People just can't live together without telling stories. We tell stories that are funny, ironic, insightful, or just simply pleasing to the tongue and ear. Stories just seem to happen. When a story happens with the force of universality, it finds its way into that pantheon of tales that is the common denominator of cultural exchange.

Here are 33 such tales, collected from Brazil, China, Korea, Russia, Tibet, Africa, America's native peoples, and other nations, chosen for the universality of their message. Celebrating the interconnectedness of people, animals, and cultures, each tale is presented in a concise "retellable" form, suitable for all ages. Illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings.