| Introduction | xiii |
| 1. Tales Told by Starlight | 1 |
| 2. Van Gogh's Night | 11 |
| 3. Dreamtime | 21 |
| 4. The Oldest Question | 31 |
| 5. Sea Squirts and Space Bugs | 41 |
| 6. Sex, Sleep, Death | 49 |
| 7. The Birds ans the Bees | 59 |
| 8. The Grisly Folk | 69 |
| 9. The Red Sicknes of Battle | 79 |
| 10. Seven Williams, Five Alexanders, Six Johns, Ten Vladmirs | 87 |
| 11. The Cicada's Song | 97 |
| 12. One Thrips, Two Thrips | 105 |
| 13. The Bluebird of Happiness | 115 |
| 14. Revenge of the Yokyoka | 123 |
| 15. TheAnticipation of Nature | 133 |
| 16. Down on the Paluxy River | 143 |
| 17. An Appetitefor Baloney | 153 |
| 18. Of Dragons and Hippogriffs | 163 |
| 19. The Ink of Night | 173 |
| 20. A Measure of Restraint | 183 |
| 21. The Virgin and the Mousetrap | 193 |