Been reading this for the greater part of two years, Typically I read these stories as a way to "clear the palate" between novels. Got it on long-term loan form Robin, our secretary at work (and, of course, The Boss). She had gotten it as a present when she was a kid. This has, I kid you not, EVERY fairy tale you can think of, plus a BUNCH you never read in your life, and the collection was amassed from not only Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, but also sources in the Mideast, Scandinavia and numerous other countries. Everything from "The Ugly Duckling" to The Little Mermaid" (Hey, Disney had it mostly right, but in the end of this one she loses the Handsome Hunky Guy and fades into the sea whence she came; not a REAL happy ending but somehow more satisfying), to "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" to "Sinbad" and on and on, some of them going on for quite a number of pages. I found this a very delightful trip to my childhood and would recommend it very highly. I don't even know if it's still in print; it's a Reader's Digest publication, and this one is from the 60;s. 'Twould be well worth your effort to track it down.