If you have not come across the wonderful work of John Collier, I would highly recommend that you take a look at some of his books. "Fancies and Goodnights" is availabel in a reprint and is highly enjoyable. I bleive that Mr. Bradbury has read Collier. Another Collier book that is great is "His Monkey Wife". Collier was british but spent most of his life in the US. He predates Bradbury, but his style is similar and the topics of fantasy were precursers to those of the master himself.

Don't know whether Bradbury has publicly credited Collier, but he did when we spoke.

Anyone wanting a quick look at a list of John Collier's writing, can click on:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/uthrc/00025/00025.html

[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 01-27-2003).]