Cats and kangaroos, crabs and camels, whales and jaguars, hedgehogs and leopards, magicians and little children, and many other beings are brought to life in an exotic Eastern landscape during "the High and Far-Off Times." Drawn from the wondrous tales told to Kipling as a child by his Indian nurses, Just So Stories creates the magical enchantment of the dawn of the world, when animals could talk and think like people. The laziness of the Camel, the curiosity of the Elephant's Child, the cleverness of the Hedgehog, the confusion of the Painted Jaguar, and all the rest of Kipling's delightful menagerie make Just So Stories unforgettable reading for generations to come.