In the beginning of the 21st century, Europe opened its borders to the countries from behind the Iron Curtain. Since then, over 100 million citizens, including Slovaks gained the freedom to move West without a visa. Now, a decade after the East-West exodus, our pioneers are returning home. Telling the stories of international Slovaks who left, learned and returned, 58 voices including government, business and society share their views on the transformation of a nation. The 59th voice is that of the author, who reveals a personal tale of loss, lessons and reconnection through a rite of passage shared by millions of people across the planet. Time-travellers to culture-shifters, Slovakia's lost daughters and sons come home, proving that return is not just a possibility, but an opportunity.

This delightful collection makes the rich but little-known Slovak folk culture available for English-language readers. Most of the fifty tales assembled here from the collections of folklorist Pavol Dobsinsky are translated into English for the first time. The poetic qualities of the originals have been carefully preserved. The general reader will enjoy these tales immensely, and students will find an insightful introduction to the genres of the folktale and the specifics of Slovak tales. For expert readers, all of the tales have been classified according to the Aarne-Thompson index, and many include short commentaries that draw on the work of Viera Gasparikova.