“I shall recall the book for the long sketch with which it begins, but which for obvious reasons is not the title-story: ‘The weaver’s grave,’ a comedy most limited in scene and accessory, but rich in content and perfect in form.” H. W. Boynton
+ Review 3:422 N 3 ’20 190w
“His characters are new, not picked from the crowd but found here and there in Ireland with individuality stamped all over them. They are not very important characters, but such as they are they challenge attention.”
+ Springf’d Republican p8 D 28 ’20 180w
“If all these little stories were as beautifully told as the first, the set would be a rare delight. They vary in merit, and usually fall when Mr O’Kelly relies on detail, to rise again when he opens his inner vision.”
+ − The Times [London] Lit Sup p677 N 20 ’19 230w
OLCOTT, FRANCES JENKINS. Story-telling ballads. il *$3 Houghton 821.08
20–21433
The anthology contains seventy-seven of the ancient ballads and narrative poems such as were sung by minstrels and recited by gaffers and gammers in days of old. They are intended for boys and girls from twelve to fifteen years of age, and contain “romances, hero-tales, faërie legends and adventures of knights and lovely damsels. They sing of proud and wicked folk, of gentle and loyal ones, of laidley worms, witches, mermaids with golden combs, sad maidens, glad ones and fearless lovers, mosstroopers, border-rievers, and kings in disguise.” (Foreword) There are four color-prints, and the appendix contains suggestions for teachers, a glossary and indexes of subjects, authors, titles and first lines. The contents are grouped under the headings: The salt blue seas; A-harrowing o’ the border; Brave hearts and proud; Lays o’ faërie; Lays o’ wonder; Merry gestes; Sad gestes; Pretty mays and knights so bold; For Halloween and midsummer eve; All under the greenwood tree; O’ pilgrimage and souls so strong.