Dear Children:This book is for you. In it, ‘Abd al-Hay, a Muslim boy from Morocco, will introduce you to his extremely rich and colourful traditional village culture. You will learn many new and interesting things about his life in this very remote, yet historically important, part of North Africa. The serving of mint tea is the cornerstone of Moroccan hospitality. After salat al-fajr each morning, ‘Abd al-Hay goes into the well-watered fields beyond the date groves and cuts enough fresh, strong-smelling mint for the entire day. Sprigs of fresh mint are stuffed into a teapot along with some green tea. Sugar is broken off a cone and finally hot water is added to the pot. Moroccan tea (shay al-maghrebi) is a refreshing treat; would you like some?