Intriguing fairy tales by the librettist of Béla Bartók’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle A man is changed into a flea and must bring his future parents together in order to become human again. A woman convinces a river god to cure her sick son, but the remedy has mixed consequences. A young man must choose whether to be close to his wife's soul or body. And two deaf mutes transcend their physical existence in the garden of dreams. Strange and fantastical, these fairy tales of Béla Balázs (1884-1949), Hungarian writer, film critic, and famous librettist of Bluebeard's Castle, reflect his profound interest in friendship, alienation, and Taoist philosophy. Translated and introduced by Jack Zipes, one of the world's leading authorities on fairy tales, The Cloak of Dreams brings together sixteen of Balázs's unique and haunting stories. Written in 1921, these fairy tales were originally published with twenty images drawn in the Chinese style by painter Mariette Lydis, and this new edition includes a selection of Lydis's brilliant illustrations. Together, the tales and pictures accentuate the motifs and themes that run throughout Balázs's work: wandering protagonists, mysterious woods and mountains, solitude, and magical transformation. His fairy tales express our deepest desires and the hope that, even in the midst of tragedy, we can transcend our difficulties and forge our own destinies. Unusual, wondrous fairy tales that examine the world's cruelties and twists of fate, The Cloak of Dreams will entertain, startle, and intrigue.

Jona is a twelve year old and an only child. Having recently been bereaved of his mother, he is forced to witness the deterioration of his father through drink. Unable to accept the destruction of his happy family life, Jona escapes into a colorful world of fantasy. There he befriends a Spheroidal Multiphased Metamorph, and together they set out to find the magician who is blamed for casting a sleeping sickness spell on the Emperor. On the way, he meets up with strange characters who help him in his quest. Among them, a timorous captain of the Emperor's guards; two-legged polo horses; a Neanderthal giant; and a once fiery dragon who has lost the ability to breath fire. The quest will have a deep effect on Jona's life. But can he rid Dyland of the magician, once and for all, and reinstate the Emperor to his rightful throne?

Jona is a twelve year old and an only child. Having recently been bereaved of his mother, he is forced to witness the deterioration of his father through drink. Unable to accept the destruction of his happy family life, Jona escapes into a colorful world of fantasy. There he befriends a Spheroidal Multiphased Metamorph, and together they set out to find the magician who is blamed for casting a sleeping sickness spell on the Emperor. On the way, he meets up with strange characters who help him in his quest. Among them, a timorous captain of the Emperor's guards; two-legged polo horses; a Neanderthal giant; and a once fiery dragon who has lost the ability to breath fire. The quest will have a deep effect on Jona's life. But can he rid Dyland of the magician, once and for all, and reinstate the Emperor to his rightful throne?

The #1 New York Times bestselling author continues her evocative Westmoreland Dynasty Saga with this romance following two defiant hearts clashing over a furious battle of wills in the glorious age of chivalry. Abducted from her convent school, headstrong Scottish beauty Jennifer Merrick does not easily surrender to Royce Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore. Known as “The Wolf,” his very name strikes terror in the hearts of his enemies. But proud Jennifer will have nothing to do with the fierce English warrior who holds her captive, this handsome rogue who taunts her with his blazing arrogance. Boldly she challenges his will—until the night he takes her in his powerful embrace, awakening in her an irresistible hunger. And suddenly Jennifer finds herself ensnared in a bewildering web…a seductive, dangerous trap of pride, passion, loyalty, and overwhelming love.

The fairy tale may be one of the most important cultural and social influences on children's lives. But until Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion, little attention had been paid to the ways in which the writers and collectors of tales used traditional forms and genres in order to shape children's lives – their behavior, values, and relationship to society. As Jack Zipes convincingly shows, fairy tales have always been a powerful discourse, capable of being used to shape or destabilize attitudes and behavior within culture. For this new edition, the author has revised the work throughout and added a new introduction bringing this classic title up to date.