In his third collection, a well-known storyteller again gathers tales from around the world, featuring clever and foolish folk of all ages, supernatural creatures, hearty humor, low levels of violence, and deftly delivered messages. Some selections--the Japanese ``The Listening Cap''; the African ``Tug of War''--are already favorites, but several are from less familiar traditions (the Fijian ``How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara''), or from sources long out of print. ``The Princess Who Could Not Cry,'' billed as ``an original tale, more or less,'' is a funny switch on the idea of a pining princess; ``Old Joe and the Carpenter'' has traditional roots, but has become one of DeSpain's trademark stories. Exotic origins rest lightly on these tales, which are presented in easy- to-learn versions enlivened with unforced humor and clear, fluent language; most would take ten minutes or less to tell. Their readers will bring away a stronger impression of human culture's unity than of its diversity. Fine for independent reading or as a resource for fledgling storytellers. Source notes. (Folklore. 7+)
