His father loved telling bedtime stories, making them up as he went along. The common theme was that while reward should not be sought, good deeds are sometimes repaid, often unexpectedly, in kind. The author, now a grandfather himself, is attempting to emulate his own father, using in his stories a blend of fact and fiction. Listeners to his stories could place themselves in the various roles in the story itself, in reading, taking time out to discuss the content, and changing the pitch of their voices to suggest coming excitement and a suggestion of imminent danger.