Bound by a common thread—a serene foolishness cropping up in various characters, and absurd situations—the three charming tales in this long-unavailable book from 1943 are not as well-known as they deserve to be. Wanda Gág's uniquely American translations, for readers and listeners of all ages, are illuminated by lovely ink illustrations possessing a restless, lively quality, with figures that seem almost to be swaying to music. Her interpretations of "The Clever Wife" and "The Three Feathers" are exceptionally funny, while "Goose Hans" is one of the rarest stories among the Grimm brothers' collections. Best known for her Newbery Honor Books Millions of Cats (1929) and The ABC Bunny (1934), and her Caldecott Honorees Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938) and Nothing at All (1941), Gág was a pioneer in children's picture books, integrating beguiling drawings with a lively text. She was posthumously awarded the 1958 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for Millions of Cats and the 1977 Kerlan Award for her body of work.

"Her body of children's books is not large, but each title is a treasure, done in her instantly recognizable style."—Horn Book Magazine

"Gág was among the first to create what we now call an artist-concept book—written, designed, and illustrated by one person. Her stories always have a funny twist that engages children. Her simplicity appeals in this complex world."—St. Paul Pioneer Press