The Ghoul

An exciting story that captivates children and helps them face their fears of the unknown. It tells about a boy named Hassan who decides to discover for himself the truth about the ghoul that terrifies the villagers. He finds out that the ghoul is afraid of the villagers just as they were afraid of it. The guide for parents and teachers: Folk and traditional stories and modern media are filled with many tales of frightening mythical creatures like monsters. The three impossible things among Arabs are the ghoul, the phoenix, and the loyal servant, but the impossible ghoul is the hero and inspiration of this story. Mothers have long used the "ghoul" as a tool to scare children when they refuse to sleep early or obey a parent, for example. This story presents the ghoul in a very different way from what we are used to; the ghoul lives in the mountain next to the village, which the villagers are afraid to disturb or provoke, so they spend their lives trying to avoid it because of its terrifying appearance and to protect their lives and the lives of their children. The brave Hassan decides to face his fear and the fear of his village, so he climbs the mountain and confronts the ghoul. He discovers that the ghoul is afraid of humans just as they are afraid of it, for the same reasons. Here lies the amusing paradox that will give children the opportunity to think about the ghoul in a different way from our traditional folklore. Parents and teachers can use the story to discuss fear in children, its causes, and the difference between reality and imagination. The story encourages children to accept others regardless of their appearance or way of life and not to make pre-judgments about others without knowing them and interacting with them.