Summary
Shahab (Bazil Tariq) is not exactly a model son or a model student. Instead of paying attention in his Pakistani culture class, he conjures up a talking and dancing parrot named Tola (Michael Kramer). He is so enthralled with his invisible friend that he neglects his studies, and narrowly escapes having to deliver a talk on Pakistani tribes when the bell rings. Aware that Shahab is completely unprepared, the teacher angrily assures him that he will deliver the presentation the next day. But like Haroun of Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories," Shahab's daydreaming saves him in the end.
Early on in Rushdie's story, Haroun wonders, "What's the point of telling stories that aren't even true?" When Khattam-Shud (which means "end") wickedly seizes control of the Sea of Stories and clogs up the origin of all tales, Haroun thwarts Khattam-Shud and heroically liberates the stories. Haroun lobbies the assistance of a genie, a hoopoe, and rhyming fish in his battle against evil, and Shahab comes to rely on the Moghul mythological princes,,Pate and Karamay.The Pashtun Foundation's website illuminates the princes' story. A holy man came to the king of Bost, who had no male heir, and instructed him and the members of his court to feed some fruit to their wives. The fruit proved to be magical, and 60 boys were born, including Pate, the king's son, and Karamay, born to the Wazir (high ranking official). "Prince Pate was the wisest, but Karamay was a very naughty little boy," records the website. "The prince liked him more than anyone else and used to accompany him in every mischief." Karamay's mischief gets all 60 boys into a lot of trouble, as indeed happens Shahab.See the full content of this document
Extract
Play Explores Pakistani Culture
In Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner," Baba enthusiastically encourages his son Amir to fly kites and to defend the record he set as a child for cut-, ting down the most opponents' kites in Kabul. But in "Kite on the Wind: A Tale of Pakistan," a collaboration o...
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