This is a handsomely illustrated collection of tales from Iran, retold by Elizabeth Laird and with an introduction describing her view of the country as a magical place with a rich story-telling tradition. The stories feature strange events, often humorous, sometimes scary, involving curious sparrows, talking chickpeas and frivolous cockroaches, djinns, fairies and demons, poor country men and rich Shahs; and many have the underlying construct of moral fables dealing with notions of wisdom and folly.