Many Lands, Many Stories

This collection of multicultural children's fairy tales from Asia presents 15 classic stories that kids and parents will love. Each country has its own set of interesting stories, and it is especially enjoyable to discover tales that one may not have heard before. The fifteen folktales collected in this book, representing five countries of Asia, are stories that the author has heard directly from friends and acquaintances from those lands, or that are found in the classic literature of the countries. From India we read of snakes and mongooses, and of lions and rabbits that can talk. From Japan comes The Crane's Gratitude, one of the most beloved stories of that land. The tales from China are fantastic yarns of magic about people who paint pictures that come to life, or who fly away into the sky and live happily ever after. Some stories tell us how things came to be (like How the Sea Became Salty, from Japan) and why things are the way they are (such as Why Cats and Dogs Don't Get Along, from Korea). Others teach a lesson, as in the tale from Thailand in which a jeweler learns the importance of not being greedy.