Happily Ever After

Many Children's fairy tales end with this refrain. In traditional cultures, however, many folktakes were intended for adults and dared delve beyound the closure of the children's stories. Meliss Bunce has unearthed 19 such stories that explore and portary married couples in moments of challenge, struggle, and triumph. Times may have changed, but as these ancient stories illustrate, the underlying struggle haven't. In "The Weaver King, The Warrior Queen"(Armenia). a couple finds that reversing traditional gender roles helps them out of a tight spot. In"The Silent Fools" (India), a stubborn couple's silence nearly costs them house and home--Literally. And in "Patience and Magic" (Korea), a wife wishes for a magic spell to transform her distantt husband and learns that the solution is more difficult--and more rewarding. A wonderful gift for weddings, anniversaries, and other holidays.