Before You Begin

Before you begin.

A crystal globe turns a royal study into a window on distant trouble. Prince Ricardo is drawn toward every new call to adventure, while King Prigio wonders what a prince ought to learn before he sets out.

Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was a Scottish writer and folklorist whose curiosity about stories from many traditions shaped a lifetime of books for readers young and old. Here, fairy-tale marvels share the stage with family life, history, and a young prince’s restless imagination.

The story’s world is full of objects with old magic in them: a globe, a cap, a sword, and other gifts whose uses are not always what they first seem. Its humor comes from the distance between knowing a tale and living one.

Step into the illustrated gallery, then follow Ricardo’s adventures at your own pace. The pictures introduce the characters, places, and objects without revealing what comes next.