Indecorous and incongruous by turns, Roald Dahl's imagination has been let loose among some of our best known tales, fables and rhymes. the results are absurd but irresistible, and Quentin Blake's hilarious drawings only add to the fun.

tortoise and hare discover they have more than each other to contend with, and a jolly spinster gets more than she bargained for at the church bazaar. While Hansel and Gretel are plotting their escape from the pot, Aladdin has entered his own lamp to become the genie of the genius and is out helping the likes of Shakespear and Mozart to get a start in life.

Take a spoonful of Dahl and a pinch of Blake, and enjoy the resulting sauce!