Edward Hugessen Brabourne Baron

Friends and Foes from Fairy Land Edward Hugessen Brabourne Baron

To ALL LOVERS OF FAIRY LORE, IN COMPLIANCE With MANY REQUESTS FROM OLD-YOUNG FRIENDS, THESE THREE TALES, WRITTEN IN STRAY MOMENTS, ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. THE three tales which form the present volume tell of fairies, good and bad, of evil witches, and of fanciful elves-some friends, some foes to mankind. There are wise people who call such tales frivolous, and think the time wasted which is employed on them. But, in the first place, so far as I am concerned, the tales are written only in the most leisure of leisure moments, as a relaxation from heavier work; and, in the second place, I cannot think any time wasted which contributes to the amusement of the young. To my mind there is enough of dry, prosy matter stuffed into their poor brains in these dull times, and a little lighter food is as useful as it is welcome to them. So the wise people may talk just as much wisdom as they please, and my fairies and I will only laugh at them, as long as boys and girls love us as well as we love them, and recognize in us pleasant friends with whom sometimes to pass an idle hour.