There was no Italian equivalent to the Brothers Grimm until Italo Calvino collected these folktales from his homeland which transport the reader into a world of adventurers, tricksters, kings, peasants and saints. One of the main themes to emerge is that of love: love tested by absence and by sorcery, and love that unites the natural world and the supernatural. Retold in Calvino's own inspired and sensuous language, this treasure trove of folklore is considered a classic.