Tales Of Wise And Foolish Animals

A retelling of fourteen familiar and lesser known tales about the fox who acts as shepherd, the rabbit who steals water from a well, the bear's encounter with a man, and many others.

Around the beginning of the common era, Indian Buddhists began to collect fables, or jataka tales, illuminating various human virtues and foibles—from kindness, cooperation, loyalty and self-discipline on the one hand to greed, pride, foolishness, and treachery on the other. Instead of populating these stories with people, they cast the animals of their immediate environment in the leading roles—which may have given the tales a universal appeal that helped them travel around the world, surfacing in the Middle East as Aesop's fables and in various other guises throughout East and Southeast Asia, Africa, Russia, and Europe. Author and painter Mark McGinnis has collected over forty of these hallowed popular tales and retold them in vividly poetic yet accessible language, their original Buddhist messages firmly intact. Each story is accompanied with a beautifully rendered full-color painting, making this an equally attractive book for children and adults, whether Buddhist or not, who love fine stories about their fellow wise (and foolish) creatures.

Thirty Hopi tales about Coyote the Trickster, Medicine Man badger, and the Chipmunk Girls reflect Hopi attitudes towards such issues as courtship, friendship, courage, healing, and the treatment of children.

Offers over eighty short stories from around the globe, including Asia, Mexico, and eastern Europe.

Seven-year-old Gwendolyn has every material comfort a girl could wish for, from dolls and fine clothes to a grand home and a pony of her very own. But all she really wants is love, attention, and the freedom to play with other children. Neglected by her self-absorbed and society-obsessed parents, Gwendolyn is left to the indifferent care of servants. When the lonely child falls ill, she plunges into a chaotic dream world. Eleanor Gates's popular play first appeared in novel form in 1912. The timeless tale of the child who has everything but what she really needs inspired film versions starring Mary Pickford and Shirley Temple, and it remains an ever-relevant reminder to parents of where their true treasure lies.

The White Elephant The Grain of Corn The Timid Little Rabbit Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little Jackals The Kingdom of Mouseland The Alligator and the Jackal The Bold Blackbird The Kid and the Tiger The Brahmin and the Tiger The Bear's Bad Bargain The Man Who Rode a Tiger