PLAY ME A STORY

Music links nine stories, which include both familiar (``The Pied Piper'') and lesser-known tales (the Aboriginal ``Didgeridoo Magic'') from around the world. Adler (The Dial Book of Animal Tales, 1996, etc.) adapts the tales to her own voice, which makes them easy for modern audiences to read and understand, but which also makes this less appropriate for those seeking the spirit of the originals. For example, in ``The Singer and the Dolphin,'' the hero Arion ``sang like an angel,'' a description out of keeping with the pre-Christian-era setting of a Greek myth. However, Adler does cite her references for these stories, which use music both as a backdrop and as a focal point. ``Fairy Music'' is an Irish tale about a strange little band whose music makes all listeners dance. ``The Horse-Head Fiddle'' focuses on the musical instrument itself, explaining why Mongolian fiddles are decorated with a horse. Cencetti's gentle illustrations frame these stories in pastels and ornaments reflective of the tale's culture. Overall, the volume is pleasing, especially where issues of authenticity are not of prime concern. (Folklore. 8-12)