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story by: Eileen Lucas Illustrations by: Yasser Gaessa Published: Dar el-shorouk BROKEN BISCUITS

Lt is time to get up and Tofaha can hear her mother, Adeila, moving about "What are you doing mama?" she asks. "Lm making biscuits for Feas." Adeila answers. "Do you want to help me?" "Yes,"saus tofaha and gets dressed. Adeila gets out the mixing bowl, some eggs and baking tray. She puts flour and sugar and a pinch of salt into the powl. With a big wooden spoon adeila scoops out a lot of butter and plops it into the bowl. She cracks the eggs and plops them in too. She mixes it all up to make the pastry. "Now you can help" she gives Tofaha som of the pastry. "Watch me" she tells her . They roll them falat and put them on the baking tray soon the tray is full. Tofaha wipes her finger round the mixing bowl and licks it . "they taste good" she says . "they taste better when ther are cooked " says Adeila . She puts the baking tray on her head and tells Tofaha to hurry up Adeila walks quickly. She does not want to miss her mother s skirt . They pass the ironing man. "Good morning Tofaha" he calls. They pass the butchers shop His wife calls "Hello tofaha are you baking biscuits?" Tofaha nods her head There is a new shop. High in the air are lovely dresses On a table are rows of shoes, blue, red, green, black, brown. The red ones have gold buckles. "look! Look!" Shouts tofaha, pulling at adeila. "Not now. Later, later!" Says her mother. Tofaha is not looking where she is going .In front lf her young is enjoying a good feed of leaves frem the vegetable shop. Tofaha stumbles against his back legs. The goat jumps into the air and startles Tofaha. She pulls suddenly on her mother s skirt. Adeila loses her balance. Down goes Tofaha. So does the tray of biscuits! The biscuits are all over the ground. The big red cockerel calls "cock-a-doodle-doo" All the hens come clucking they peck busily at the biscuits. "Shoo!" shouts Adeila, "Go away, go away!" The big brown dog hears the noise and starts barking. The goose hears the noise and starts honking. Her six goslings start pecking. The young goat comes back and joins in too. Not a scrap of the biscuits is left! Tears run down Tofaha s face. Her knees hurt. Adeila wipes Tofaha s eyes and rubs her legs. "Never mind," she says. "We can make some more later." She takes Tofaha s hand. "Let s go and look at the new dresses and shoes for the Feast." "For me?" asks Tofaha."lf you are good," smiles Adeila. The dresses are still waving about. "Which do you like best?" Asks Adeila. Tofaha looks. She points to red ones. "And shoes," says her mother. Tofaha examines the red ones Adeila nods at the shopkeeper. He nods back. What will Tofaha get at the Feast? Yes !The red dress and shoes with gold duckles.