A collection of thirty-three folktales from diverse national cultures that have contributed to Australia's heritage. Each tale is presented in English and followed by the language of the story's origin. The stories have been collected from community groups across Australia but makes no claims to the significance of the collection to identifying multiculturalism in Australia. The project was initiated by M.J.R. MacKellar, Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs at the time of production and Federal Liberal M.P. for the Division of Warringah from 1969-1994. MacKellar states in the 'Foreword': 'Children are a unifying element in any society, but their involvement in a country such as Australia, where people come from so many different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, is of paramount importance. Not only are children a catalyst in drawing together all members of our society, but they are the future leaders and builders of the richly varied society that Australia is becoming. In building our nation, an understanding and appreciation of each other's background is vital.'
