Designed for gift giving, an illustrated collection of classic fairy tales, rendered in modern prose by such celebrated authors as A. S. Byatt and John Ashbery, explores the battle of good and evil and the endless quest for love. (view table of contents)

Why are some carpets magic? What is a wish-tree? And where can the fountain of eternal life be found? This book answers these questions. Together with a glossary and brief notes, it combines to reveal the richness of the little-known, faraway lands of Central Asia.