This illustrated anthology presents stories from the two main strands of Latin American culture: the indigenous native heritage and the European colonial tradition, the 'jade' and 'iron' of the title. The stories from tribal cultures feature creation myths explaining how fire, cooked food, or volcanoes came into being and feature magical creatures like the giant worm who drinks a river so people can fish, whereas those from the European lineage are folktales involving strange events and magical occurrences that often transform ordinary lives bringing riches, joy - or tragedy.