the Danes, who, as history tells us, were not a nervous or timid
people. I am quite sure that this story is not true. The other
Danish and Swedish stories are not alarming. They are translated
by Mr. W. A. Craigie. Those from the Sicilian (through the
German) are translated, like the African tales (through the
French) and the Catalan tales, and the Japanese stories (the
latter through the German), and an old French story, by Mrs.
Lang. Miss Alma Alleyne did the stories from Andersen, out of the
German. Mr. Ford, as usual, has drawn the monsters and mermaids,
the princes and giants, and the beautiful princesses, who, the
Editor thinks, are, if possible, prettier than ever. Here, then,
are fancies brought from all quarters: we see that black, white,
and yellow peoples are fond of just the same kinds of adventures.
Courage, youth, beauty, kindness, have many trials, but they
always win the battle; while witches, giants, unfriendly cruel
people, are on the losing hand. So it ought to be, and so, on the
whole, it is and will be; and that is all the moral of fairy
tales. We cannot all be young, alas ! and pretty, and strong; but
nothing prevents us from being kind, and no kind man, woman, or
beast or bird, ever comes to anything but good in these oldest
fables of the world. So far all the tales are true, and no
further.





Contents