The Russian Fairy Book. Translated by Nathan Haskell Dole. (Grant
Richards. 3s. 6d. net.)—Russian fairy-stories are not unlike those of other nations. Still, there are some things which have a peculiar look. All step-daughters are badly treated, especially if they are handsome. Sb we are not surprised that " Vasilissa the Beauty" suffered at the hands of her father's wife ; but the d011 for whom she' saves the tit-bits from her meals, and who more than repays her' by help and counsel, is a novelty. Princesses =Ivy expect to be changed by evil-disposed fairies, but the particular transformation which we have in the " White Duckling" is a little strange. But the great thing is that all the tales have the real genuine look, the look which no modern skill seems able to imitate. The illustrations are in excellent keeping with the text.—It will be interesting to compare a decidedly ingenious modern tale of the same kind, The Trans- formations of the Truefitts, by S. H. Hamer (Cassell and Co., ls. 6d.) Mr. Harry Rountree's illustrations here deserve praise.
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