا إلى هذا الأب الظالم يدع ابنه يسير على قدميه وهو يرتاح فوق حماره"، وعندما أوشكوا على الوصول إلى القرية التي بعدها نزل جحا من الحمار وقال لابنه إركب أنت فوق الحمار، وعندما دخلوا إلى القرية رآهم الناس فقالوا: "أنظروا إلى هذا الابن العاق يترك أباه يمشي على الأرض وهو يرتاح فوق الحمار"، فغضب جحا من هذه المسألة وقرّر أن ينزل هو ابنه من فوق الحمار حتى لا يكون للناس سُلْطَةً عليهما، وعندما دخلوا إلى المدينة ورآهم أهل المدينة قالوا: "أنظروا إلى هؤلاء الحمقى يسيرون على أقدامهم ويتعبون أنفسهم ويتركون الحمار خلفهم يسير لوحده "، فلمّا وصلوا باعوا الحمار.


2nd version
The Old Man, the Little Boy and the Donkey


Joha and his small grandson were on the way to market. Joha had a bad hip, so he rode their donkey while the little boy walked beside him. Presently they passed some women on their way home from the market. One of the women said, “Look at that old man riding while his little grandson walks.  He has no compassion for the young. Shameful!”
Joha heard this and felt embarrassed, so he said to his grandson, “You must be tired. Why don’t you ride for a while, and I will walk?”
Presently they passed some elderly men who were sitting around drinking coffee and playing backgammon. One of them said, “Look at that boy riding, while his old grandfather limps. Were is the respect for the elders? That boy has been badly raised.”
Again Joha felt embarrassed. He said, “Let’s ride together for a while.” So they both rode the donkey.
Soon they passed a man in religious robes who said to them, “Salam my friends. Don’t you know that even animals have rights in Islam? You are burdening that poor animal with your combined weight.”
Finally Joha decided that they would both walk, in order to give the donkey some rest. They both trudged along beside the donkey, the old man limping and the boy complaining that his feet hurt. As they passed a group of young men who were loitering and watching passers-by, one of the men exclaimed, “Look at those fools walking while they have a perfectly good donkey! Are they afraid of heights?” And all the young men laughed.
The moral is clear: Altering your behavior to please other people is futile. No matter what you do, someone will always find fault. Do what you feel is right, and stick to it.

     30 funny stories of Joha

 The beloved folk hero of the East


الرجل العجوز، الولد الصغير والحمار
كان جحا متّجهاً إلى السوق وهو يركب حماراً صغير الحجم، وكان ابنه يسير إلى جنبه ممسكاً بلجام الحمار، ويتبادل الحديث مع أبيه. وبعد فترة من المسير، مرّوا بمجموعة من الناس يقفون على قارعة الطّريق. وما إن رأوهم حتّى بدؤوا بتقريع جحا ولومه: على أنّه يركب على الحمار تاركاً ابنه الصغير يسير على قدميه.
فكّر جحا في ما قاله الناس له، فاقتنع بصواب رأيهم، ونزل عن حماره، وجعل ابنه يركب مكانه فوق الحمار، وأمسك اللجام وسارا في طريقهما إلى السوق. لم يمضِ وقت كبير حتّى لقي جحا وابنه مجموعة نساء، يقفن إلى جانب بئر محاذٍ لطريق السوق. أبدت النسوة تعجّباً واندهاشاً لما رأين، ورُحن يبدين استغرابهنّ من جحا بقولهنّ: "عجباً لأمرك أيّها الرجل، كيف تقطع الطريق مشياً وأنت العجوز! وتترك الفتى يركب الحمار؟".
فاقتنع جحا برأيهنّ، وركب إلى جانب ابنه فوق الحمار، وأخذا يقطعان الطريق وكلاهما فوق ظهر الحمار. وصلت الشمس قلب السّماء وصار الحرّ شديداً، وبدأ الحمار بالتباطؤ والمشي بصعوبة بسبب شدّة الحرّ أوّلاً، وثقل وزن حمله ثانياً؛ إذ إن جحا وابنه كانا لا يزالان يركبان على ظهره. ولمّا وصلا باب السّوق حيث اجتمع بعض الناس، بدأ الحضور بتوجيه اللوم لجحا وابنه قائلين: "ألا تشفقان على هذا الحمار المسكين! تركبانه سويّة في مثل هذا القيظ (الحر) ولا تلاحظان بطء سيره وصعوبة تنقّله!" فنزل جحا وابنه عن الحمار، وتابعا طريقهما مشياً على الأقدام.
في السّوق رأى التجّار والزّبائن جحا وابنه يسيران على أقدامهما وهما يقودان الحمار، فاستغربوا من جحا ولاموه على فعله الأحمق قائلين: "أتمشي على أقدامك في الحرّ، وتترك ابنك يقاسي التعب والعناء، وتترك الحمار يسير مرتاحاً بلا حمل!" وأضاف أحد الحضور ساخراً من جحا: "لم يبق سوى أن تحمل الحمار على ظهرك، وتسير به في السوق!".
 ضحك الجميع في السوق على جحا، فمضى ولسان حاله يقول: "إرضاء الناس غاية لا تدرك".


Friday, August 10, 2018

Mrs. Sissi and The Cat: Tunisian folktale for Children English - Japanese (Japanese and English Edition) (Japanese) Paperback

"Mrs. Sissi and the cat" is a famous / legendary Tunisian folktale passed through the generations from the oral literary heritage. A tale or a fable that everyone knows but never read ! A very funny story as much for children as for adults. It all begins when Mrs. Sissi, a devoted and orderly housewife, finds a silver coin while sweeping the floor of her house. This "event" shakes her daily routine ... and that of Gattous, the neighbor's cat! English - Japanese edition. This book can be read as an enjoyable new (although very old in Tunisia!) folktale, not known internationally until now, but also as resource to improve language skills in English or Japanese. Enjoy Japan!

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Sissi-Cat-Tunisian-folktale/dp/1522848177/




Eternal Classic Songs of Tunisia To Learn Tunisian Arabic The Fun Way

Eternal Classic Songs of Tunisia To Learn Tunisian Arabic The Fun Way
Authored by Dr Mohamed Bacha

List Price: $15.00
8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 
Black & White on White paper
36 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1987544107 (CreateSpace-Assigned)
ISBN-10: 1987544102
BISAC: Language Arts & Disciplines / Vocabulary
List of Songs
This is a Song for Them
Lotfi Bouchnak

Under the Jasmine Tree at Night Hedi Jouini
O my neighbor Hammuda Ahmed Hamza

The whispers of waves
Monia Bejaoui
How could you believe it Naama

It is He, mother! Naama
I live without hope in your Love Ali Riahi
O The Beauty of the Desert and its Joys !
Saliha, Naama,
O house of the beloved ones Hedi Kallel

Mother of brown arms, O green Tunisia
Slah Mesbah

Do not think of things past Ali Riahi

My Word is Free Amel Mathlouthi

ena ki Tìr fi wakri nghanni I am like a bird singing in my nest Ali Riahi

You Are Born Like The Shadow of The Breeze Majda Erroumi

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Eternal Classic Songs of Tunisia To Learn Tunisian Arabic The Fun Way

Eternal Classic Songs of Tunisia To Learn Tunisian Arabic 

The Fun Way!

https://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Classic-Tunisia-Tunisian-Arabic/dp/1987544102/


Songs Videos

Hethi ghnaya lihom, This is a song for them: Lotfi Bouchnak




هذي غناية ليهم...من الڨلب تحييّهم هذي غناية ليهم...من الڨلب تحييّهم اللي عايشين لينا و لا ريف و لا مدينة لولا عرق أيديهم ويذوبوا كالشمعة و يخبيّو الدمعة على عيون أهاليهم الناس اللي تعاني..و نساتهم الأغاني..هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم اللي عمري ليهم..و عمري شويّة فيهم اللي عمري ليهم..و عمري شويّة فيهم يعيشوا بلقمة نظيفة و يصنعوا الخطيفة ربيع يجنّح بيهم تملكهم بكليمة..و يتمنّاو ديمة ..بعيدة أمانيهم.. الناس اللي تعاني و نساتهم الأغاني..هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم اللي في لياليهم..ضحكتنا تدفيّهم اللي في لياليهم..ضحكتنا تدفيّهم خطوتهم عالجمرة و يحلموا بالقمرة مراية بين أيديهم و في آخر الحكاية..تتكسر المراية و ما تحكيش عليهم الناس اللي تعاني و نساتهم الأغاني..هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم هذي غناية ليهم

Ye Zin essaHra wbahjetha, O the Beauty of the desert and its Joys!





Wednesday, August 8, 2018

The Best Classic Songs of Tunisia: Transcribed and Translated into English / French


The wonderful classic Tunisian songs collected and presented in this book were performed by artists popular in Tunisia’s urban centers in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s. The lyrics of these beautiful songs are in natural and authentic Tunisian Arabic, the spoken language of Tunisia. The singers performed with Western and Egyptian-like orchestra ensembles, in addition to a Chorus that repeats some verses in a beautiful, unique Tunisian manner, in some songs like ‘’O The Beauty of The Desert” and ‘’How Could you believe it!?’’  
The music of the songs was composed by great professional musicians such as Boubaker El Mouldi, Mohamed Triki, Salah El Mahdi, Ridha Kalaï, Ali Riahi, Kaddour Srarfi et Chedly Anouar . The lyrics written by poets like Omar Ben Salem, Mahmoud Bourguiba, Mohamed Bouthina. Only rarely was the singer himself at the same time the music composer, as in the case of Ali Riahi in some of his songs. Some of the best Tunisian classic songs were selected from the rich traditional musical folklore.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Classic-Songs-Tunisia-Transcribed/dp/1986023214/