FAIRY TALES
for
WORKERS’ CHILDREN
by
HERMINIA ZUR MÜHLEN
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY IDA DAILES
COVER DRAWINGS AND COLOR PLATES BY LYDIA GIBSON
PUBLISHED BY THE
DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO.
1113 West Washington Boulevard Chicago, Ill.
The Rose-bush
The Sparrow
The Little Grey Dog
Why?
FOREWORD
Dear Little Comrades:
The work of translating this little book of fairy tales for workers’
children is very small in comparison to the joy I get from the
knowledge that you, my beloved young comrades, are going to enjoy it.
You have read many fairy tales, some of them very beautiful and some
that frightened you with their horrible giants and goblins. But never,
I am sure, have you read such lovely stories about real everyday
things. You see poor people suffering around you every day; some of you
have yourselves felt how hard it is to be poor. You know that there are
rich people in the world, that they do not work and have all the good
things of life. You also know that your fathers work hard and then
worry about what will happen if they lose their jobs.
Comrade zur Mühlen, who wrote these fairy tales, tells us in a
beautiful way how these things can be stopped. All of us who work must
learn that we can make the world a better place for workers and their
children to live in if we will help one another. She shows us that the
rich people who do not work but keep us enslaved are our enemies; we
must join together, we workers of the world, and stop these wrongs.
Even the pretty, delicate Rose-bush knew how to use her thorns when the
rich lady came near her. The little Sparrow died while seeking a better
land for the Sparrow brothers, but he did not die in vain. The faithful
little grey dog gave his life for the Negro boy who had saved him from
being drowned; and the Crocodile proved that even an ugly, hungry beast
can be more kind than a rich slave-owner. And our little lonely friend
Paul learned that he must not stop asking why things were wrong in the
world, but that he must make comrades of all the workers and teach them
also to ask why, until millions would be asking that question and
seeking to find the answer to it.
When you read these stories, I am sure you will want to lend the book
to all your friends, so that they too may spend some happy hours with
the new friends you have found in the book.
Your loving comrade,
Ida Dailes.