_With Numerous Illustrations by H. J. Ford_
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
1904
[Illustration: 'YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE ME YOUR WIFE,' SAID THE
ELF-MAIDEN]
DEDICATED
TO
DIANA SCOTT LANG
_PREFACE_
The stories in this Fairy Book come from all quarters of the world.
For example, the adventures of 'Ball-Carrier and the Bad One' are told
by Red Indian grandmothers to Red Indian children who never go to
school, nor see pen and ink. 'The Bunyip' is known to even more
uneducated little ones, running about with no clothes at all in the
bush, in Australia. You may see photographs of these merry little
black fellows before their troubles begin, in 'Northern Races of
Central Australia,' by Messrs. Spencer and Gillen. They have no
lessons except in tracking and catching birds, beasts, fishes,
lizards, and snakes, all of which they eat. But when they grow up to
be big boys and girls, they are cruelly cut about with stone knives
and frightened with sham bogies--'all for their good' their parents
say--and I think they would rather go to school, if they had their
choice, and take their chance of being birched and bullied. However,
many boys might think it better fun to begin to learn hunting as soon
as they can walk. Other stories, like 'The Sacred Milk of Koumongoé,'
come from the Kaffirs in Africa, whose dear papas are not so poor as
those in Australia, but have plenty of cattle and milk, and good
mealies to eat, and live in houses like very big bee-hives, and wear
clothes of a sort, though not very like our own. 'Pivi and Kabo' is a
tale from the brown people in the island of New Caledonia, where a boy
is never allowed to speak to or even look at his own sisters; nobody
knows why, so curious are the manners of this remote island. The story
shows the advantages of good manners and pleasant behaviour; and the
natives do not now cook and eat each other, but live on fish,
vegetables, pork, and chickens, and dwell in houses. 'What the Rose
did to the Cypress' is a story from Persia, where the people, of
course, are civilised, and much like those of whom you read in 'The
Arabian Nights.' Then there are tales like 'The Fox and the Lapp' from
the very north of Europe, where it is dark for half the year and
daylight for the other half. The Lapps are a people not fond of soap
and water, and very much given to art magic. Then there are tales from
India, told to Major Campbell, who wrote them out, by Hindoos; these
stories are 'Wali Dâd the Simple-hearted,' and 'The King who would be
Stronger than Fate,' but was not so clever as his daughter. From
Brazil, in South America, comes 'The Tortoise and the Mischievous
Monkey,' with the adventures of other animals. Other tales are told in
various parts of Europe, and in many languages; but all people, black,
white, brown, red, and yellow, are like each other when they tell
stories; for these are meant for children, who like the same sort of
thing, whether they go to school and wear clothes, or, on the other
hand, wear skins of beasts, or even nothing at all, and live on grubs
and lizards and hawks and crows and serpents, like the little
Australian blacks.
The tale of 'What the Rose did to the Cypress,' is translated out of a
Persian manuscript by Mrs. Beveridge. 'Pivi and Kabo' is translated by
the Editor from a French version; 'Asmund and Signy' by Miss Blackley;
the Indian stories by Major Campbell, and all the rest are told by
Mrs. Lang, who does not give them exactly as they are told by all
sorts of outlandish natives, but makes them up in the hope white
people will like them, skipping the pieces which they will not like.
That is how this Fairy Book was made up for your entertainment.
_CONTENTS_