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IT was said by one of old time that a child’s heart is a holy place, and
Scripture in awful words has uttered woe on him who wounds the feelings
“of one of these little ones.” So this selection has been made to meet
the scruples of those good people who thought some of _The Norse Tales_
too outspoken for their children. Whether these worthy folk were not
mistaken; whether here, too, “evil to him who evil thinks” might not
have been a fitting answer; it is now needless to ask. The book is
printed. “Hacon Grizzlebeard,” “Why the Sea is salt,” “The Master
Smith,” “The Mastermaid,” “The Master Thief,” and other naughty stories,
are blotted out, and no doubt the rest feel glad to be rid of such bad
company, and proud to be raised to the rank of “Moral Tales.” The
beautiful illustrations and bright binding will make them vain too. They
had best be ware. Pride and Vanity hand in hand can hardly fail to trip.
But if any little readers before whose eyes either of the earlier
editions may have come, should chance to miss some of their old friends,
and ask why they have been left out of this volume, it is hoped that
their mothers will be better able to answer the question than the writer
of these lines can ever be, for he still sees no harm at all in them.
BROAD SANCTUARY, _Dec. 6, 1861_.
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