Summary

General Abu Hassan invites Riad and his family to join him for Christmas in Palmyra. Riad, his mother, and his brother ride in a car with Um Hassan and one of the General’s bodyguards. Riad has to translate Um Hassan’s questions from Arabic to French for his mom, but they don’t have much in common to talk about.

The group stops to visit the ruins of ancient Palmyra. Riad is fascinated by the bits of broken pottery everywhere and begins collecting them, until his father yells at him saying, “YOU’LL CATCH A DISEASE!” (88). Riad’s father then sees an Eagle flying overhead and Tells Riad that an Eagle that size could swoop down and carry Riad away. The bodyguard then pulls out his pistol and pretends to shoot the Eagle.

While they are touring the ruins, a boy selling water...