Caballero, Spanish Fairy Tales, 1st/1st 1881 illustr.

"Spanish Fairy Tales, The Bird of Truth and Other Fairy Tales" by Fernan Caballero, translated by J.H. Ingram, illustrated with 6 plates and text decorations, first edition published by J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, undated (according to catalogs published in 1881).

First edition, first printing with uncorrected error of the first state.

[note: The announcement of the 1881 issue of "Caballero's Fairy Tales" in Ingram translation by the Lippincott Company was published in "The Nation", Vol.33, #0840, August 4, 1881)

Reference:T. F. Crane, Professor at Cornell University, "The Study of Popular Tales" Chautauquan Vol. XVI - New Series Vol. VII [Oct.1892 to March 1893], p.183.

First issue of first printing: with not corrected error in "List of Illustrations", the frontispiece is listed on page 76.

Contents:

The Bird of Truth
A Girl who wanted Three Husbands
The Knights of the Fish
Fair-Flower
The Singing Sack
The Foolish Wolf and the Shrewd Fox
The Guardian Spirits
John the Conjurer
The Blue Lily
A Tale of Tara diddles
The Knavish little Bird
Lucifer's Ear
The Three Wishes
The Demon's Mother-in-law
The Fox and the Goose
The Tribulations of a Cobbler
The Little Ant
The Hunchback
Fortune and Misfortune
The Fairy Friar
The King's Power
Juan Holgado and Death
The Cock and the Goose
Uncle Curro and his Cudgel
If Heaven will it
Unpalatable Advice
The Promise
The Fairy Hen
Dame Fortune and Don Money
The Calando
Benibaire
Moro's Ears
The Power of Will

"The Brother Grimm, in their universally popular collection of legends and tales drawn from all parts of Europe, appeared to doubt the existence of a national fairy literature in Spain. This, the lady who wrote under the name of "Fernan Caballero" could not but deem a reproach upon her country, and to remove it, proceeded to collect and publish such legendary tales as were within her reach. The chief portion of her collection was gathered in Andalusia, where the greater part of her life was spent, and to some extent may therefore be regarded as provincial; in order, therefore to give a greater variety to this collections, two of De Trueba's "Popular Stories" have been added..." [from the Preface]

Cecilia Bohl de Faber, pseudonym Fernan Caballero (1796-1877), Swiss born Spanish, was a born teller of stories and that she has a graceful style. She came into Spain at a most happy moment, before the new order had perceptibly disturbed the old, and she brought to bear not alone a fine natural gift of observation, but a freshness of vision, undulled by long familiarity. She combined the advantages of being both a foreigner and a native.

US: Priority (c 2-4 days) -------- $20.50
Canada: Priority (c 2-7 weeks) --- $37.50
World: Priority (c 2-8 weeks) ---- $47.50
Condition Report: Hard cover, Victorian decorated boards and spine (a little shelf wear - see picture); 5.1/8" x 7.1/2"; 241 pages + publisher's catalog, a little soiling, very good condition.