The tales are drawn from many sources, and usually are the result of a comparison of several versions, and a combination of the best features of these versions into a simple straightforward whole such as children will read with understanding and pleasure.

The plan I have indicated was begun with “The Oak-Tree Fairy Book,” the initial volume of this tree named series, and has been consistently pursued in all the later volumes.

Clifton Johnson.

Hadley, Mass.

CONTENTS

SOURCEPAGE
The Pied PiperEngland[3]
The Fir-TreeAndersen[14]
The Babes in the WoodEngland[27]
Alexander JonesScotland[35]
The Sleeping BeautyGrimm[43]
The Love of the Snow-White FoxJapan[52]
The Grazier’s WifeSpain[56]
The Magic HornNorway[60]
The Envious NeighborSiam[72]
BluebeardFrance[76]
The Spendthrift Merchant’s SonRussia[84]
The Ambitious ThrushIndia[92]
The Bewitched BottlesIreland[99]
A Peace MeetingChina[117]
The Soldier and the DragonFrance[121]
The Fairies of Merlin’s CragScotland[134]
The Little Boy and the Big CowEngland[141]
A Bottle of BrainsEngland[144]
The Peddler of SwaffhamEngland[154]
The Orange FairyTurkey[158]
The Mysterious VoiceRoumania[173]
Johnny GlokeEngland[179]
Hans the HedgehogGrimm[184]
The Magpie’s NestEngland[194]
Puss in BootsFrance[197]
The Master and His PupilEngland[208]
The White TroutIreland[213]
The Forty-nine DragonsGreece[217]
The Four Clever BrothersGrimm[233]
The Youth Without FearGrimm[242]
The Wonderful TurnipGrimm[259]
The Enchanted DoveGrimm[264]
The Three WishesEngland[270]
The Old HorseGrimm[276]
The Donkey CabbagesGrimm[279]
Sweet PorridgeGrimm[290]
The Praying GeeseGrimm[292]
The Darning NeedleAndersen[294]
The Rabbit and the Greedy MonkeyIndia[300]
The NightingaleAndersen[306]
The Princess and the GiantIreland[325]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
The Pied Piper orders the rats into the water[Frontispiece]
The Mayor hears something[6]
The fir-tree[16]
The babes in the wood[31]
They ran around the table[37]
The sleeping beauty[48]
There were hunters who wanted to kill the fox[52]
Barbara admires herself in the mirror[58]
Philip blew into the large end of his horn[67]
He gathered all the gold he could carry[74]
At the door of Bluebeard’s secret room[78]
They carried him away through the air[89]
The thrush in her new clothes[95]
Two tiny men climbed out of the bottle[109]
At the peace meeting[119]
The bear and rabbit begin the attack on the dragon[126]
The two brothers and the fairy[135]
The cow wouldn’t stand still[142]
The lass stopped and looked at him[149]
The peddler of Swaffham[155]
The dervish[158]
He met a giantess[161]
He rushed forth from the shop[177]
Johnny loses control of his fiery steed[182]
Hans rode away to the forest[187]
First she took some mud[194]
Puss in Boots greets the king[198]
Puss and the ogre[203]
The learned man and his big book[209]
While he was looking a number of dragons came out[223]
The dragon pursues the ship[239]
He threw the sexton downstairs[244]
The bed began to move[252]
Away he went with the turnip[260]
The door in the tree[266]
A noble string of sausages hung from his nose[273]
The horse started for home[278]
To his horror he perceived that he had been transformed into a donkey[284]
Begging for mercy[292]
The proud darning needle[295]
The man gave chase[301]
The nightingales at court[315]
The giant bringing home a bear[331]