SOME BOOKS OF THE , WEEK.
• [.Voticc in this column does not necessnrily preclude su5septeid review] . Russian Polk-Tales. Translated by Leonard A. Magnus., (Regan Paul; Trench, and Co. 7s. 6d. not.)-Mr. Magnus's setnewhat over-careful analysis of these tales in his intros' auction suggests an anxiety that readers may expect toe much • from them. Among other things, he says • that if} them we -shall find " no fairies, nor giants, nor gnomes, nor
personifications of nature." Literally speaking-if such a word can be used in connexion with those delightful beings-there arc no fairies. Yet the stories contain all the elements of the fairy-tales which were the delight of most of us when children. Mr. Magnus's anxiety is needless. ' There are enchanted princes, lovely princesses, cruel sternethera, witches, beautiful maidens who are turned into swans, dragons and pirate ships and dwarfs. When a story begins like this: "Beyond thrice- nine lands, in the thrice-tenth realm," the lover of fairy-tales is happy. Mr. Magnus further tells us that in these stories " them is none of the artistic grace of Greek legend, nor the exuberance of Celtic fantasy ; both of these are departures from the crude, unilluded, unexpectant observation." But was any such apologia needed when the book contains such passages as the following describing how "Vasilisa the Fair" goes to visit. Baba Yoga, who " ate up men as though they were poultry "
"Suddenly a knight on horseback galloped past her all in white. Ms cloak was white, and his horse. and the reins ; and it became light. She went further, and suddenly another horseman passed by, who was all in red, and his horse was red ; and his clothes ; and the son rose. Vasilisa went on through the night and the next day. Next evening she came to the mead where Baba Yaga's but stood. The fence round the but consisted- of human bones, and on the stakes skeletons glared out of their empty eyes. And, instead of the doorways and the gate, there were feet, and in the stead of bolts there were hands, and instead of the lock there was a mouth with sharp teeth. And Vasilisa was stone-cold with fright. Suddenly another horseman pranced by on his way.. Ho was all in_black, on a jet, black horse, with a jet-black cloak. He sprang to the door and vanished as though the earth had swallowed him up ; and it was night. But the darkness did not last long, for the eyes in all the skeletons on the fence glistened, and it became as light as day all over the green."
No more need be said to entice the lover of fairy-tales. To the student of folk-lore the book should also be very attractive, and such readers will find additional pleasure in Mr. Magnus's introduction and notes.
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