When a woodcutter finds a pot that magically duplicates anything that is placed inside it, he and his wife are delighted until the wife accidentally falls in.

Poor Hannah never has enough to eat, and can't believe her luck when she is given a magic porridge pot. But when a greedy boy steals it, is he in for more than he bargained for? Part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton, specially written for children just starting to read alone. Includes audio. "Crack reading and make confident and enthusiastic readers with this fantastic reading programme." - Julia Eccleshare

This book comprises a collection of popular folk stories from Guyana and other countries of the Caribbean region. The starring character in all of them is Nansi whose exploits form part of the folklore of these countries. "Nansi", the starring character in all the stories, is also popularly known as "Anansi". But in Guyana and some other Caribbean countries, Nansi, the shortened form of this name, is usually preferred. Nansi, who is a spider but who sometimes takes the qualities or form of a man, or even half-man and half-spider is originally the chief trickster among the Ashanti and Akan peoples of West Africa. When some of these peoples were forcibly brought to the Caribbean and the American continent as slaves from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, they also brought with them the tales of the exploits of Nansi, who was, and still is, variably regarded as a folk hero, a cunning trickster and also sometimes as a fool. The stories in this book are no different to the ones told in West Africa or other parts of the Caribbean and the south-east United States, even though the plots and the characters involved may vary slightly. They certainly provide tangible evidence that much of the oral traditions of people of African origin in the Americas remain intact, despite the historical trauma caused by centuries of slavery. Nansi is always outwitting the forest creatures, humans, his own family, the community in which he lives, and sometimes even deities. His character assumes various patterns. In some cases he is regarded as wise, but he can be greedy, cunning, gluttonous, stupid and dishonest. Despite these varying characteristics, Nansi is generally admired for the manner in which he outwits others. In Guyana and other countries of the English-speaking Caribbean, particularly in rural areas, the exploits of Nansi are related by older people as a form of entertainment at wakes and other community gatherings. The stories are now no longer exclusive to people of West African ancestry, since people of all ethnic origins in the these countries regard Nansi as their folk hero as well. Interestingly, all stories told at these informal community gatherings are regarded as "Nansi stories" even though Nansi may not be a character in any of them. The tales of Nansi are very imaginative and they are so embedded in the minds of people of Guyana and the Caribbean that sometimes any story that is far-fetched and hard to believe is dismissed as a "Nansi story."

Editors' Choice: Books for Youth 1993, Booklist 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know, The New York Public Library 1995-1996 Utah Children's Picture Book Award 1997-1998 Young Hoosier Book Award List (Indiana) Kaleidoscope, A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8, NCTE 1997 When old Mr. Haktak digs up a curious brass pot in his garden, he has no idea what use it can be. On his way home, Mr. Haktak decides to carry his coin purse in the mysterious pot. But when Mrs. Haktak's hairpin accidentally slips into the pot and she reaches in to retrieve it, the magic of the pot is revealed. Not only are there two hairpins inside, but there are also two purses!

"Good evening my dear boys and girls, as well as their parents and grandparents.There are many different and interesting stories out there in the world, and I amabout to tell you yet another one. Whether this really happened, I am not sure, nor am I sure, where I heard it. It could have all been a dream. However this happened, I will begin my story..."

For use in schools and libraries only. Short, simple sentences full of word repetition, plus humorous stories and attractive illustrations. A must for your younger readers.

A demon in the guise of a magic pot outwits a greedy, rich man and brings wealth and happiness to a poor old fellow and his wife.

Part of the Ladybird "First Favourite Tales" series, this book contains lots of funny rhythm and rhyme to delight young children. It is suitable for 2-4 year olds.

A multicultural collection of traditional tales contributed by more than forty of America's most experienced storytellers, with tips for telling the stories.

I prepared this book to improve my own English. Then, When I started to work on the book - I will explain the way I work below - I found it very useful. Therefore, I published the book. if you want to improve your English. There's no harm in trying. You can work on 1, 2 or 3 stories per day. Depending on your free time. I worked on two stories per day. And of course the basic level of your English will lead to faster results. Operation: I. Write your chosen story on a piece of paper after the beginning. II. Underline the words you do not know, search for the meaning and write under it. III. Read the story aloud once. IV. Translate the story yourself without help. V. Check the translation of the story you are translating. with the help of a teacher or someone who knows. It may be difficult at first, but after working for at least a month, you will see the difference from your initial situation. ------- Bu kitabı kendi İngilizcemi geliştirmek için hazırladım. Sonra, kitap üzerinde çalışmaya başladığımda - aşağıdaki çalışma şeklimi açıklayacağım - çok faydalı buldum. Bu yüzden kitabı yayımladım. İngilizcenizi geliştirmek istiyorsanız. Denemenin zararı yok. Günde 1, 2 veya 3 hikaye üzerinde çalışabilirsiniz. Boş zamanlarına bağlı olarak. Ben günde iki hikaye üzerinde çalıştım. Ve elbette İngilizceniz temel seviyede olursa daha hızlı öğrenirsiniz. Çalışma Şeklim: I. Seçtiğiniz hikayeyi baştan sonra bir kağıda yazın. II. Bilmediğiniz kelimelerin altını çizin, anlamı arayın ve altına yazın. III. Hikayeyi bir kez sesli okuyun. IV. Hikayeyi yardımsız kendin tercüme edin. V. Tercüme ettiğiniz hikayenin çevirisini kontrol edin. Bir öğretmenin veya bilen birinin yardımıyla. İlk başta zor olabilir, ancak en az bir ay çalıştıktan sonra, ilk durumunuzdan farkı göreceksiniz.