The name of Giambattista Basile (1583-1632), the author of The Fairy Tale of Fairy Tales, has recently become known to the Russian—speaking reader, and nevertheless he is quite familiar with the stories of Basile - arranged by Charles Perrault, Carlo Gozzi and the brothers Grimm. In the Neapolitan author, however, these wandering plots often acquire a completely unexpected coloring: he and Cinderella are able to give a worthy rebuff to their stepmother, and the sleeping beauty behaves far from the best after waking up... Frivolous and even cruel plots, the intervention of fairies and orcs, heroes who do not climb into their pockets for a word, the fervor of youth and the despondency of old age, edification and adventures — all this fit into a five—day fairy-tale marathon, fifty entertaining and instructive stories (hence another title of the book - "Pentameron", "five-day"). The publication is illustrated by the works of the English artist Warwick Goble.