The story of The Farmers Wife tells how a woman first loses an apple in a hole in the ground, and then attempts a series of efforts to get it back. Children enjoy learning to repeat the sequence from memory, and when the story takes a sudden turn, contrary to all expectations, they also learn important lessons on how to resolve problems creatively.The strikingly beautiful illustrations by Rose Mary Santiago invoke the origins of the story -- this traditional story has been told for hundreds of years in the Middle East and Central Asia -- while at the same time lending a uniquely playful atmosphere to this very amusing story.