To

Roumania’s Gracious Queen

This book is dedicated with
profound admiration and respect

Preface

By

H.M. The Queen of Roumania

Very little is known in England about Roumanian literature, which although not as rich as in many other countries, presents, nevertheless, features of real interest.

Like all people in touch with the East, even the peasants have a strain of poetry in their speech, their expression is picturesque and gentle, an almost fatalistic note of sadness rings through all the songs they sing.