Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American from New England who lived from 1804 to 1864. Although he described him self as a solitary person, he was active in the world, and even served for years as a consul of the United States in Europe. In his fiction, he proved to have a deep and abid ing interest in both the spiritual and the symbolic. He used both life and imagination in his art, just as he used a com mon setting of his beloved homeland to frame the telling of the ancient Greek stories of The Wonder Book.

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Thousands of years ago,when monsters roamde the earth and magic ruled the world,the Greeks set sail among the islands of the Aegean Sea in search of incredible riches and fantastic adventures...adventures that would become legendary!

THE GORGONS:cruel witches with snakes for hair

MIDAS:everything he touchde turned to gold...even people!

HERCULED:the greatest hero of all time

CHIMAERA:part lion,part goat,part snake--but all monster!

PEGASUS:the magical flying horse

FOREWORD

PREFACE

THE GORGON"S HEAD

  TANGLEWOOD PORCH--Introductory tO "The

Gorgon"s Head"

  THE GORGON"S HEAD

  TANGLEWOOD PORCH--After the Story

THE GOLDEN TOUCH

  SHADOW BROOK--Introductory tO "The Golden

 Touch"

  THE GOLDEN TOUCH

  SHADOW BROOK--After-the Story

THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN

  TANGLEWOOD PLAY-ROOM--Introductory to

"The Paradise of Children""

  THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN

  TANGLEWOOD PLAY-ROOM--After the Story

THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES

  TANGLEWOOD FIRESIDE--Introductory tO "The

Three Golden Apples"

  THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES

  TANGLEWOOD FIRESIDE--After the Story   

THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER

  THE HILL-SIDE--Introductory to "The Miracu-

lous Pitcher"

  THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER

  THE HILL-SIDE--After the Story

THE CHIMAERA

 BALD-SUMMIT--Introductory tO "The

Chimaera"

  THE CHIMERA

 BALD-SUMMIT--After the Story