An omnibus that combines two previously published books of folklore. The first half of the volume contains a number of interconnected stories, while the second half is a collection of folktales.

As far as folklore collections go, this is a pretty good one. Shah's retellings are readable and engaging. Even when the stories run on fairy tale logic, (which is most of the time), she manages to keep the reader involved and interested in the outcome. She employs some inventive turns of phrase, and her pacing is very good.

Part I encourages the reader to think of the ways in which all stories are connected. One person's tale leads into another's, which leads into another's, which leads into another's. The reader notices some striking similarities between each story, and can intuit a number of lessons along with the entertainment value the tales provide. For those with a larger familiarity with world folklore, there are also some interesting overlaps with and divergences from the storytelling traditions of other regions. Shah does a good job of highlighting these without detracting from the stories themselves.

Unfortunately, not all the stories are resolved in the end. There are a number of plots left dangling, and everything else wraps up very, very quickly and in a slightly confusing way. I'm unsure whether or not this is traditional, but I did find it a bit frustrating as a reader.

Part II, in contrast, is an entertaining combination of moral stories and escapism. The stories are all short and fully contained. Many of them employ storytelling devices that even readers unfamiliar with eastern folklore will instantly recognize. My favourite remains the tale of the princess who wants nothing more than a pet donkey. It's short and cute, and it does some interesting things with the whole notion of animal transformation.

All in all, this is a good collection for anyone looking to dip into eastern folklore. Recommended. ( )