The Laughing Bear, and Other Stories

A collection of children's stories from 1917 that opens with Princess Chonwa's daring adventure. Kidnapped from the palace garden by a dark figure, the young princess seems lost until a magnificent bear appears to fight off her abductor and carry her to safety. But freedom brings new trials: an unwanted marriage awaits her in the palace, and Chonwa finds herself caught between the weight of royal duty and her desperate longing for adventure, for the forest, for the wild friend who saved her life. The tales that follow maintain this blend of fantasy and gentle wisdom, where animals prove braver than villains and children discover that courage often wears unexpected faces. Written in the warm, whimsical style characteristic of early 20th-century children's literature, these stories offer old-fashioned charm and the timeless message that friendship can bridge any divide.