Filled with the magic and wonder of childhood, and executed with the style and wit that distinguish timeless fairy tales, the stories in this luminous volume represent the best of today's children's literature. Like their classic forerunners, these tales touch our emotions while shaping our understanding of the world. Unlike their predecessors, however, they present a modern vision of that world - in which princesses rebel against the tyranny of their parents and knights conscientiously object to slaying dragons.

Contents:

• Little Polly Riding Hood (1955) by Catherine Storr
• The Gentle Knight (1964) by Richard Schinckel
• The Faithful Bull (1951) by Ernest Hemingway
• The Signal (1966) by Jack Sendak
• Princess Dahli (1972) by Tanith Lee
• Molly Mullett (1975) by Patricia Coombs
• Gudgekin the Thistle Girl (1976) by John Gardner
• The Cat-King’s Daughter (1977) by Lloyd Alexander
• The White Seal Maid (1977) by Jane Yolen
• The Dark Princess (1978) by Richard Kennedy
• Petronella (1973) by Jay Williams
• The Wrestling Princess (1986) by Judy Corbalis
• The Enchanter’s Daughter (1987) by Antonia Barber
• The Story of the Eldest Princess (1991) by A.S. Byatt
• The Outspoken Princess (1992) by Dov Mir

Edited by Jack Zipes.