Fairy Tales from, South Africa. By Mrs. E. J. Bourhill
and Mrs. J. B. Drake. (Macmillan and Co. 38. 6d.)—Very quaint and interesting are these fairy-tales from Swaziland, Zululand, and Matabeleland. Perhaps the first, a really beautiful story, is the best, though "The Serpent's Bride" is more characteristic of the life and ideas of the Kafir. This fairy-tale answers more nearly to the European "Beauty and the Beast" than the tale so entitled, which is a Swazi tale. "The Serpent's Bride" is a- Shangani story. While many of the episodes are simply mar- vellous, there is much beauty and symbolism in some of the incidents, and they all reflect vividly, especially the tale of "The Serpent's Bride," the African scenery. The editors have put these legends into good, and even charming, English, but, as they say, the relation by the Swazi women is extraordinarily dramatic and quite inimitable. Moreover, generally speaking, the imagery of the Kafir is such that much must have been lost in the adaptation. The book, however, is charming, and we affirm
to be indispensable to all children who love good fairy- stories.
Previous page
