Introduction: Into the narrow, quiet, regular life of a child growing up in Toronto in the 1940s - the overgrown backyard, the alleyway where I bounced my ball against the side of the house, the bus trips to piano lessons - suddenly thee thundered a huge caravan of exotic warriors, heroines, and horses, swords flashing, animals bellowing, clouds of dust and incense, the blare of horns calling me to adventure.