Abdulla Alish wrote extensively for both children and adults. His short stories were warmly received by readers. However, the genre that truly elevated Alish to the status of a beloved children’s author was the fairy tale. His first tale, “The Greedy King”, was published in issue No. 2 of the magazine Pioner Kaleme (“Pioneer’s Pen”) in 1934 and was enthusiastically welcomed by young readers. In the years that followed (1935–1940), Alish created more than twenty fairy tales.
When the Great Patriotic War began, Alish was sent to the front in July 1941. On October 12 of that year, he was taken prisoner. While in captivity, he met Musa Jalil and his comrades, and together they carried out resistance activities against the enemy. On August 25, 1944, at exactly 12:12 p.m., he was executed. He lived only 35 years.
But death did not end his legacy. His life continues through his literary works and through the personal heroism he showed for his homeland and people, for their freedom and happiness.