Tales of Laughter

"Tales of Laughter" by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith is a collection of stories for children written in the early 20th century. This delightful anthology presents a variety of humorous and whimsical tales, with themes ranging from moral lessons to enchanting adventures in the animal kingdom. The book features a multitude of characters including clever animals and hapless humans, engaging young readers with light-hearted storytelling. The opening of "Tales of Laughter" introduces the story of "The Rats and Their Son-in-Law," which follows a proud rat family seeking a worthy husband for their beautiful daughter. The father-rat wishes for the sun to be her suitor, while the ambitious mother-rat has her sights set even higher, aiming to find her a match among celestial bodies. Their humorous quest leads them on a journey from the sun to the wind, until they finally realize that the noblest match for their daughter is, in fact, a rat. Through this fable, the narrative sets a playful tone, hinting at the comical misadventures that will unfold throughout the rest of the tales in the collection. (This is an automatically generated summary.)