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
day-light 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 Dad 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

What the Rose did to the Cypress
Ball-Carrier and the Bad One
How Ball-Carrier finished his Task
The Bunyip
Father Grumbler
The Story of the Yara
The Cunning Hare
The Turtle and his Bride
How Geirald the Coward was Punished
Habogi
How the Little Brother set Free his Big Brothers
The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe
The Wicked Wolverine
The Husband of the Rat's Daughter
The Mermaid and the Boy
Pivi and Kabo
The Elf Maiden
How Some Wild Animals bec