Eight beguiling stories in the fairy-tale tradition by a leading story teller. Discover how a tabby cat and a court jester help a young lord to choose between power, riches and love. Read about the small thistle who, alone among all the beautiful flowers of the garden, has the wisdom and courage to help a childless king and queen. Follow the contrasting fortunes of the Little Beekeeper and her rude and foolish older brothers. Take a fantastical quest to the other side of Nowhere...Thoughtful and beguiling, these eight original stories in the fairy tale tradition have the resonance of much-loved classics, confirming Vivian French as one of the most imaginative and gifted storytellers of our times.