Away from the great machinery of the world, the village lay by a small lake and was surrounded by forests where one could roam wonderfully. It was the paradise where the narrator frolicked as a child "with the galoshes of happiness" and to which she returns in all the stories collected in this volume. It is the world of 'Potatoes with Dip' in its full array of small and large joys and calamities. It is populated by loving but strict parents, imposing cooks and governesses, quirky uncles and adventurous aunts, original villagers, and last but not least, children who still believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. However, no less important than the people are the animals: the tame mouse, the freedom-loving barn rabbit, the beer-drinking St. Bernard, the greedy dachshund, and the arrogant chicken.