Book excerpt: Karel Capek Fairy Tales is a delightful collection of ten classic children's stories, written by Karel Capek. It is beautifully illustrated throughout, with striking black-and-white images of Karel's brother; Josef Capek. The narratives of 'Capek Fairy Tales' include: 'A Long Tale about a Cat', 'The Dogs' Tale', 'The Birds' Tale', 'The First Bandits' Tale', 'The Water Sprites' Tale', 'The Long Police Tale', and many more. Karel Capek (1890 - 1938) was a Czech writer, best known for his science fiction, including his novel War with the Newts and the play, R. U. R, which introduced the word, 'robot'. He maintained a close relationship with his brother Josef (1887 - 1945), and the two lived and worked together for most of their adult life. Together, the Capeks produced books and plays on themes as diverse as detective stories, full-novels, philosophy, fairy tale collections, theatre plays, and even a book on gardening.