THE LILAC FAIRY BOOK

Our stories are almost all old, some from Ireland, before that island was as celebrated for her wrongs as for her verdure; some from Asia, made, I dare say, before the Aryan invasion; some from Moydart, Knoydart, Morar and Ardnamurchan, where the sea streams run like great clear rivers and the saw-edged hills are blue, and men remember Prince Charlie.


Some are from Portugal, where the golden fruits grow in the Garden of the Hesperides; and some are from wild Wales, and were told at Arthur''s Court; and others come from the firesides of the kinsmen of the Welsh, the Bretons. There are also modern tales by a learned Scandinavian named Topelius.


All the stories were translated or adapted by Mrs. Lang, except ''The Jogi''s Punishment'' and ''Moti,'' done by Major Campbell out of the Push-too language; ''How Brave Walter hunted Wolves,'' which, with ''Little Lasse'' and ''The Raspberry Worm,'' was done from Topelius by Miss Harding; and ''The Sea King''s Gift,'' by Miss Christie, from the same author.