SOURCES OF MATERIAL FOR FAIRY TALES: A LIST OF FAIRY TALES, PICTURES, PICTURE-BOOKS, POEMS, AND BOOKS
Shall we permit our children, without scruple, to hear any fables composed by any authors indifferently, and so to receive into their minds opinions generally the reverse of those which, when they are grown to manhood, we shall think they ought to entertain?--PLATO, in The Republic.
Any list of fairy tales for little children must be selected from those books which, as we have noted, contain the best collections of folk-lore, and from books which contain tales that rank as classics. An examination of the tales of Perrault, of Grimm, of Dasent, of Andersen, of Jacobs, of Harris, and of miscellaneous tales, to see what are suited to the little child, would result in the following lists of tales. Those most worthy of study for the kindergarten are marked with an asterisk and those suited to the first grade are marked "1." No attempt has been made to mention all the varied sources of a tale or its best version. The Boston Public Library issues a Finding List of Fairy Tales and Folk Stories, which may be procured easily, and the Carnegie Library at Pittsburg issues in its monthly bulletin for December, 1913, vol. 18, no. 10, a List of Folk-Tales, and other stories which may be dramatized. The Baker, Taylor Company, in 1914, issued a Graded Guide to Supplementary Reading, which contains a list of many of the best editions of folk and fairy tales suited to primary grades. A list of school editions is included in this book. But one cannot fail to be impressed with the general low literary standard of many school editions of fairy tales when judged by the standards here applied to the tales themselves.--
I. A List of Fairy Tales and Folk Tales
Tales of Perrault:
* CINDERELLA. 1 LITTLE THUMB. 1 PUSS-IN BOOTS. * RED RIDING HOOD. 1 SLEEPING BEAUTY. 1 THE THREE WISHES.
Tales of the Grimms:
1 BIRDIE AND LENA. 1 BRIAR ROSE. * THE CAT AND THE MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP. 1 CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET. 1. HOW THEY WENT TO THE HILLS TO EAT NUTS. 2. THE VISIT TO M KORBES. 3. THE DEATH OF PARTLETT. * CINDERELLA. * THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER. THE FOX AND THE GEESE. 1 THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG. 1 THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD. * THE KING OF THE BIRDS. 1 LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER 1 THE LITTLE LAMB AND THE LITTLE FISH. * LITTLE RED-CAP. 1 LITTLE SNOW WHITE. 1 LITTLE TWO-EYES. MOTHER HOLLE. 1 THE NOSE. 1 SNOW WHITE AND ROSE RED. * THE SPARROW AND HIS FOUR CHILDREN. STAR DOLLARS. * THE SPIDER AND THE FLEA. * THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN. * THE TOWN MUSICIANS OF BREMEN. THE WILLOW WREN AND THE BEAR. * THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN KIDS. * THE WONDERFUL PORRIDGE POT.
Norse Tales:
COCK AND HEN. THE COCK AND HEN A-NUTTING. THE COCK AND HEN THAT WENT TO THE DOVREFELL. COCK, CUCKOO, AND BLACK COCK. * DOLL I' THE GRASS. 1 GERTRUDE'S BIRD. 1 KATIE WOODENCLOAK (read). 1 THE LAD WHO WENT TO THE NORTH WIND. 1 LORD PETER (read). ONE'S OWN CHILDREN ABE ALWAYS PRETTIEST. * THREE BILLY GOATS. 1 THUMBIKIN (read). * WHY THE BEAR IS STUMPY-TAILED (pourquois).
English Tales, by Jacobs:
* THE CAT AND THE MOUSE. * HENNY PENNY. 1 THE HISTORY OF TOM THUMB. * HOW JACK WENT TO SEEK HIS FORTUNE. 1 JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. * JOHNNY CAKE. * LAZY JACK. * THE MAGPIE'S NEST. 1 MASTER OF ALL MASTERS. * M MIACCA. 1 M VINEGAR. * THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG. * PUDDOCK, MOUSIE, AND RATTON. 1 SCRAPEFOOT. * THE STORY OF THREE BEARS. * THE STORY OF THREE LITTLE PIGS. * TEENY TINY. * TITTY MOUSE AND TATTY MOUSE.
Modern Fairy Tales, by Andersen:
* THE FIR TREE. * FIVE PEAS IN A POD. 1 THE HAPPY FAMILY (retold in Tales of Laughter). LITTLE IDA'S FLOWERS (read). * OLE-LUK-OLE (read to end of Thursday). THURSDAY, WEDDING OF A MOUSE. * THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA. * THE SNOW MAN. 1 THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER. THE TOP AND THE BALL. * THUMBELINA. WHAT THE MOON SAW: * LITTLE GIRL AND CHICKENS. * THE NEW FROCK (realistic). * LITTLE CHIMNEY SWEEP. * BEAR WHO PLAYED "SOLDIERS." * BREAD AND BUTTER.
Uncle Remus Tales, by Harris, in Nights with Uncle Remus:
* BRER RABBIT AND THE LITTLE TAR BABY. * BROTHER RABBIT AND THE LITTLE GIRL. * BROTHER RABBIT TAKES A WALK. * BROTHER RABBIT TAKES SOME EXERCISE. * CUTTA CORD-LA (similar to Wolf and Seven Kids). * How BROTHER RABBIT BROKE UP A PARTY. * How BROTHER RABBIT FRIGHTENS HIS NEIGHBORS. * How M ROOSTER LOST HIS DINNER (read). * IN SOME LADY'S GARDEN. * M BENJAMIN RAM (Brother Rabbit's Riddle). * THE MOON IN THE MILL-POND (pourquois). * WHY BROTHER BEAK HAS NO TAIL (pourquois). * WHY M DOG RUNS AFTER BROTHER RABBIT. * WHY GUINEA FOWLS ARE SPECKLED (pourquois).
Uncle Remus Tales, by Harris, in Uncle Remus and the Little Boy:
* BROTHER BILLY GOAT'S DINNER. BROTHER FOX SMELLS SMOKE. * BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER TIGER. * BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER LION (similar to The Dog and His Shadow). * BROTHER MUD-TURTLE'S TRICKERY. * BROTHER RABBIT'S MONEY MINT. 1 BROTHER WOLF SAYS GRACE. 1 THE FIRE TEST (Use with Three Pigs). FUN AT THE FERRY. * HEYO, HOUSE. THE LITTLE RABBITS. MRS. PARTRIDGE HAS A FIT. WHY BROTHER FOX'S LEGS ARE BLACK. * WHY THE HAWK CATCHES CHICKENS.
Tale, by Harris, in Little Mr. Thimblefinger:
* WHY BILLY-GOAT'S TAIL IS SHORT.
Miscellaneous Tales:
* THE ADVENTURES OF LITTLE FIELD MOUSE, Stories to Tell, Bryant. * BETA AND THE LAME GIANT, Miss Harrison, In Storyland. * BILLY BOBTAIL, Jane Hoxie, Kindergarten Stories; Child-Lore Dramatic Reader, Scribners. * BLUNDER AND THE WISHING GATE, Louise Chollet, in Child Life in Prose, Whittier. * THE BOY AND THE GOAT, OR THE GOAT IN THE TURNIP FIELD (Norwegian), Primer, Free and Treadwell; Child-Lore Dramatic Reader, Scribners. * THE CAP THAT MOTHER MADE OR ANDER'S NEW CAP (Swedish), Swedish Fairy Tales, McClurg; For the Story-Teller, Bailey. 1 THE CAT AND THE PARROT OR THE GREEDY CAT, HOW to Tell Stories, Bryant; Tales of Laughter, Wiggin and Smith. 1 THE CAT THAT WAITED, Classics in Dramatic Form, vol. I, Stevenson. * THE CAT, THE COCK, AND THE FOX, Tales of Laughter, Wiggin and Smith. 1 CLYTIE, Nature Myths, Flora Cooke. 1 THE COCK, THE MOUSE, AND THE LITTLE RED HEN, Félicité Lefèvre, Jacobs. * THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE, Æsop's Fables, Joseph Jacobs. * DAME WIGGINS AND HER CATS, Mrs. Sharp, in Six Nursery Classics, Heath. * THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM, Jane Taylor, in In the Child's World, Poulsson. * THE DOLL WHO WAS SISTER TO A PRINCESS, THE TOY STORIES, Carolyn Bailey, Kindergarten Review, Dec., 1914. * DRAKESBILL, The Story-Teller's Book, O'Grady and Throop; The Fairy Ring, Wiggin and Smith; Firelight Stories, Bailey. * THE ELEPHANT'S CHILD, Just-So Stories, Kipling. 1 THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE, A Little Book of Profitable Tales, Eugene Field. 1 THE FIVE LITTLE PIGS, Katherine Pyle, in Wide Awake Second Reader, Little. * THE FOOLISH TIMID RABBIT, Jataka Tales Retold, Babbit. THE GOLDEN COCK, That's Why Stories, Bryce. 1 GOLDEN ROD AND ASTER, Nature Myths, Cooke. THE GRAIN OF CORN (Old Woman and Her Pig), Tales of the Punjab, Steel. 1 GREENCAP, Ruth Hays, in St. Nicholas, June, 1915. 1 HANS AND THE FOUR BIG GIANTS, Miss Harrison, In Storyland. 1 THE HEN THAT HATCHED DUCKS, Harriet Beecher Stowe, in Child Life in Prose, Whittier. * THE HOP-ABOUT-MAN, Agnes Herbertson, in The Story-Teller's Book, O'Grady and Throop; in Little Folks' Magazine. * THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT, Six Nursery Classics, D.C. Heath. 1 HOW BROTHER RABBIT FOOLED THE WHALE, Stories to Tell, Bryant. * HOW THE CAMEL GOT HIS HUMP, Just-So Stories, Kipling. 1 HOW THE CHIPMUNK GOT THE STRIPES ON ITS BACK, Nature Myths, Cooke. * HOW DOUBLE DARLING'S OLD SHOES BECAME LADY SLIPPERS, Candace Wheeler, in St. Nicholas, March, 1887; vol. 14, pp. 342-47. * HOW FIRE WAS BROUGHT TO THE INDIANS, The Book of Nature Myths, Holbrook. * HOW SUN, MOON, AND WEST WIND WENT OUT TO DINNER, Old Deccan Days, Frère. 1 THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR, Stories to Tell, Bryant. 1 THE JACKALS AND THE LION, Stories to Tell, Bryant. 1 KING SOLOMON AND THE ANTS, Nature Myths, Cooke. * THE LAMBIKIN, Tales of the Punjab, Steel; Indian Tales, Jacobs. * LITTLE JACK ROLLAROUND, Stories to Tell, Bryant. * THE LITTLE RABBIT WHO WANTED RED WINGS, For the Story-Teller, Bailey. * THE LITTLE RED HEN, Stories to Tell, Bryant. * THE LITTLE RED HIN (Irish dialect verse), Stories to Tell, Bryant. * THE LITTLE ROOSTER, Robert Southey, in Boston Collection of Kindergarten Stories, Hammett & Co. * LITTLE SPIDER'S FIRST WEB, Primer, Free and Treadwell. * LITTLE TOP-KNOT (Swedish), First Reader, Free and Treadwell. * LITTLE TUPPEN, Fairy Stories and Fables, Baldwin; Primer, Free and Treadwell. * LUDWIG AND MARLEEN, Jane Hoxie, in Kindergarten Review, vol. xi, no. 5. * MEDIO POLLITO, THE LITTLE HALF-CHICK (Spanish), The Green Fairy Book, Lang. * MEZUMI, THE BEAUTIFUL, OR THE RAT PRINCESS (Japanese), Birch-Tree Fairy Book, Johnson; Tales of Laughter, Wiggin and Smith. 1 M ELEPHANT AND M FROG, Firelight Stories, Bailey. 1 THE MOON'S SILVER CLOAK, Classics in Dramatic Form, Stevenson, vol. i. 1 THE MOUSE AND THE SAUSAGE, Stories and Story-Telling, Angela Keyes. * OEYVIND AND MARIT, from The Happy Boy, Björnstjerne Björnson, in The Story-Teller's Book, O'Grady and Throop; in Child-Life in Prose, Whittier. * PETER RABBIT, Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter. 1 THE PIGS AND THE GIANT, Pyle, in Child-Lore Dramatic Reader, Scribners. * THE QUICK-RUNNING SQUASH, Short Stories for Short People, Aspinwall. 1 THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, Nature Myths, Cooke. * THE RICH GOOSE, Leora Robinson, in The Outlook. * THE ROBIN'S CHRISTMAS SONG, Birch-Tree Fairy Book, Johnson. * (WEE) ROBIN'S YULE SONG. Tales of Laughter, Wiggin and Smith. * THE SHEEP AND THE PIG (Scandinavian), For the Children's Hour, Bailey. * THE SPARROW AND THE CROW, Tales of the Punjab, Steel; Birch-Tree Fairy Book, Johnson. * THE STRAW OX, Cossack Fairy Tales, Bain. * STORY OF THE MORNING-GLORY SEED, M. Eytinge, Boston Kindergarten Stories. 1 THE TALE OF A BLACK CAT, Oak-Tree Fairy Book, Johnson. 1 TOMMY AND THE WISHING-STONE, a series, by T. Burgess, in St. Nicholas, 1915. 1 TRAVELS OF A FOX, Oak-Tree Fairy Book, Johnson. 1 THE TURTLE WHO COULDN'T STOP TALKING, Jataka Tales Retold, Babbit. * THE UNHAPPY PINE TREE, Classic Stories, McMurry. 1 What Bunch And Joker Saw In The Moon, Wide Awake Chatterbox, about 1887. 1 The White Cat, Fairy Tales, D'Aulnoy; Fairy Tales, Vol. II, Lansing. * Why The Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves, The Book Of Nature Myths, Holbrook. * Why The Juniper Has Berries, The Book Of Nature Myths, Holbrook.
* Why The Morning Glory Climbs, How to Tell Stories, Bryant.
1 The Wish Bird, Classics In Dramatic Form, Vol. II, Stevenson.
II. Bibliography Of Fairy Tales
Baker, Franklin T.: Bibliography Of Children's Reading. Introduction and lists. Teachers College, Columbia University.
Baker Taylor Company, The: Graded Guide to Supplementary Reading. 1914.
Boston Public Library: Finding List of Fairy Tales.
Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh. List of Folk Tales. Bulletin, Dec, 1913, Vol. 18, No. 10.
Ibid.: Illustrated Editions of Children's Books. 1915.
Harron, Julia; Bacon, Corinne; and Dana, John: American Library Economy. Newark Free Library, Newark, New Jersey.
Haight, Rachel Webb: "Fairy Tales." Bulletin of Bibliography, 1912. Boston Book Co.
Hewins, Caroline: A.L.A. List. Books for Boys and Girls. Third Edition, 1913. A.L.A. Pub. Board, Chicago.
Kready, Laura F.: "Picture-Books For Little Children." Kindergarten Review, Sept., 1914.
Moulton, Alice O'Grady, and Literature Com. of I.K.U.: "Humorous Stories for Children." Kindergarten Review, Dec, 1914.
Salisbury, G.E., and Beckwith, M.E.: Index to Short Stories. St. Louis Public Library. Lists of Stories and Programs for Story Hours. Give best versions.
Widdemer, Margaret: "A Bibliography of Books and Articles Relating to Children's Reading. Part I, Children's Reading in general. Part II, History of Children's Literature, etc. Part III, Guidance of Children's Reading." Bulletin of Bibliography, July, 1911, Oct., 1911, and Jan., 1912. Boston Book Co.
III. A List of Picture-Books
Beskow, Elsa: Hanschen im Blaubeerenwald. Stuttgart.
Brooke, Leslie: The Golden Goose Book. F. Warne.
Ibid.: The House in the Wood. F. Warne.
Ibid.: The Truth About Old King Cole. F. Warne.
Browning, Robert: The Pied Piper, Kate Greenaway, F. Warne; Hope Dunlap, Rand; T. Butler Stoney, Dutton.
Caldecott, Randolph: Picture-Books: 2. The House that Jack Built. F. Warne. 3. Hey Diddle Diddle Book. F. Warne.
Coussens, P.W.: A Child's Book of Stories. Jessie W. Smith. Duffield.
Crane, Walter: Picture-Books: Cinderella. John Lane. Mother Hubbard. John Lane. Red Riding Hood. John Lane. This Little Pig. John Lane.
Grimm, Jacob and William: Cruikshank Fairy Book. Cruikshank, Putnam.
Ibid.: Das Deutsche Bilderbuch. Jos. Scholz. 1. Dörnroschen. 2. Aschenputtel. 7. Frau Holle. 10. Der Wolf und Sieben Geislein.
Ibid.: Liebe Märchen. 10, 11, 12. Jos. Scholz.
Ibid.: Cherry Blossom. Helen Stratton. Blackie and Sons.
Jerrold, Walter: The Big Book of Fairy Tales. Robinson. Blackie.
Olfers, Sibylle: Windschen. J.F. Schreiber.
Ibid.: Wurzelkindern. J.F. Schreiber.
Sharp, Mrs.: Dame Wiggins of Lee. Introduction by Ruskin. Kate Greenaway. George Allen.
IV. A LIST OF PICTURES
Cinderella. 227, Meinhold. Dresden. 724, Meinhold. Dresden. 366, Teubner. Leipzig.
Canadian Magazine, Dec., 1911, by Val Prinsep, A. Elves. Arthur Rackham. St. Nicholas, Nov., 1914.
Ibid.: Book of Pictures. Century.
Hop-o'-my-Thumb. A Child's Own Book of Fairy Tales. Dore. H. Pisan, engraver. Elizabeth S. Forbes. Canadian Magazine, Dec., 1911.
Little Brother and Sister. Tempera Painting, Marianna Stokes. Illustrated London News, Dec., 1907.
Perrault's Tales. Kay Nielsen. Illustrated London News, Dec., 1913.
Red Riding Hood. Poster, Mary Stokes. Ladies' Home Journal. 230, Meinhold. Dresden. 77, Teubner. Leipzig and Berlin. G. Ferrier. Engraved for St. Nicholas, Braun, Clement, & Co. Supplement to American Primary Teacher, May, 1908. Picture, 2 ft. by 1 ft., New Specialty Shop, Phila., Pa.
Sleeping Beauty. Mouat, London. Canadian Magazine, Dec., 1911. Illustrated London News, Dec., 1907.
Snow White. A series. Maxfield Parrish. Picture by Elizabeth Shippen Green.
Two Series. Five pictures in each. Jessie Willcox Smith. P.F. Collier & Sons.
V. A LIST OF FAIRY POEMS
Allingham, William: The Fairy Folk. The Posy Ring. Bangs, John Kendrick: The Little Elf. The Posy Ring.
Bird, Robert: The Fairy Folk. A Child's Book of Old Verses.
Dodsley, R.: Red Caps of Fairies. Fuimus Troes, Old Plays.
Drayton, Michael: Nymphal III, Poets' Elysium.
Herford, Oliver: The Elf and the Dormouse. The Posy Ring.
Hood, Thomas: A Plain Direction. Heart of Oak Books, III.
Ibid.: Queen Mab. A Child's Book of Old Verses.
Howitt, Mary: The Fairies of the Caldon-Low. The Posy Ring.
Ibid.: Mabel on Midsummer Day. The Story-Teller's Book, O'Grady and Throop.
Lyly, John: The Urchin's Dance and Song. Song of the First Fairy. Song of the Second Fairy. Maydes Metamorphosis.
McDermot, Jessie: A Fairy Tale. Fairy Tales. Rolfe. Amer. Book Co.
Noyes, Alfred: The Magic Casement. An anthology of fairy poetry, with an introduction. Dutton.
Percy, Bishop: The Fairy Queen. Reliques of Ancient Poetry; from The Mysteries of Love and Eloquence, London, 1658.
Shakespeare, William: Ariel's Song; A Fairy Song; "I know a bank"; The Song of the Fairies. Shakespeare's Dramas.
Stevenson, Robert L. Fairy Bread; The Little Land. A Child's Garden of Verses.
Unknown Author: The Fairy. "Oh, who is so merry." A Child's Book of Old Verses. Duffield.
Wilkins, Mary E.: The Ballad of the Blacksmith's Sons. Fairy Stories Retold from St. Nicholas. Century.
VI. MAIN STANDARD FAIRY TALE BOOKS
Andersen, Hans Christian: Fairy Tales. 2 vols. Pedersen & Stone. Houghton.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Edited by W.A. and J.K. Craigie. Oxford University Press.
Ibid.: Fairy Stories for Youngest Children. Lucas. Stratton. Blackie. (English edition.)
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Mrs. Lucas. T.C. and W. Robinson. Dutton.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Mrs. Lucas. Helen Stratton. Dodge.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Maria L. Kirk. Lippincott.
Andersen, Hans Christian: Fairy Tales. Edmund Dulac. Hodder & Stoughton.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. W.H. Robinson. Holt.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Braekstad. Tegner. Introd. by Gosse. Century.
Asbjörnsen, P.C.: Fairy Tales from the Far North. Burt.
Ibid.: Round the Yule Log. Introd. by Gosse. Braekstad. Lippincott.
Dasent, Sir George W.: Popular Tales from the North. Routledge. Dutton.
Ibid.: Popular Tales from the North. Putnam.
Ibid.: Tales from the Field. Putnam.
Grimm, Jacob and William: Household Tales. Margaret Hunt. Bonn's Libraries, Bell & Co.
Ibid.: Household Tales. Lucy Crane. Walter Crane. Macmillan.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Helen Stratton. Dodge.
Ibid.: German Popular Stories. Tr. Edgar Taylor. Introd. by Ruskin. 22 illustrations by Cruikshank. Chatto & Windus.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Johann & Leinweber. McLoughlin.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Arthur Rackham. Doubleday.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Hope Dunlap. Rand.
Harris, Joel Chandler: Uncle Remus, His Songs and Sayings. Appleton.
Ibid.: Nights With Uncle Remus. Church. Houghton.
Ibid.: Uncle Remus and His Friends. Frost. Houghton.
Ibid.: Uncle Remus and the Little Boy. J.M. Comte. Small.
Jacobs, Joseph: English Fairy Tales. 2 vols. Batten. Putnam.
Ibid.: Celtic Fairy Tales. 2 vols. Batten. Putnam.
Ibid.: Indian Fairy Tales. Batten. Putnam.
Ibid.: The Most Delectable History of Reynard the Fox.
Frank Calderon. Macmillan.
Ibid.: Europa's Fairy Tales. Batten. Putnam.
O'Shea, M.V.: Old World Wonder Stories. Heath.
Perrault, Charles: Tales of Mother Goose. Welsh. Heath.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Appleton. Estes.
Perrault, Charles: Tales of Passed Times. Temple Classics. C. Robinson. Dutton.
Ibid.: Popular Tales. Edited by Andrew Lang. French; and English translation of original edition. Oxford, Clarendon Press.
VII. FAIRY TALES OF ALL NATIONS
Celtic. Jacobs. 1911. Putnam.
Chinese. Pitnam. 1910. Crowell.
Cossack. Bain. 1899. Burt.
Danish. Bay. 1899. Harper.
Donegal. McManus. 1900. Doubleday.
English. Jacobs. 1904. Putnam.
Ibid.: Folk and Fairy Stories. Hartland, born 1848. Camelot series.
French. DeSegur. 1799-1874. Winston.
German. Grimm. 1812, 1822. Bonn's Libraries.
Hungarian. Pogany. 1914. Stokes.
Indian. Old Deccan Days. Frère. 1868. McDonough.
Ibid.: Tales of the Sun. Mrs. Kingscote. 1890. W.H. Allen.
Ibid.: Buddhist Birth Stories. Rhys Davids. 1880. Trubner.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Stokes. 1880. Ellis & White.
Ibid.: Folk Tales of Bengal. Day. 1883. Macmillan.
Ibid.: Wide Awake Stories. Steel and Temple. 1884. Trubner.
Ibid.: Folk-Tales of Kashmir. Knowles. 1887. Trubner.
Ibid.: Tales of the Punjab. Steel. 1894. Macmillan.
Irish. Yeats. 1902. Burt.
Italian. Macdonell. 1911. Stokes.
Ibid.: Crane. 1885. Macmillan.
Japanese. Ozaki. 1909. Dutton.
Manx. Morrison. 1899. Nutt.
New World. Kennedy. 1904. Dutton.
Norse. Dasent. 1820-1896. Lippincott.
Ibid.: Mabie. 1846-. Dodd.
Papuan. Kerr. 1910. Macmillan.
Persian. Stephen. 1892. Dutton.
Ibid.: Clouston. 1907. Stokes.
Russian. Dole. 1907. Crowell.
Ibid.: Bain. Bilibin. 1914. Century.
Scottish. Grierson. 1910. Stokes.
South African. Honey. 1910. Baker & Taylor.
Welsh. Thomas. 1908. Stokes.
VIII. MISCELLANEOUS EDITIONS OF FAIRY TALES
D'Aulnoy, Madame: Fairy Tales. Trans, by Planché. Gordon Browne. McKay.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. Introd. by Anne T. Ritchie. Scribners.
Austin, M.H.: Basket Woman. Houghton.
Babbit, Ellen: Jataka Tales Retold. Century.
Bailey, Carolyn: Firelight Stories. Bradley.
Bailey and Lewis: For the Children's Hour. Bradley.
Baldwin, James: Fairy Stories and Fables. Amer. Book Co.
Barrie, J.M.: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Rackham. Scribners.
Baumbach, Rudolf: Tales from Wonderland. Simmons.
Bertelli, Luigi: The Prince and His Ants. Holt.
Bryant, Sara C.: Best Stories to Tell to Children. Houghton.
Burgess, Thornton: Old Mother West Wind. Little.
Ibid.: The Adventures of Reddy Fox. Little.
Ibid.: The Adventures of Johnny Chuck. Little.
Ibid.: Tommy and the Wishing-stone. Animal Tales. St. Nicholas, 1915.
Chapin, Anna: The Now-a-Days Fairy Book. Jessie W. Smith. Dodd.
Chisholm, Louey: In Fairyland. Katherine Cameron. Putnam.
Ibid.: Little Red Riding Hood; Cinderella; (I Read Them Myself series). Dodge.
Collection: Half a Hundred Stories for Little People. Bradley.
Cooke, Flora J.: Nature Myths and Stories. Flanagan.
Cowell, E.B.: The Jatakas or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births. Tr. from the Pali. 6 vols. Cambridge University Press. Putnam. 1895-1907.
Crothers, Samuel McChord: Miss Muffet's Christmas Party. Houghton.
Emerson, Ellen: Indian Myths. Houghton.
Everyman Series: 157; 365; and 541. Dutton.
France, Anatole: The Honey Bee. John Lane.
Grover, Eulalie O., editor: Mother Goose. F. Richardson. Volland.
Harris, Joel C.: Little Mr. Thimblefinger. Houghton.
Harrison, Miss: In Storyland. Central Pub. Co., Chicago. Holbrook, Florence: The Book of Nature Myths. Houghton.
James, Grace: The Green Willow: Japanese. Goble. Macmillan.
Jerrold, Walter: The Reign of King Oberon. Robinson. Dent. Little.
Johnson, Clifton: Fairy Books: Oak-Tree; Birch-Tree; and Elm-Tree. Little.
Ibid.: Book of Fairy Tale Bears. Houghton.
Ibid.: Book of Fairy Tale Foxes. Houghton.
Kingsley, Charles: Water-Babies. Warwick Goble. Macmillan.
Ibid.: Water-Babies. Introd, by Rose Kingsley. Margaret Tarrant. Dutton.
Kipling, Rudyard: Jungle Books. 2 vols. Original edition. Century.
Ibid.: Jungle Books. M. and E. Detmold. Century.
Ibid.: Jungle Books. A. Rackham. Doubleday.
Ibid.: Just-So Stories. Doubleday.
Ibid.: Puck of Pook's Hill. Doubleday.
Ibid.: Rewards and Fairies. Doubleday.
Laboulaye, Edouard: Fairy Book. Harper.
Ibid.: Last Fairy Tales. Harper.
Lang, Andrew: Fairy Books: Red; Orange; Yellow; Green; Blue; Violet; Gray; Crimson; Brown; Pink. Longmans.
Lansing, Marion: Rhymes and Stories. Ginn.
Ibid.: Fairy Tales. 2 vols. Ginn.
Leamy, Edward: Golden Spears. FitzGerald.
Lefèvré, Felicité: The Cock, the Mouse, and the Little Red Hen. Tony Sarg. Jacobs, Phila.
Lindsay, Maud: Mother Stories; More Mother Stories. Bradley.
Maeterlinck, Madam: The Children's Bluebird. Dodd.
Molesworth, Mary Louise: The Cuckoo Clock. Maria Kirk. Lippincott.
Mulock, Miss: The Fairy Book. Boyd Smith. Crowell.
Ibid.: Fairy Book. 32 illus. by W. Goble. Macmillan.
Ibid.: Little Lame Prince. Hope Dunlap. Rand.
Musset, Paul de: Mr. Wind and Madam Rain. Bennett. Putnam.
Nyblom, Helena: Jolly Cable and other Swedish Fairy Tales. Folknin. Dutton.
Olcott, Frances J.: Arabian Nights. Tr. by Lane. Cairo text. Selections. Holt.
Perrault, Charles: The Story of Bluebeard. Stone & Kimball, Chicago.
Poulsson, E.: In the Child's World. Bradley.
Pyle, Howard: The Garden Behind the Moon. Scribners.
Ibid.: Wonder-Clock. Harper.
Pyle, Katherine: Fairy Tales from Many Lands. Dutton.
Rackham, Arthur: Mother Goose. Century.
Ramé, Louise de la (Ouida): Nürnberg Stove: Bimbi Stories for Children. Page.
Rhys, Ernest: Fairy Gold. Herbert Cole. Dutton.
Rolfe, William: Fairy Tales in Prose and Verse. Amer. Book Co.
Shakespeare, William: Midsummer Night's Dream. With forty illustrations in color by Arthur Rackham. Doubleday.
Shedlock, Marie: A Collection of Eastern Stories and Legends. Foreword by T. Rhys Davids. Dutton.
Smith, Jessie Willcox: Mother Goose. Dodd.
Stephen, A.: Fairy Tales of a Parrot. Ellis. Nister. Dutton.
Stockton, F.: The Queen's Museum. F. Richardson. Scribners.
Tappan, Eva March: The Children's Hour: Folk Stories and Fables. Houghton.
Thorne-Thomson: East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon. Row.
Underhill, Zoe D.: The Dwarf's Tailor. Harper.
Valentine, Mrs. Laura: Old, Old Fairy Tales. F. Warne.
Welsh, Charles: Fairy Tales Children Love. Dodge.
Wheeler, W.A.: Mother Goose Melodies. Houghton.
Wiggin, Kate; and Smith, Nora: The Fairy Ring: Tales of Laughter: Magic Casements: and Tales of Wonder. Doubleday.
IX. SCHOOL EDITIONS OF FAIRY TALES
Alderman, E.A.: Classics Old and New. Amer. Book Co.
Alexander, G.: Child Classics. Bobbs.
Baker, F.T., and Carpenter, G.: Language Readers. Macmillan.
Baldwin, James: The Fairy Reader, I and II. Amer. Book Co.
Blaisdell, Etta (MacDonald): Child Life in Tale and Fable. Macmillan.
Blumenthal, Verra: Fairy Tales from the Russian. Rand.
Brooks, Dorothy: Stories of Red Children. Educational.
Bryce, Catherine: Child-Lore Dramatic Reader. Scribners.
Burchill, Ettinger: Progressive Road to Reading, Readers. Silver.
Chadwick, Mara P.: Three Bears Story Primer. Educational.
Chadwick, M.P. and Freeman, E.G.: Chain Stories and Playlets: The Cat That Was Lonesome: The Mouse That Lost Her Tail; and The Woman and Her Pig. World Book Co.
Coe and Christie: Story Hour Readers. Amer. Book Co.
Craik, Georgiana: So Fat and Mew Mew. Heath.
Davis, M.H. and Leung, Chow: Chinese Fables and Folk Stories. Amer. Book. Co.
Dole, C.F.: Crib and Fly. Heath.
Free and Treadwell: Reading Literature Series. Row, Peterson.
Grover, Eulalie O.: Folk Lore Primer. Atkinson.
Hale, E.E.: Arabian Nights. Selections. Ginn.
Heath, D.C.: Dramatic Reader. Heath.
Henderson, Alice: Andersen's Best Fairy Tales. Rand.
Hix, Melvin: Once Upon a Time Stories. Longmans.
Holbrook, Florence: Dramatic Reader for the Lower Grades. Amer. Book Co.
Howard, F.W.: The Banbury Cross Stories: The Fairy Gift and Tom Hickathrift. Merrill.
Johnston, E.; and Barnum, M.: Book of Plays for Little Actors. Amer. Book. Co.
Kennerley: The Kipling Reader. 2 vols. Appleton.
Ketchum and Rice: Our First Story Reader. Scribners.
Lang, Andrew: Fairy Readers. Longmans.
Lansing, M.: Tales of Old England. Ginn.
Mabie, H.: Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know. Doubleday.
McMahon, H., M., and A.: Rhyme and Story Primer. Heath.
McMurry, Mrs. Lida B.: Classic Stories. Public School Pub. Co.
Norton, Charles E.: Heart of Oak Books. Heath.
Norvell, F.T., and Haliburton, M.W.: Graded Classics. Johnson.
Perkins, F.O.: The Bluebird Arranged for Schools. Silver.
Pratt, Mara L.: Legends of Red Children. Amer. Book Co.
Roulet, Mary Nixon: Japanese Folk-Stories and Fairy Tales. Amer. Book Co.
Scudder, H.: Andersen's Fairy Tales: Grimm's Fairy Tales; Fables and Folk Stories; The Children's Book. Houghton.
Smythe, Louise: Reynard the Fox. Amer. Book Co.
Spaulding and Bryce: Aldine Readers. Newson.
Stevenson, Augusta: Children's Classics in Dramatic Form. 5 vols. Houghton.
Stickney, J.H.: Andersen's Fairy Tales. 2 series. Ginn.
Summers, Maud: The Summers Readers. Beattys.
Turpin, E.H.: Andersen's Fairy Tales. Merrill.
Underwood, Kate: Fairy Tale Plays (For Infants and Juniors). Macmillan.
University Pub. Co.: Fairy Tales. Standard Literature Series; Hans Andersen's Best Stories; Grimm's Best Stories. Newson and Co.
Van Sickle, J.H., etc.: The Riverside Readers. Houghton.
Varney, Alice: Story Plays Old and New. Amer. Book Co.
Villee: Little Folk Dialog Reader. Sower.
Wade, Mary H.: Indian Fairy Tales. Wilde.
Washburne, Mrs. M.: Old-Fashioned Fairy Tales (Retold from poetic versions of Thomas Hood). Rand.
White, Emma G.: Pantomime Primer. Amer. Book Co.
Williston, P.: Japanese Fairy Tales. 2 series. Rand.
Wiltse, Sara E.: Folk Lore Stories and Proverbs. Ginn.
Wohlfarth, J., and McMurry, Frank: Little Folk-Tales. 2 vols.
Zitkala-sa: Old Indian Legends. Ginn.
APPENDIX
ILLUSTRATIONS OF CREATIVE RETURN
Tales suited for dramatization
Little Two-Eyes
Little Two-Eyes, which is suited to the first-grade child, is one of the most attractive of folk-tales and contains blended within itself the varied beauties of the tales. It is in cante-fable form, which gives it the poetic touch so appealing to children. It contains the magic rhymes,--
Little kid, bleat, I wish to eat!
Little kid, bleat, Clear it off, neat!
the fairy wise woman, and the friendly goat. It contains the fairy housekeeping in the forest which combines tea-party, picnic, and magic food--all of which could not fail to delight children. The lullaby to put Two-Eyes to sleep suits little children who know all there is to know about "going to sleep." The magic tree, the silver leaves, the golden fruit, the knight and his fine steed, and the climax of the tale when the golden apple rolls from under the cask--all possess unusual interest. There is exceptional beauty in the setting of this tale; and its message of the worth of goodness places it in line with Cinderella. It should be dramatized as two complete episodes, each of three acts:--
The Goat Episode
Place The home and the forest.
Time Summer.
Act I, Scene i. A home scene showing how the Mother and Sisters despised Two-Eyes.
Scene ii. Two-Eyes and the Fairy.
Scene iii. Two-Eyes and the Goat. Evening of the first day.
Act II, Scene i. One-Eye went with Two-Eyes. Third morning. Song ... Feast ... Return home.
Act III, Scene i. Three-Eyes went with Two-Eyes. Fourth morning. Song ... Feast ... Return home.
The Story of Two-Eyes
Place The forest; and the magic tree before the house.
Time Summer.
Act I, Scene i. Two-Eyes and the Fairy.
Act II, Scene i. The magic tree. Mother and Sisters attempt to pluck the fruit.
Act III, Scene i. The Knight. Second attempt to pluck fruit. Conclusion. The happy marriage.
Snow White
The Story of Snow White is one of the romantic fairy tales which has been re-written and staged as a play for children, and now may be procured in book form. It was produced by Winthrop Ames at the Little Theatre in New York City. The dramatization by Jessie Braham White followed closely the original tale. The entire music was composed by Edmond Rickett, who wrote melodies for a number of London Christmas pantomimes. The scenery, by Maxfield Parrish, was composed of six stage pictures, simple, harmonious, and beautiful, with tense blue skies, a dim suggestion of the forest, and the quaint architecture of the House of the Seven Dwarfs. Pictures in old nursery books were the models for the scenes. Because of the simplicity of the plot and the few characters, Snow White could be played very simply in four scenes, by the children of the second and third grades for the kindergarten and first grade.
Snow White
Scene i. A Festival on the occasion of Snow White's sixteenth birthday.
Scene ii. In the Forest.
Scene iii. A Room in the House of the Seven Dwarfs.
Scene iv. The Reception to Snow White as Queen, on the grounds near the young King's Palace.
The beautiful character of Snow White; the glimpse of Dwarf life--the kindly little men with their unique tasks and their novel way of living; the beauty and cheer of Snow White which her housekeeping brought into their home; their devotion to her; the adventure in the wood; the faithful Huntsman; the magic mirror; the wicked Queen; and the Prince seeking the Princess--all contribute to the charm of the tale. The songs written for the play may be learned by the children, who will love to work them into their simple play: Snow White, as fair as a lily, as sweet as a rose; the song of the forest fairies, Welcome, Snow White; and their second song which they sing as they troop about Snow White lying asleep on the Dwarf's bed, Here you'll find a happy home, softly sleep! or the song of Snow White to the Dwarfs, I can brew, I can bake.
The Little Lamb and the Little Fish
Once upon a time there lived a sister and a brother who loved each other very much. They were named Gretchen and Peterkin. One day their father who was King of the country, left them and brought home with him a new Queen who was not kind to the children. She banished them from the castle and told the King bad tales about them. So they made friends with the Cook and ate in the kitchen. Peterkin would bring water and Gretchen could carry plates and cups and saucers.
One beautiful spring day when all the children were out-of-doors playing games, Gretchen and Peterkin went to play with them, by the pond, on the meadow, beyond the castle wall. Around this pond the children would run, joining hands and singing:--
"Eneke, Beneke, let me live, And I to you my bird will give; The bird shall fetch of straw a bunch, And that the cow shall have to munch; The cow shall give me milk so sweet, And that I'll to the baker take, Who with it shall a small cake bake; The cake the cat shall have to eat, And for it catch a mouse for me, * * * * * "And this is the end of the tale."
Round and round the pond the children ran singing; and as the word "tale" fell on Peterkin he had to run away over the meadow and all the rest ran after to catch him.
But just then the wicked Queen from her window in the castle spied the happy children. She did not look pleased and she muttered words which you may be sure were not very pleasant words.
The children had been racing across the meadow after Peterkin. Now one called, "Where is Peterkin? I saw him near that tree, but now I cannot see him. Gretchen, can you see Peterkin?--Why, where's Gretchen?"
Peterkin and Gretchen were nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a little boy said, "Where did that lamb come from over there? It must have been behind the linden tree!"
The children drew near the lamb, when what was their surprise to hear it call out to them, "Run children, run quick or the Queen will harm you! I am Gretchen! Run, and never come near the pond again!" And at the little Lamb's words the children fled.
But the little Lamb ran all about the meadow, calling, "Peterkin, Peterkin!" and would not touch a blade of grass. Sadly she walked to the edge of the pond and slowly walked round and round it calling, "Peterkin, where are you?"
Suddenly the water bubbled and a weak voice cried, "Here, Gretchen, in the pond,--
"Here Gretchen, here swim I in the pond, Nor may I ever come near castle ground."
And the Lamb replied:--
"Ah, my brother! In the wood, A lamb, now I must search for food."
Then Peterkin comforted Gretchen and promised early every morning to come up to the water to talk with her; and Gretchen promised to come early from the wood, before the sun was up, to be with Peterkin. And Peterkin said, "I will never forsake you, Gretchen, if you will never forsake me!" And Gretchen said, "I will never forsake you, Peterkin, if you will never forsake me!"
Then the little Lamb fled sadly to the wood to look for food and the little Fish swam round the pond. But the children did not forget their playmates. Every day they saved their goodies and secretly laid them at the edge of the wood where the Lamb could get them. And the Lamb always saved some to throw the crumbs to the little Fish in the morning.
Many days passed by. One day visitors were coming to the castle. "Now is my chance," thought the wicked Queen. So she said to the Cook, "Go, fetch me the lamb out of the meadow, for there is nothing else for the strangers!"
Now the Lamb had lingered by the pond longer than usual that morning so that the Cook easily caught her; and taking her with him tied her to the tree just outside the kitchen. But when the Cook was gone to the kitchen, the little Fish swam up from the pond into the little brook that ran by the tree and said--
"Ah, my sister, sad am I, That so great harm to you is nigh! And far from you I love must be, A-swimming in the deep, deep sea!"
And the Lamb replied:--
"Ah, my brother in the pond, Sad must I leave you, though I'm fond; The cook has come to take my life, Swim off to sea,--Beware!"
Just then the Cook came back and hearing the Lamb speak became frightened. Thinking it could not be a real lamb, he said, "Be still, I will not harm you. Run, hide in the wood, and when it is evening, come to the edge of the wood and I will help you!"
Then the Cook caught another lamb and dressed it for the guests. And before evening he went to a wise woman who happened to be the old Nurse who had taken care of Peterkin and Gretchen. She loved the children and she soon saw what the wicked Queen had done. She told the Cook what the Lamb and Fish must do to regain their natural forms.
As soon as it was dark the little Lamb came to the edge of the wood and the Cook said, "Little Lamb, I will tell you what you must do to be a maid again!" So the Cook whispered what the wise Woman had said. The little Lamb thanked the Cook and promised to do as he said.
Next morning very early before the break of day, the little Lamb hurried from the wood across the meadow. Not taking time to go near the pond she hastily pushed against the castle gate which the kind Cook had left unfastened for her. She ran up the path, and there under the Queen's window stood the beautiful rose-tree with only two red roses on it--just as the Cook had said. Not even glancing at the Queen's window, the little Lamb began nibbling the lowest one. And behold, there in the path stood Gretchen again! Then hastening to seize the other rose before the sun's first ray might touch it, she ran lightly down the path, away from castle ground, across the meadow to the pond. Calling little Fish to the water's edge--for he had lingered in the pond--she sprinkled over him the drops of dew in the heart of the rose. And there stood little Peterkin beside Gretchen!
Then hand in hand, Gretchen and Peterkin hurried from the pond and fled into the wood just as the sun began to show beyond the trees. There they built themselves a cottage and lived in it happily ever afterwards. The kind Cook and the wise Nurse found them and visited them. But Gretchen and Peterkin never went near castle ground until the Cook told them the Queen was no more.--Laura F. Kready.
How the Birds came to Have Different Nests Time....
Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme, And monkeys chewed tobacco. And hens took snuff to make them tough, And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!
Place. ... Madge Magpie's Nest up in a Tree-top.
Characters: Madge Magpie, the Teacher; Thrush, Blackbird, Owl, Sparrow, Starling, and Turtle-Dove.
All the Birds. "We have come to you, Madge Magpie, to ask you to teach us how to build nests. All the Birds tell how clever you are at building nests."
Magpie. "Make a circle round about the foot of this old pear-tree. I will sit upon this limb near my nest and show you how to do it. First I take some mud and make a fine round cake with it."
Thrush. "Oh, that's how it's done, is it? I'll hurry home! Goodbye, Birds, I can't stay another minute!
"Mud in a cake, mud in a cake, To-whit, to-whee, a nest I'll make!"
Magpie. "Next I take some twigs and arrange them about the mud."
Blackbird. "Now I know all about it. Here I go, I'm off to make my nest in the cherry-tree in Mr. Smith's cornfield!
"Sticks upon mud, mud upon sticks, Caw, caw! I'll make a nest for six!"
Magpie. "See, here I put another layer of mud over the twigs."
Wise Owl. "Oh! That's quite obvious. Strange I never thought of that before. Farewell, come to see me at the old elm-tree beside the gray church!
"Mud over twigs! To-whit, to-whoo! No better nest than that ever grew!"
Magpie. "See these long twigs. I just twine them round the outside."
Sparrow. "The very thing. I'll do it this very day. I can pick some up on my way home. I'll choose the spout that looks down over the school-yard; then I can see the children at play. They must like me for they never chase me away or hit me.
"A nest with twigs twined round and round, Chip, chip! No fear that would fall to the ground!"
Magpie. "And see these little feathers and soft stuff. What a comfortable, cosy lining for the nest they make!"
Starling. "That suits me! Off I go, I like a cosy warm nest. It shall be in that old plum-tree in the orchard, on the side of the hill.
"Feathers and down to make cosy and warm, That's the nest to keep us from harm!"
Magpie. "Well, Birds, have you seen how I made my nest? Do you think you know how?--Why, where are all the Birds? They couldn't wait until I'd finished. Only you, Turtle-Dove, left!"
Turtle-Dove. "Take two, Taffy, take two--o--o--o!"
Magpie. "Here I put a twig across. But not two--one's enough!"
Turtle-Dove. "Take two, Taffy, take two--o--o--o!"
Magpie. "One's enough I tell you, do you not see how I lay it across?"
Turtle-Dove. "Take two, Taffy, take two--o--o--o!"
Magpie. "Here I fly away from my nest for awhile! I will teach no more Birds to build nests. I cannot teach a silly Turtle-Dove who will not learn. I heard him sing just now as I turned around,"
Turtle-Dove. "Take two, Taffy, take two--o--o--o, Take two, Taffy, take two--o--o--o!"
Laura F. Kready.
TYPES OF TALES
An Animal Tale
The Good-Natured Bear
"I shall never forget the patience, the gentleness, the skill, and the firmness with which she first taught me to walk alone. I mean to walk on all fours, of course; the upright manner of my present walking was only learned afterwards. As this infant effort, however, is one of my earliest recollections, I have mentioned it before all the rest, and if you please, I will give you a little account of it."
"Oh! do, Mr. Bear," cried Gretchen; and no sooner had she uttered the words than all the children cried out at the same time, "Oh, please do, sir!"
The Bear took several long whiffs at his pipe, and thus continued,--
"My Mother took me to a retired part of the forest (of Towskipowski, Poland) where few animals ever came; and telling me that I must now stand alone, extended both paws, and slowly lowered me towards the earth. The height as I looked down, seemed terrible, and I felt my legs kick in the air, with fear of I did not know what, till suddenly I felt four hard things and no motion. It was the fixed earth beneath my four infant legs. 'Now,' said my Mother, 'you are what is called standing alone!' But what she said I heard as in a dream. With my back in the air as though it rested on a wooden trussel, with my nose poking out straight snuffing the fresh breeze and the many secrets of the woods, my ears pricking and shooting with all sorts of new sounds to wonder at, to want to have, to love, or to tumble down at,--and my eyes staring before me full of light and confused gold and dancing things, I seemed to be in a condition over which I had no power to effect the least change, and in which I must remain fixed till some wonderful thing happened. But the firm voice of my Mother came to my assistance and I heard her tell me to look upon the earth beneath me and see where I was. First I looked up among the boughs, then side-ways at my shoulder, then I squinted at the tip of my nose--all by mistake and innocence--at last I bent my nose in despair and saw my forepaws standing, and this of course was right. The first thing that caught my attention, being the first thing I saw distinctly, was a little blue flower with a bright jewel in the middle, which I afterwards found was a drop of dew. Sometimes I thought this little blue darling was so close that it almost touched my eyes and certainly the color of it was up in my head; sometimes I thought it was deep down, a long way off. When I bent my face towards it to give it a kiss it seemed just where it was though I had not done what I had thought to do.
"The next thing I saw upon the ground was a soft-looking little creature that crawled along with a round ball upon the middle of its back, of a beautiful white color, with brown and red curling stripes. The creature moved very, very slowly, and appeared always to follow the opinion and advice of two long horns on its head, that went feeling about on all sides. Presently it slowly approached my right forepaw and I wondered how I should feel or smell or hear it as it went over my toes; but the instant one of the horns touched the hair of my paw, both horns shrunk into nothing and presently came out again, and the creature slowly moved away in another direction. While I was wondering at this strange proceeding--for I never thought of hurting the creature, not knowing how to hurt anything, and what should have made the horns think otherwise?--while then I was wondering at this, my attention was suddenly drawn to a tuft of moss on my right near a hollow tree trunk. Out of this green tuft looked a pair of very bright round small eyes, which were staring up at me.
"If I had known how to walk I should have stepped back a few steps when I saw those bright little eyes, but I never ventured to lift a paw from the earth since my Mother had first set me down, nor did I know how to do so, or what were the proper thoughts or motions to begin with. So I stood looking at the eyes and presently I saw that the head was yellow and that it had a large mouth. 'What you have just seen,' said my Mother, 'we call a snail; and what you now see is a frog.' The names however did not help me at all to understand. Why the first should have turned from my paw so suddenly and why this creature should continue to stare up at me in such a manner I could not conceive. I expected however that it would soon come slowly crawling forth and then I should see whether it would also avoid me in the same manner. I now observed that its body and breast were double some-how, and that its paws were very large for its size, but had no hair upon them, which I thought was probably occasioned by its slow crawling having rubbed it all off. I had scarcely made these observations and reflections, when a beam of bright light breaking through the trees, the creature suddenly gave a great hop right up under my nose; and I, thinking the world was at an end, instantly fell flat down on one side and lay there waiting!"--
With this glimpse of an old-time modern animal tale we shall have to say with "Mr. Titmarsh," "Those who wish to know more about him must buy the book for themselves,"--and add: Or they must get some enterprising publisher to reprint it.
A Few Romantic Tales
Puss-in-Boots and Lord Peter
Puss-in-Boots, a romantic tale suited to the first grade, delights with its strong sense of adventure and of the heroic. Puss is a Master-Cat, a hero clever and quick, and with fine imagination to see what would happen and prepare for it. He is successful, combining initiative and motivation delightfully. His devotion to his master seems like disinterested loyalty, love, and sacrifice. While it is true the plot is based on a lie, the moral effect is not bad because we recognize Puss as a match-making character similar to the matchmaking Jackal of India; and in love "all is fair." Moreover Puss-in-Boots was only true to his cat-nature in playing a trick, and we admire the cleverness of his trick in behalf of a master really deserving. The underlying philosophy of the tale, "That there is a power in making the best with what you possess," appeals to all, and has the ability to lend dignity and force to the light intrigue of the tale.
The setting in Puss-in-Boots gives a touch of nature beauty. First we have the Miller's poor home, and from there we are led in succession to the brambles through which Puss scampered; the rabbits' warren where he lay in waiting to bag the heedless rabbits; the palace to which he took the rabbits caught by the Marquis of Carabas; the cornfield where he bagged the partridges; the river-side where the Marquis bathed; the meadow where the countrymen were mowing; the cornfields where the good people were reaping; until at last we are escorted to the stately castle where the Ogre dwelt.
The plot of the tale is very pleasing as it easily arranges itself into a simple drama of three acts:--
A Study of Fairy Tales · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.