Parables come at us sideways. The truth is still present, but it's shy, having hidden itself in a story, no longer preaching but merely hinting and gesturing, only showing its face when it must. In a parable the truth disguises itself in characters who pull at our sleeves, begging to be heard and understood. It sneaks around in a plot like a child with a guilty smile, and you can't help but ask, "What are you up to, you little devil?" Camouflaged in drama, a parable lowers our usual defenses, making us feel and therefore vulnerable. Thus, while our imagination is busy and distracted and caught up with the story, without knowing it, the truth has slipped in the backdoor and made itself at home in our hearts. Hence the name of this book, "Subversive Stories."