Mid-March found Angelina and Sharmaine in Europe for the first time, searching the side-streets of Rome for a reasonably-priced pension, a base from which to explore the tourist traps that beckoned.  Mission accomplished, they decided that after the long plane ride, a quick wash was in order.  Angelina left Sharmaine in their quarters and made [...]

Fifty years ago there lived a king who was very anxious to get married; but, as he was quite determined that his wife should be as beautiful as the sun, the thing was not so easy as it seemed, for no maiden came up to his standard. Then he commanded a trusty servant to search [...]

Once upon a time there lived a fairy whose name was Dindonette. She was the best creature in the world, with the kindest heart; but she had not much sense, and was always doing things, to benefit people, which generally ended in causing pain and distress to everybody concerned. No one knew this better than [...]

There lived, once upon a time, in the land of Marigliano, a poor woman called Masella, who had six pretty daughters, all as upright as young fir-trees, and an only son called Antonio, who was so simple as to be almost an idiot. Hardly a day passed without his mother saying to him, ‘What are [...]

There lived, once upon a time, a man who was as rich as he could be; but as no happiness in this world is ever quite complete, he had only a son who was such a simpleton that he could barely add two and two together. At last his father determined to put up with [...]

There was once a king and a queen who had three wonderfully beautiful daughters, and their one thought, from morning till night, was how they could make the girls happy. One day the princesses said to the king, ‘Dear father, we want so much to have a picnic, and eat our dinner in the country.’ [...]

There was once upon a time a peasant called Masaniello who had twelve daughters. They were exactly like the steps of a staircase, for there was just a year between each sister. It was all the poor man could do to bring up such a large family, and in order to provide food for them [...]

Once upon a time there lived a man who had three sons. The eldest was called Peppe, the second Alfin, and the youngest Ciccu. They were all very poor, and at last things got so bad that they really had not enough to eat. So the father called his sons, and said to them, ‘ [...]

There was once a man whose name was Don Giovanni de la Fortuna, and he lived in a beautiful house that his father had built, and spent a great deal of money. Indeed, he spent so much that very soon there was none left, and Don Giovanni, instead of being a rich man with everything [...]

There was once a rich merchant who had three sons, and when they were grown up the eldest said to him, ‘Father, I wish to travel and see the world. I pray you let me.’ So the father ordered a beautiful ship to be fitted up, and the young man sailed away in it. After [...]