Why wars arise and how peace can succeed. The 33 folk tales and wisdom stories gathered in this book tell how conflicts can emerge and how forgiveness can begin and flourish. It addresses inner peace, the act of forgiving in love, as well as wars between nations or disputes among neighbors. These are largely unknown folk tales and wisdom stories from around the world - including Oriental (Arab, Bedouin, and Jewish), African, Indian, Asian, and European. This diversity makes the common threads in the wisdom of people from different cultures tangible. Not every story has a happy ending, but all surprise with unexpected twists and reveal paths forward: fairy tales speak of possible success and encourage both adults and children to find ways of inner growth. In the style of medieval books.