Stories to Read or Tell from Fairy Tales and Folklore

A wonderful horse appeared, having a golden mane. (P. 13)
FROM FAIRY TALES AND FOLKLORE Selected and Edited by LAURE CLAIRE FOUCHER Assistant in the New York Public Library Illustrated by Ada Budell NEW YORK MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY 1917 Copyright, 1911, by MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY New York Published October, 1911 New Edition March, 1917
Stories to Read or Tell has been compiled for the boys and girls who like to listen to stories as well as to read them, and for the mothers and teachers who are looking for stories not quite so well known as those contained in many excellent compilations now in use.
'Tell me a story' comes before the ability to read, and unfortunate is the child who has not gone to the Land of Nod with good Mother Goose and those of her kin.
The story period of a child's life merges imperceptibly into the reading period.... Listening to stories from books is the natural approach to reading from books and is the first step toward the acquisition of culture, says one believer in story-telling. Another adds What is more pleasing than an increasing acquaintance with stories of the imagination, for of fact we shall learn more, anon.
The child who is brought up entirely on fact, loses the joys and fine feeling offered to him through the imagery of great minds. To deprive him of fairy tales, myths and legends as given through the medium of story-telling, is to keep from him a knowledge of the fairies, gods and heroes so frequently alluded to by authors and poets of the world's literature.
Once upon a time there lived a stone-cutter, who went every day to a great rock in the side of a big mountain and cut out slabs for gravestones or for houses. He understood very well the kinds of stones wanted for the different purposes, and as he was a careful workman he had plenty of customers. For a long time he was quite happy and contented, and asked for nothing better than what he had.
Now in the mountain dwelt a spirit which now and then appeared to men, and helped them in many ways to become rich and prosperous. The stone-cutter, however, had never seen this spirit, and only shook his head, with an unbelieving air, when anyone spoke of it. But a time was coming when he learned to change his opinion.