Childrens Literature

Fairy Tales, Myths and Despite the great variety of other books for children that have grown, like mushrooms, since Perrault's pioneer collection of 'Mother Goose Tales) ( 1697), nothing has displaced the fairy tale in favor with younger children. After Perrault, the greatest contributions to fairy tale literature were made by the Grimm Brothers with their 'Household Tales) ((Kinder- and Hausmarchen,) 1812-15) and by their most distinguished successor, Hans Christian Andersen, with his 'Fairy (1835), best translated into English by Mary Howitt. Among other literary fairy tale col lections, to the making of which there is no end, mention should be made of Kennedy's World Fairy Book); Rhys's Gold); Scudder's 'Children's Jacobs' Fairy Tales) and its companion vol ume, English Fairy Tales); and Lang's long Rainbow Series. More in the nature of wonder stories are the Alice books of Lewis Carroll, Ruskin's of the Golden River? Kingsley's 'Water Babies? and (The Arabian Nights.) The charming fairy tales of George Macdonald have such a unique spiritual quality and a distinctive tone of mystery that they may be considered among the best modern specimens of their kind. As a general rule, however, the modern fairy story, cultivated by many medi ocre writers, is apt to be lacking in imagination, art and taste.

Mythological tales, which are based upon primitive man's interpretation of nature, run back naturally to the beginning of time. The best myths have come down to us from ancient Greece, and we have already mentioned the three great writers — Kingsley, Lamb and Haw thorne — who first familiarized English-reading children with these most delightful narratives, so full of beautiful imagery and true poetic force. Of the many other versions of the classic myths of Greece, Bulfinch's 'Age of and Moncrieff's ). The mythology of the American Indian, equally full of color, mystery and elemental nature, has been strangely neg lected by modern writers of children's books. Longfellow's is still the most beautiful presentation of Red Indian myths. There are, of course, many other kinds of mythical tales, but the three here mentioned possess the best characteristics for juvenile readers.

The fable (q.v.), which is probably of Indian origin and was one of the earliest forms of story-telling everywhere, has been made familiar to children only in modern times. The classic fable of /Esop has never yet been surpassed, if it ever shall be equalled. This form of

imaginative literature makes its peculiar appeal to younger children and performs a special mission in their ethical education. Some of the best of lEsop's fables — edited times without number—are The Dog in the Manger?

From history stories to historical biography is a natural transition. This type of biography has been written for children since the middle of the 19th century, when the Abbotts, authors of hundreds of juveniles, popularized it. More recent examples — and naturally better ones are Tappan's lives of Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Vic toria. Two excellent and very comprehensive sets of historical biographies (one in 36 vol umes) are Stories for Young People) and the Heroes Series,> the former translated from the German by G. P. Upton. Mention should here be made, too, of Mar shall's English Literature) for the abundant biographical material this well-written work contains.

Besides such special biographies, there are scores of others that are not necessarily his torical or romantic. Good examples of such biographies suited to young readers are the 'Life, Letters, and Journals of Louisa Alcoa) and Richard's 'Florence Two excellent collected biographies are Mrs. Lang's (Red Book of Heroes) and Mrs. Wade's Workers,> the latter dealing with emi nent contemporaries.