Cinderella

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. Introduction by Andrew Lang IN fulfilment of the Rash Vow of Folk-lore, I offer a few words on Miss Cox's collection of Cinderella stories. On the first view of her learned and elaborate work I was horrified at the sight of these skeletons of the talc. It was as if one had a glimpse into the place where Hop o' my Thumb's Giant kept the bones of his little victims. Dry bones of child-like and charming tales are these, a place of many skulls. But science needs horrors of this kind, it seems, and I have wandered in Miss Cox's collection with admiration of her industry and method, with some despair, too, as to the possibility of ever tracing the Cinderella type to its origin and home. However, a rash vow must be kept, and an Introduction must be written, though "good wine needs no bush", and I conceive that Miss Cox, who knows so much about Cinderella, would do what is needful better than I, who only know a few Cinderellas familiarly and well.