This collection of 150 ancient Russian animal tales illustrates all 119 animal tale types. They feature forest animals and domestic animals. Fish and birds appear less often, and humans play a minor role, if any, in these tales. But it is human, not animal, behaviour that is displayed by the sneaky, greedy, adulterous, murderous, conniving and egotistical creatures who populate them. These stories, translated to preserve the art of the village storyteller, both entertained peasant children and taught them lessons needed in their quest for survival.