Marcel Aimé (1902–1967) is a world-famous writer, a successor to the best traditions of French literature, whose works intricately combine realism and fantasy, irony and tragedy. In Russia, M. Aimé is known mainly for children's fairy tales and novels. However, according to critics, the best part of his creative heritage consists of stories, including those included in this collection, which Text is publishing for the second time. “Marcel Aime manages the impossible. Each of his books can unite, even for an hour, our hopelessly divided fellow citizens, touch the most callous, make the most gloomy laugh. Not only old people are wise, not only jesters are funny, not only fools are kind” (Antoine Blondin).