Little Johannes. Translated from the Dutch of Frederik van Eeden
by Clara Bell. (Heinemann.)—Mr. Andrew Lang has furnished this volume with an introductory essay in which he distinguishes, not for the first time, between various kinds of fairy-tale. Put briefly, there are two kinds, the genuine folk-lore tale, cents populaire, and the modern, invented, literary fairy- story. He apologises for the existence of the latter, but not in a very decisive manner. It is a fact that the ordinary reader often confounds the two kinds ; but we agree with Mr. Lang in thinking that the " mythologist " is not in danger. He will always have means of distinguishing them. This particular story is, as he says, " very modern." Such, for instance, is the schoolmaster of the crickets, whose geography was limited to twenty-six sand-hills and two ponds, and told his pupils that "no one could know of anything beyond, and what was told of it was mere idle fancy." But it is very clever ; and the praise which Mr. Lang applies, " celui qui le compose eat capable de choses plus importantes, quand it vent s'en donner la peine," is very moderate indeed.
Previous page
