This delightful book presents fairy tales based on Talmudic and rabbinic literature. Aunt Naomi was interested in compiling the folklore and legends of the Jewish people, from the earliest times up until the dawn of the modern era. This Folktales are characterized by the presence of unusual personages, by the sudden transformation of men into beasts and vice versa, or by other unnatural incidents. Through enchanted palaces, wandering sages, hidden kings, mysterious spirits, and miraculous transformations, these tales unite narrative wonder with enduring moral insight. Beneath their imaginative surface lies a deeper vision of justice, humility, faith, compassion, and divine providence-revealing how storytelling has long served as a vessel of cultural memory and spiritual teaching within Jewish tradition.
Rooted in centuries of religious imagination yet accessible to modern readers, this illustrated collection offers both literary delight and historical resonance. It invites reflection on destiny, wisdom, generosity, and the unseen workings of grace in human life, making the volume valuable not only for lovers of folklore but also for readers interested in religious narrative, comparative mythology, and classic heritage literature.
Timeless in tone and universal in meaning, these stories continue to speak across generations to all who seek beauty, wonder, and wisdom in the enduring legends of humanity.
Illustrated. 25 fairy tales: The Palace of the Eagles, The Giant of the Flood, The Fairy Princess of Ergetz, The Higgledy-Piggledy Palace, The Red Slipper, The Star-Child, Abi Fressah's Feast, The Beggar King, The Quarrel of the Cat and Dog, The Water-Babe, Sinbad of the Talmud, The Outcast Prince, The Story of Bostanai, From Shepherd-Boy to King, The Magic Palace, The Sleep of One Hundred Years, King for Three Days, The Palace in the Clouds, The Pope's Game of Chess, The Slave's Fortune, The Paradise in the Sea, The Rabbi's Bogey-Man, The Fairy Frog, The Princess of the Tower, King Alexander's Adventures.
