This English translation of Akram Osman's collection of Dari short stories helps us understand traditional Kabul culture, and in effect, Kabul itself. The stories tell us about Afghan heroism and make us laugh at the pretensions of those who clamour for name and fame. They bring to life the popular folk culture of urban Kabul during the mid-twentieth century. The stories will be of interest for the academic interested in modern Afghan studies, as well as the general reader.