New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-19
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
AMUSING AND INSTRUCTIVE FICTION.

soouerco than might be hastily inferred in view
~ the Danish authors long established fame Every
one knows the tale Of ID and little Christina Every
one knows the three marvellous dogs Of THE Tin
derbox' Why exclam over them at this late day?
7, 10 for the unfamiliar tales which Mr. Lang.
Mr. Jacobs Mr. Hartland and others have sought
out that apt to be most Grateiui now anu
the older readers who have a taste for myths are
not a little pleased by the scientihc mayor whic"
is somehow injected into many fairy book lhere
Is no denying the attraction Of the folK-lore ana
racial legends which have been made the OBJECTS
of enthusiasm by several recent editors IL Is gooa
TO know the of n fairy tale ana the manner
of its development from primitive to modern DAYS
But IL is Just as good. II not better, from the
standpoint OF pure enjoyment not to Know anything
about these archaeological data. and therein is
Andersens power. His erudition Is unootrusNe.
The volume before us Is practically innocent vi
notes fact full Of meaning. AS TRANSLATED D!
Mr. Nisbet Bain 1.-The Little Mermaid and
other Stories &C. p. Putnam's Sons) Is collec-
ton Of tales permeated by the navete ana IRE
snonsibty Of tone of which there has been a
tendency to rob us. His phrascooGy IS uhanec'eu'
the movement of his versions Is not only s'noo'n'
but spirited, whimsical and suggestive OF 'He per
.onaltv of the author. The book wins sympathy
:. oo ord that in a collection of fairy tales
q. ofter all the sole recommendation 1t needs
Mr. Weguelin's illustrations might be pe'ter' yet
thew are anything but bad What they lack IS d
shade more of humor and oddly. not so much IN
expression In respect to these qualities the artist
ss at his happiest in the picture of the Emperor
"who was so prodgiously fond of nice new clothes
that he spent all his money in having hinsei
really properly dressed" The sovereign cuts an
amusing figure in his puzzled indecison as he
stands stark naked beneath his canopy IN the
sketch and looks back at the train-bearer. Even
in this however, the Andersen atmosphere Is not
perfectly caught. Mr. Weguen's work IS DINER
wise original and picturesque, and his figures are
II AaCiUn
wash" and show that the medium has been USED
with facility. Reproduced carefully, as they nave
been for this volume, they are creditaoie auu'-
ton to what ought to be one Of the most popular
of Christmas publications. The editor OF FOLK
Lore" Mr. Joseph Jacobs, has added another vol
ume to the one he published in 1882 under the ute
of English Fairy Tales" This addition Is called
"More English Fairy Tales" and. like its predeceS-
sor Is a book both of entertainment and OF serious
purpose In form the tales are intended Tor chill
dren the learning being confined TO notes at the
end Mr. Jacobs Is so earnest believer IN the
rather paradoxical opinion that no popular tale
really belongs where 1t is found that IT would be
useless to quarrel with his collection But IL Is
worth while point out that a tale like the rustic
apologize Goat O. Clay" which turns on the point
that fools are never wise till they are dead, might
we'll have been developed from an episode IN 'he
legend of Alexander the Great, familiar, as we may
guess from Chaucer's allusion. to many generations
of English people in the old times Wheh you are
covered with the dust OF the earth your aNoi''ous
heart will be satisfied" the lesson impressed
on Alexander. You'll be wise when you are dean
and buried" is the response of the Goodwife 10
the Fool who sought his coat OF clay everywhere
except in the place where he should have fouha IT,
The volume is a worthy supplement 10 'he one
which Mr. Jacobs with pardonable vanity says
has established itself as kind of English Grimm
I1r Henry NJ Stanleys book. my Dark Com
nanons and Their Strange Stories" Charles Serb
ner's Sons), is almost as much coliecuon OIL ioih-
lore as Of fairy tales; and some OF It's lncideh's
are perhaps better fitted for the student OF primVe
stories than for the boy and girl who have 10 De
amused They must be extremely welcome now
ayer IN either class of readers Mr.. Stanley mas
with good deal Of care. selected the stories iro"
numberless told to him by natives rouhu inc
campfire. Many of these were only garoled YER
sions Of Asatic folklore absored from the Arao
traders and he reproduces only those having
distinctly African flavor in their conception ana IN
cident The fable is predominant among these peo-
pe and their stories full of animals VINO speak
among themselves and with men, and VINO teach
various valuable lessons. The creation OF man mas
n most interesting explanation from native OF the
congo region who saws that a gigantic toad was
the first living creature at a time when the moon
was the ruling intelligence OF the universe. Each
wanted to make a creature, the moon one VINO
should be immortal the toad one like himself The
toad went TO work first. Then the moon, In anger
burned up the toad but took pity on his wretched
offspring fashioned them anew into the Shapes OIL
men and women instructed them ana all Dut
made them immortal. But the faint OF the TOAD
remained. and with 1t death and sin In mems
hearts All the beasts OF the field were sprung
from a germ OF lie in the head Of the toad. which
the moon failed destroy. Other stories In TINS
volume legendary, dealing with the early kings
Of different tribes, and are doubtless haf fanciiui
and half true. The folklore element is worthy Of
serious attention. All these tales are told by Afr-
can savages in the camp Of the first white man
most of them had ever seen
II there still remain any benigbted individuals
who hold Rudyard Kipngs notion that Paul Jones
was a pirate and in imagination see him sailing !
the Spanish Main in search OF vessels laden with !
the spoil OF Mexico they will find II profitable to !
get Miss Seawel's sketch of the great naval com
mander who first sailed under the flag Of the
United States paul Jones" Cd. Appleton e. Coz |
is not biography in the ordinary sense of
the word; neither is II romance hung
about the hero's name for the purpose of
making history palatabe TO pampered taste
1t Is a sprightly account Of his work for American
independence from the time he stood lieutenant
on board the Alfred, in the Delaware. UNTIL once |
more In Philadelphia. when the war was over the !
American Congress and the representative Of the
French King united In doing him honor. Many in |
cidents of Paul Jones's life have been omitted but
nothing OF Importance has been introduced which
Ia not historically true, even to his Conversations
and the essential accuracy Is by no means marred
by the talk Of subordnates and sailors which
may never actually have taken place, while they
add much to the vividness Of the tale.
This Is Columbian year. and 1t was OF course TO
be expected that the boys would be supplied with
information concerning the great navigator put up
in packages to suit any and every taste All this
literature is to be faced without shrinking, and
perhaps the best thing for all OF us TO do Is to |
accept as our own the grace said at Dotheboys
Hall and take the Columbian literature as gift |
of Heaven. Gordon Stables. surgeon In the BRUSH
Navy. in Westward with Columbus Charles
ScrIbner's Sons) gives less for mental reserva
ton In our pious meditation than do many OF his |
CO. workers. He tells the story Of Columbus with |
no more enthusiastic laudation. and applies no
more opprobrious epithets TO his enemies than +,