New-York tribune., 1886-01-08

ITALIAN POPULAR TALES BY TmoMas FEEDMHcs nSaares
CRANE A. NJ, Professor OF the Romance xv Ian $50
In Cornell University. Svo pp AAAN' 'o''
Hougntou. Milm Co.
In thus handsome volume Professor Craho hao
translated over one hundred stories iron. recen'
Italian collections, especially the important Puon
cation of Dr. Giuseppe Pitre. Taken down dlreo'IS
from the mouths of the people, large proportion VI
them in Sicilian, Neapolitan, venetian anu o.hei
dialects and rendered so far rs posslDie into
simple and homely English. they are genuine Spooi-
mems of the folk-taes in which Italy has been quite
as rich as other European counties, although from
various causes comparatively little use mas oeen
made of them there as literary material. 10
students of the quasi-science of comparative lo'k
loro the tales will be all the more interesting be-
rouse they have come down to us by oral tradition
unaffected 5y literary influences. we ma many
old acouaintances among them. Puss-ih' hoots;
C;,dereIIa. Beauty and the Beast; Aladdin; the
Forty Thieves; tho Talking Bird tho Singing Tree
aud the Dancing Water; Hop O Ny Thumb; Jack
and the Bean-Stalk; the House that Jack Bniit
Don Giovanni; Sinbad the Sailor; Cupid anu
Psyche; Blue Beard, and score OF othcr poPul'u
notions. some of which seem to be the inheritance
of all the world, appear more or less chahecH III
This remarkable collection. Professor Crane does
not enter into the discussion of the origin and mode
of diffusion of the stories although he supplies, Ill
conious and careful notes at the end of the volume
n stock of references and observations which those
who wish TO pursue tins branch of the subject VIII
find valuable.
The contents are classified as fairy tales stories
of Oriental origin, legends and ghost stories
nursery tales and stories and ests. The rst class
ia the most numerous and includes most OF tue
variations upon the fairy tales of our own chl"i-
hood The second embrace not only different
versions of tales from The Arabian Nights" but
Inventions which can be traced to Indian and
Persian sources The legends and ghost stories are
almost exclusively stories of Christ the devil and
the saints not dealing with such miraculous occur
rences "a are common In serious eccesastical
literature. but almost always showing daring ana
protesoue humor character of the popular
treatment of religious topics in other countries OF
Southern Europe besides Italy. IL IS common LOT
axamne in Spain The rude familiarity with
sacred personages and with the supernatural is
more irreverent in manner than in Intention. ihe
peasant who scods his patron saint II his prayers
are not promptly answered. thinks 1t no harm 10
Joke a little about the Apostles. OF ghost storles
in the usual sense of the term, Professor Crane s
collection contains little or no trace The nursery
tales are not many, nor are the miscellaneous
stories and ests. Among the latter Is the we'll
known story of the obstinate wife who would say
"scissors."
The work will furnish abundant entertainment to
the general reader and the special student VIII
prize it rs an important addition to literature
whose significance is becoming every day more ana
more widely recognized.