All people in the world tell nursery tales to their children. The Japanese tell them, the Chinese, the American Indians and the Eskimos to pass the long wintry nights. Native South Africans tell them, Greeks, as did the old Egyptians, when Moses had not long been rescued out of the bulrushes. The Germans, French, Spanish, Italians, Danes and Highlanders tell them, and the stories are apt to be like each other everywhere. A child who has read the Blue and Red and Yellow Fairy Books will, if he or she examines and compares, find some old friends with new faces in the Pink Fairy Book. But the Japanese tales will probably be new to many; the Tanuki is a creature whose acquaintance few have made before. There are also tales from Sicily, Catalonia, Sweden, Denmark and Africa. Tales of monsters and mermaids, princes and giants, and beautiful princesses, who are, if possible, always prettier than ever. Here, then, are fancies brought from all quarters: we see that the peoples of the world, no matter their origin, are fond of just the same kinds of adventures. Courage, youth, beauty, kindness, have many trials, but they always win the battle; while witches, giants, unfriendly cruel people, are on the losing hand. So it ought to be, and so, on the whole, it is and will be; and that is all the moral of fairy tales. We cannot all be young, alas! and pretty, and strong; but nothing prevents us from being kind, and no kind man, woman, or beast or bird, ever comes to anything but good in these oldest fables of the world. So far all the tales are true, and no further.So find a comfy chair and sit back and enjoy these tales from yesteryear in the knowledge that the purchase of this book has helped raise funds for charity.