In my method of telling I have continued the practice which I adopted in the previous volume: where I considered the language too complicated for children, I have simplified where an incident from another parallel version seemed to add force to the narrative I have inserted it and in each case mentioned the fact in the corresponding notes. Campbell still stands out as the most prominent figure in the history of the Celtic Fairy Tale. I have included, as specimen of the Irish mediaeval hero tales, one of the three sorrowful tales of Erin: "The Tale of the Children of Lir." For the "drolls" or "comic relief" of the volume, I have again drawn upon the inexhaustible Kennedy, while the great J. In making my selection I have attempted to select the tales common both to Erin and Alba. In the present volume I have proceeded on much the same lines as those which I laid down for myself in compiling its predecessor. The materials already collected are far richer than those which the "English" region afford, and it has accordingly been my aim in the two volumes devoted to the Celts, rather to offer specimens of the crop than to exhaust the field. But the Celtic district, including the whole of Ireland and the Gaelic-speaking part of Scotland, still offers a rich harvest to the collector, and will not be exhausted for many a long day. The "English" region, including Lowland Scotland and running up to the Highland line, is, I fancy, as fully represented in " English" and " More English Fairy Tales" as it is ever likely to be.
My collections have dealt with the two folk-lore regions of these Isles on different scales. The story store of Great Britain and Ireland is, I hope, now adequately represented in the four volumes which have won me so many little friends, and of which this is the last. Connla and the fairy maiden - Guleesh - The field of boliauns - The horned women - Conall Yellowclaw - Hudden and Dudden and Donald O'Neary - The shepherd of Myddvai - The sprightly tailor - The story of Deirdre - Munachar and Manachar - Gold-tree and silver-tree - King O'Toole and his goose - The wooing of Olwen - Jack and his comrades - The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire - The story-teller at fault - The sea-maiden - A legend of Knockmany - Fair, brown, and trembling - Jack and his master - Beth Gellert - The tale of Ivan - Andrew Coffey - The battle of the birds - Brewery of eggshells - The lad with the goat-skin.OR the last time, for the present, I give the children of the British Isles a selection of Fairy Tales once or still existing among them.
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