The day a boy is born, his parents are visited by a wise man who says, "This is a very, very important boy, and I'm going to give him something marvelous one day, but I will have to give him his name first. So please don't give him a name yet." So, they name him Benaam, which means Nameless. The story tells how the boy seeks, and eventually finds his own name - and also gives away an old dream he doesn't want - for a wonderful new dream.


This book is one of a series of illustrated Teaching-Stories by Idries Shah, stories which have captivated hearts and minds for more than a thousand years. The stories are designed to help children learn to examine their assumptions and to think for themselves. Among the many insights this story gives children is the idea that it takes patience and resolve to achieve one's goals in life.


Mona Caron's beautiful illustrations embellish this unusual and captivating story, presenting the wonder of this hidden world to both children and adults.