Popular Fairy Tales
Blackie's Popular Fairy Tales is a part of Tales and Talks collection one of Blackie's Picture Books projects. It was advertised as '200 pages fully illustrated in colour', however color pictures are are not in majority in this case. There are 16 popular fairy tales, among which were some also published as stand-alone picture books, but it seems both projects were not best coordinated because text may be pretty different in both cases and pictures are often positioned in wrong places.
We'll present all pictures as they were published with one exception: double (yes, there are indeed four double pages in full color altogether) page for Puss in Boots is originally placed after first three illustrations of Jack and the Bean-Stalk, but we put it at the end of the story, where belongs.
So here we go with titles, corresponding pictures, and short comments for each of the fairy tales:
Cinderella
Every girl is invited to the ball where princ hopes to find his future wife. (used as frontispiece)
She works all day and is so dirty they call her Cinderella.
Cinderella spends a lot of time in the kitchen.
Her stepsisters hope to charm the prince at the ball.
Both stepsisters are ready to go.
Cinderella is not allowed to go but she gets and interesting visit.
The fairy needs a pumpkin.
She needs a few mice as well.
Stepsisters are back home (picture should be positioned later).
Cinderella was the star of the ball.
At midnight the magic is gone.
Cinderella is ready to go.
Prince's people are looking for the girl who lost the glass slipper.
Stepsisters try the slipper just like every other girl in the kingdom.
Cinderella is the one!
Babes in the Wood
Parents are dead and the uncle should take care of otherwise wealthy children.
Instead, he hires two robbers.
Riding towards the wood kids don't expect trouble.
One of the robbers is not ready to kill the children.
Instead, he kills the other and says he'll sent help.
Kids are all alone and nobody comes to the rescue.
Kids die and leaves cover them in the woods.
Riding towards the wood kids don't expect trouble.
One of the robbers is not ready to kill the children.
Instead, he kills the other and says he'll sent help.
Kids are all alone and nobody comes to the rescue.
Kids die and leaves cover them in the woods.
Little Red Riding Hood
The meeting of the little girl and the wolf is used as the frontispiece.
Yet again, it's used as the vignette befoe the title of the story.
The story of course starts with the mother and daughter scene - Red Riding Hood needs to carry a basket to her granny.
Being ill, the granny can definitely use some extra food.
Litle Red Riding Hood still finds enough time for flower-picking.
In the meantime the wolf eats the granny and disguise in her clothes.
The girls has no idea what awaits for her in the granny's house.
Thw wolf eats the girl and the story ends.
Yes, that's right. There is no hunter in this version of Red Riding Hood, because the publisher, who was in the series of picture books so worried to not present too much of the eerie stuff, for some reason decided to use Perrault's (no hunter), instead of Gimms' (hunter rescues the granny and her grand daughter) version,
This is very interesting situation which obviously leads to conclusion there was no unique policy about publishing books for children in the house. If you are interested in the folkloristic and mythological view on the Little Red Riding Hood with very popular interpretation as the rebirth of the Sun (or later, Christ), there's a link with detailed explanations:
https://reallycoolblog4you.blogspot.com/2019/08/red-riding-hood-story-about-sun.html
Being ill, the granny can definitely use some extra food.
Litle Red Riding Hood still finds enough time for flower-picking.
In the meantime the wolf eats the granny and disguise in her clothes.
The girls has no idea what awaits for her in the granny's house.
Thw wolf eats the girl and the story ends.
Yes, that's right. There is no hunter in this version of Red Riding Hood, because the publisher, who was in the series of picture books so worried to not present too much of the eerie stuff, for some reason decided to use Perrault's (no hunter), instead of Gimms' (hunter rescues the granny and her grand daughter) version,
This is very interesting situation which obviously leads to conclusion there was no unique policy about publishing books for children in the house. If you are interested in the folkloristic and mythological view on the Little Red Riding Hood with very popular interpretation as the rebirth of the Sun (or later, Christ), there's a link with detailed explanations:
https://reallycoolblog4you.blogspot.com/2019/08/red-riding-hood-story-about-sun.html
The Three Bears
There was a family of three bears: father, mother and son.
There was also a girl with golden hair, thus called Goldilocks.
The bears left their house for a walk, because the breakfast was too hot and they wanted to kill some time.
Right at the same time Goldilocks entered and immediately started eating their porridge.
Bears found Goldilocks in the last bed (image obviously inserted one position too soon).
Bears were rightfully angry at the intruder who made damage in their home.
Goldilocks had to run away. The same story was already published by the same publisher in the picture book where additional story Golden Hair (don't confuse it with Goldilocks, hich is actually just a different title for The Story of Three Bears).
The bears left their house for a walk, because the breakfast was too hot and they wanted to kill some time.
Right at the same time Goldilocks entered and immediately started eating their porridge.
Bears found Goldilocks in the last bed (image obviously inserted one position too soon).
Bears were rightfully angry at the intruder who made damage in their home.
Goldilocks had to run away. The same story was already published by the same publisher in the picture book where additional story Golden Hair (don't confuse it with Goldilocks, hich is actually just a different title for The Story of Three Bears).
The Story of Chicken-licken
One day an acorn fell on the Chicken's head but it thought the sky had fallen, so he wanted to tell the King.
The meeting with Fox should be placed right before the end of the story.
On the way to King Chicken met Hen, cock, Duck, Goose, ..., and everybody wanted to tell the news about the fallen sky.
Nobody doubted in Chicken's news.
When they finally met Fox, he led them to his home where the whole family of foxes had a nice poultry-dinner.
The meeting with Fox should be placed right before the end of the story.
On the way to King Chicken met Hen, cock, Duck, Goose, ..., and everybody wanted to tell the news about the fallen sky.
Nobody doubted in Chicken's news.
When they finally met Fox, he led them to his home where the whole family of foxes had a nice poultry-dinner.
Teeny-Tiny
Once there was a teeny-tiny woman who lived in a teeny-tiny house.
One day she found a teeny-tiny bone, looking just perfect for her teeny-tiny dinner, so she took it at home and decided to have a teeny tiny rest before starting to cook.
But some teeny-tiny voice wanted the bone back!
So she retuned it back.
One day she found a teeny-tiny bone, looking just perfect for her teeny-tiny dinner, so she took it at home and decided to have a teeny tiny rest before starting to cook.
But some teeny-tiny voice wanted the bone back!
So she retuned it back.
Beauty and the Beast
There was a mercahnt who lost all his money.
His family had to move into smaller house, out of the city.
Then a promising news came - part of his goods may be found in one of the ports.
This is a scene where Beauty meets the Beast - absolutelly misplaced in the book. We should learn about merchant's return home and his meeting with the Beast.
John Hassall portrayed the Beast as the bear, what is one of the most likable apperances of the Beast in literature.
Beauty nad Beast became good friends.
Eventually Beauty fell in love with Beast.
Thanks to her love the spell was broken and the Beast transformed into a handsome prince.
A splendid wedding ceremony followed. John Hassall illustrated Beauty and the Beast many years before for the same publisher.
Then a promising news came - part of his goods may be found in one of the ports.
This is a scene where Beauty meets the Beast - absolutelly misplaced in the book. We should learn about merchant's return home and his meeting with the Beast.
John Hassall portrayed the Beast as the bear, what is one of the most likable apperances of the Beast in literature.
Beauty nad Beast became good friends.
Eventually Beauty fell in love with Beast.
Thanks to her love the spell was broken and the Beast transformed into a handsome prince.
A splendid wedding ceremony followed. John Hassall illustrated Beauty and the Beast many years before for the same publisher.
Jack the Giant-Killer
This is Jack. We'll know him by his deeds. His nickname will become Giant-Killer.
This is a scene from the bedroom of a giant with two heads.
This a scene from the kitchen next morning where Jack tricked the giant to cut himself.
Another misplaced color picture. It should be positioned before the giant died.
Another day, another giant to kill. This time Jack played with him thanks to magic objects.
There's time to settle for each and every hero. Jack is ready for marriage. It's interesting to note that Jack the Giant-Killer as a stand-alone picture book by the same publisher used slightly different pictures and text.
This is a scene from the bedroom of a giant with two heads.
This a scene from the kitchen next morning where Jack tricked the giant to cut himself.
Another misplaced color picture. It should be positioned before the giant died.
Another day, another giant to kill. This time Jack played with him thanks to magic objects.
There's time to settle for each and every hero. Jack is ready for marriage. It's interesting to note that Jack the Giant-Killer as a stand-alone picture book by the same publisher used slightly different pictures and text.
The Three Little Pigs
The first pig made his house of straw.
The second pig made his house of furze.
The third pig made his house of bricks.
The wolf didn't have any problem with the house of straw (picture is in wrong poistion).
Only the third pig survived wolf's attack.
But the danger was not over yet.
The pig should be ready for every situation.
Eventually, the luck changed.
The wolf died and the pig won.
The third pig made his house of bricks.
The wolf didn't have any problem with the house of straw (picture is in wrong poistion).
Only the third pig survived wolf's attack.
But the danger was not over yet.
The pig should be ready for every situation.
Eventually, the luck changed.
The wolf died and the pig won.
Puss in Boots
Miller died and he left a mill, a donkey, and a cat.
The cat was not an ordinary animal. He was able to talk and with a pair of boots he became a very handy helper.
The puss was a very skillful hunter.
He brought the catch to the king, lying ti comes from Marquis of Carabas.
When time was right, miller's son presented to the king in borrowed (from King!) clothes.
The reapers were instructed to lie in favor of miller's son and his cat.
Cat lied his master was robbed, so he could borrow fine clothes. Picture should be inserted two positions before.
The final scene, when the ogre is tricked to death and miller's son presnted his property as his own, is originally inserted three positions later in the book. Better placed pictures (and a few different) can be seen in Puss in Boots in Blackie's Colored Picture Storie Readers.
Jack and the Bean-Stalk
Jack exchanged an old cow for some supposedly magic beans.
Jack is informed about his ownership rights over the castle where a giant leaves now. Not all versions has this scene.
Giant's wife was very naive and Jack used that to his advantage.
Giant had a hen which laid golden eggs
Jack stole a lot of gold from giant.
Jack had to put the magic tree down so he could kill the giant.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb
Jack is informed about his ownership rights over the castle where a giant leaves now. Not all versions has this scene.
Giant's wife was very naive and Jack used that to his advantage.
Giant had a hen which laid golden eggs
Jack stole a lot of gold from giant.
Jack had to put the magic tree down so he could kill the giant.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb
This is where th eboys come to the giant's house. It's used as the frontispiece.
Dropping white stones was a perfect solution for finding the way back home.
Dropping the peas was not so great idea. Birds ate them all.
The giant tried to kille them more than once.
But they defeated the giant and managed to save their parents, accused of infanticide, too.
This story was already published as a picture book several years before as Hop o' My Thumb in Blackie's Coloured Picture Story Readers.
Dropping white stones was a perfect solution for finding the way back home.
Dropping the peas was not so great idea. Birds ate them all.
The giant tried to kille them more than once.
But they defeated the giant and managed to save their parents, accused of infanticide, too.
This story was already published as a picture book several years before as Hop o' My Thumb in Blackie's Coloured Picture Story Readers.
Aladdin
Aladdin agreed to help the magician, not knowing he'll leave the boy under ground. Used as frontispiece illustration.
The magician introoduced himself as an ucle. He proposed an easy and well-paid job which was immediatelly accepted by the poor boy.
Aladdin found a lamp under ground. This scene should be placed one position later.
There is the boy ready to start not knowing why is he really going down.
It was a long way before he reached the chamber with the lamp.
When he realised the magician intended to leave him down, he accidentally called the genie of the ring.
Together with his mother they found the powers of another genie - from the magic lamp.
Aladdin became a very rich man, got married, and moved to the palace.
Everything looked perfect for some time.
One day a magician in disgues came by, offering new lamps for old ones. Aladdin's wife wanted to use the opportunity.
She gave the magic lamp away.
Aladdin lost everything in a minute.
The introduction of Aladdin to the emperor should be placed several positions before.
Fortunatelly, with a help of the ring genie Aladdin managed to get back his fortune and his wife.
He lived happily ever after.
The magician introoduced himself as an ucle. He proposed an easy and well-paid job which was immediatelly accepted by the poor boy.
Aladdin found a lamp under ground. This scene should be placed one position later.
There is the boy ready to start not knowing why is he really going down.
It was a long way before he reached the chamber with the lamp.
When he realised the magician intended to leave him down, he accidentally called the genie of the ring.
Together with his mother they found the powers of another genie - from the magic lamp.
Aladdin became a very rich man, got married, and moved to the palace.
Everything looked perfect for some time.
One day a magician in disgues came by, offering new lamps for old ones. Aladdin's wife wanted to use the opportunity.
She gave the magic lamp away.
Aladdin lost everything in a minute.
The introduction of Aladdin to the emperor should be placed several positions before.
Fortunatelly, with a help of the ring genie Aladdin managed to get back his fortune and his wife.
He lived happily ever after.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Ali Baba was a poor man who accidently found where the robbers hide their loot.
The entry was protected with magic words.
He became a very rich man. Even more affluent then his brother who wanted to find the loot too.
But the robbers found and killed him. They wanted to find Aladdin too.
Fortunatelly Morgiana, Ali Baba's servant noticed their inquiries around the city.
The robbers were persistant and eventually managed to sneak into Ali Baba's house hidden in oil-jars planning to attack in the night.
Morgiana killed them all but the captain.
The captain found his destiny under Morgiana's dagger...
The entry was protected with magic words.
He became a very rich man. Even more affluent then his brother who wanted to find the loot too.
But the robbers found and killed him. They wanted to find Aladdin too.
Fortunatelly Morgiana, Ali Baba's servant noticed their inquiries around the city.
The robbers were persistant and eventually managed to sneak into Ali Baba's house hidden in oil-jars planning to attack in the night.
Morgiana killed them all but the captain.
The captain found his destiny under Morgiana's dagger...
The Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty, illustrated by Hassal, was also published as a stand-alone picture book titled Rosebud. This picture is here used as a frontispiece.
The king and queen were very happy when finally became parents.
But an angry fairy cursed the baby.
The fairy was furious because they forgot to invite her. She said the girl will prick her finger with a spindle and die, yet another fairy managed to soften the curse into one hundred year sleep.
All spindles in kingdom were forbidden.
At least one woman didn't know that. Or didn't care. Or she had plans on her own.
The girl pricked her finger and fell asleep.
This is where the prince is already entering the castle one hundred years later. The picture is inserted way too soon.
Everybody in the castle fell asleep for a whole century.
A handsome prince just found out where the beauty from the legend sleeps.
He saw the king and the queen sleeping.
Then he found the princess.
Again, this picture should be positioned a bit before.
Everybody was awake again. time to finish unfinished businesses.
Time for wedding!
The king and queen were very happy when finally became parents.
But an angry fairy cursed the baby.
The fairy was furious because they forgot to invite her. She said the girl will prick her finger with a spindle and die, yet another fairy managed to soften the curse into one hundred year sleep.
All spindles in kingdom were forbidden.
At least one woman didn't know that. Or didn't care. Or she had plans on her own.
The girl pricked her finger and fell asleep.
This is where the prince is already entering the castle one hundred years later. The picture is inserted way too soon.
Everybody in the castle fell asleep for a whole century.
A handsome prince just found out where the beauty from the legend sleeps.
He saw the king and the queen sleeping.
Then he found the princess.
Again, this picture should be positioned a bit before.
Everybody was awake again. time to finish unfinished businesses.
Time for wedding!
Enchanted Horse
There was a fair where the King was most charmed by an artificial horse broght by Hindoo. The horse could fly, but Hindoo demanded too much for him - marriage with King's daughter.
Prince wanted at least try it and he disappeared before he was instructed how to use it. Hindoo was imprisoned.
In the meantime Prince learned how to stop the horse and landed in a beautiful castle where he met a beautiful princess. They fell in love with each other and after a few days decided to return to rince's home together.
Everybody was happy and Hidoo released from prison. He took the horse back and kidnapped the princess.
He treated the princess so badly the Sultan of Cashmere freed her and beheaded him. Then the Sultan of Cashmere wanted the princess for his wife but she pretended insanity.
Many doctors unsuccessfully tried to cure her until her Prince came in disgues and demanded she must be put on the horse in order to be healthy again.
They ran away and lived happily ever after.
This was the last fairy tale in the collection titled Blackie's Popular Fairy Tales, illustrated by John Hassall. It was published simoultaneusly in London, Glasgow, and Bombay (today's Mumbai) in 1912.
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