This collection of short plays is an adaptation of traditional stories from around the world. The stories have been selected not only because they have remained favourites over time but also for their creative possibilities in terms of reading aloud, elocution and drama. The happy man's shirt is a story from Europe. From Greece we have the tales of Hercules and the cart-driver, Mercury and the woodcutter and Philemon and Baucis. The paper-maker, a story from China, tells us how the festival of lanterns began. And from Arabia we have the story of The two brothers.