"These stories vary in tone from grimly humorous to quietly ironic to stately formal. In 'The Shoemaker and Old Scratch,' a tightfisted tradesman tries to outwit the Devil, but discovers too late that Satan has many guises.... Greedy, selfish Simon hunts the fabulous Queen-of-All-the-Birds and finds himself changed into a half-bird monster until he learns compassion. These stories don't have conventional happy endings, but the conclusions fit the individual styles—sly, mystical, or gruesome, as appropriate. Fantasy fans with a taste for the unusual will enjoy this challenging collection."—School Library Journal