Philip Rhayader is a painter. He lives alone in an old, empty lighthouse. But his life changes when a young girl from the village brings him a snow goose. It is hurt and he and the girl must look after it. This haunting tale is one of three stories in this collection, the others are The Doll and The Silver Swans.
A Story of Liechtenstein
A young girl called Mouche is about to throw herself into the Seine, when her attention is attracted by a voice. It turns out to be the voice of a glove puppet, called Carrot Top. She then meets Reynard the fox, Gigi, Alifanfaron, Dr Duclos, Madame Muscat and Monsieur Nicholas. The story is about her relationship with the seven puppets and their grim puppetmaster, Capitaine Coq, and what happens when she joins their travelling show. This is another of Paul Gallico's brilliant short novels. You find yourself thinking, as Mouche does, of the puppets as individuals, and completely forgetting that they are only puppets.
Ein Tropfen im Meer/Der Besitz eines Gentleman/Feindliche See/Julian und die Seifenblasen
