ately too many admirers, even in this day, of
that which would have been of advantage to the world at large had it
never been imagined.

In England the tale of "Jack the Giant Killer" is read with avidity by
all young people, for it is a purely national tale; but in Spain and
Portugal such simple tales very seldom find a publisher, and children,
and even their elders have to content themselves with hearing them
recited by those who enliven the long wintry nights with such lore as I
have attempted to reproduce from my memory, told me in my youth in the
bosom of those two sister lands which produced the Cid Campeador and the
Gran Vasco da Gama.

And, before closing this preface, I would remark that the North of
Portugal, where I was born and bred, is richer in folklore than the rest
of the kingdom, especially in tales about enchanted Moors and warlocks,
of whom I, in common with the Portuguese, say, "Abernuncio."

C. SELLERS.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

THE INGENIOUS STUDENT 1

THE UGLY PRINCESS 9

THE WOLF-CHILD 17

THE MAGIC MIRROR 26

THE BLACK SLAVE 34

A LEGEND OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW 46

THE WHITE CAT OF ECIJA 59

THE CHURCH AUCTIONEER AND CLOWN OF VILLAR 66

THE WISE KING OF LEON 79

THE COBBLER OF BURGOS 85

BARBARA, THE GRAZIER'S WIFE 92

THE WATCHFUL SERVANT 99

SILVER BELLS 105

KING ROBIN 112

THE WICKED KING 117

THE PALACE OF THE ENCHANTED MOORS 122

THE SEVEN PIGEONS 133

LADY CLARE 150

GOOD ST. JAMES, AND THE MERRY BARBER OF COMPOSTELLA 154

ELVIRA, THE SAINTED PRINCESS 165

THE ENCHANTED MULE 170

TALES FROM THE LANDS OF NUTS AND GRAPES.

THE INGEN