this book reminds me in some ways of a book i read previously called the arabian nights in that it is a collection of stories and fables reflective of a geographic region of the world, though certainly with differences between the two books and two cultures involved. also, this book is probably more appropriate for a younger reader around elementary to early middle school age, in comparison to the arabian nights which some students of that age might be capable of reading but would likely be outside grade level. further, regarding specific stories I like from this collection, there are a few characters and lessons that stand out. one is a character who appears in multiple stories as a worker for the emperor, and though i dont remember his name immediately, the recurring appearance of this person in the collection of stories reflects to me a historical significance of this character, specifically in folklore of india .

the next example i recall of a story i appreciate in this book is that of a monk who grabs the tail of a bull and finds himself on a cloud eating a lavish meal. while i’m not completely sure as to the moral of this story, i do recognize layers of meaning to it, including a suggestion of an ephemeral nature to pleasure, along with a private component of joy .

and lastly, a third memorable aspect of this book to me is a story that includes the previously mentioned recurring character of a servant or worker to an emperor.

in the particular story which i’m referring, the emperor asks the worker to bring back to him ten fools, and the worker brings back eight men and challenges assumptions about how one must address an emperor by making bringing the emperor in on the joke he perceives by suggesting he the servant is a fool for carrying out such a task, and the emperor himself is a fool for assigning such a ridiculous task.

as a closing note, i’d say too, i like how the concluding chapter of the book to an extent situates the stories into a historical context, while still maintaining a level of timelessness and intrigue by including a story about how a mortal being receives endless stories from overhearing a conversation between two gods.