11 DECEMBER 1920, Page 24

Irish Fairy Tales, by James Stephens (Macmillan, 15s. net), is

a most entertaining collection. "The Boyhoed of Fionn " and "The Birth of Bran," for example, are drawn from familiar folk-tales, but the treatment here as elsewhere is peculiar to the author who writes with ease and charm and no little humour. The coloured drawings are the best that Mr. Rackham has done for a long time past ; he had no lack of subjects in these spirited tales.—Mr. Padraie Colum has retold The Adventures of Odyssius and the Tale of Troy (Harrap, 7s. 6d. net) in pleasant though somewhat stilted English. The illustrations, some in colour, others in outline, are by Mr. Pogany.—We may men- tion a good reprint of The Pickwick Papers with the original illustrations (Nelson, Is. 6d. net).