"These tales were collected in the tribal areas of the Pakistan-Afghan border, a region once described as 'the last free place on earth', where the caravan routes from Persia, India and China historically converged." "With their blend of wit, fantasy, comedy and romance, the tales reflect the Pashtun code of honour and way of life now seriously threatened by social changes and recent political upheavals. Most of them, such as the epic tale of Hazrat Ali, have never been recorded before and might otherwise have been lost forever. Some are recognisable as universal types, such as a version of Androcles and the Lion and the tale that provided Shakespeare with the plot of King Lear."--Jacket.