For thousands of years, professional Chinese storytellers have delighted listeners with tales about values such as honesty, respect, courage and self-reliance. Chinese Fables collects nineteen popular tales, many of them dating back to the third century BCE, and retells them in contemporary English (but with a subtle shade of antiquity) for a modern audience. These concise tales share a sense of Chinese culture and myth as they express–with great humor and affection–the foibles and wisdom of human nature. And although the lessons they teach are universal, their wit and flavor are uniquely Chinese.