This story tells how a woman loses an apple down a hole in the ground and then makes a series of attempts to retrieve it. Children love chanting the action sequence of this cumulative tale from memory, but when the plot takes a sudden turn that's contrary to all expectations, they also learn important lessons about the nature of problem-solving and discovery. The strikingly illustrations invoke the story's origins, while at the same time lending a uniquely playful atmosphere to this very amusing tale, which is part of an illustrated series of traditional stories from the Middle East and Central Asia that have been lauded by educators and psychologists for the ability to help children learn to examine their assumptions and think for themselves.