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American Fairy Tales

L. Frank Baum

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American Fairy Tales | L. Frank Baum

American Fairy Tales

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This collection of fantasy stories was originally serialized in regional newspapers, prior to being published as a complete volume. The stories, as critics have noted, lack the high-fantasy aspect of the best of Baum's work, in Oz or out. With ironic or nonsensical morals attached to their ends, their tone is more satirical, glib, and tongue-in-cheek than is usual in children's stories; the serialization in newspapers for adult readers was appropriate for the materials.
a big mahogany bedstead that he slept in, a small stool on which he sat to pull off his shoes and the moth-eaten ermine robe.

In this straight he was reduced to the necessity of borrowing an occasional dime from his chief counselor, with which to buy a ham sandwich. And the chief counselor hadn't many dimes. One who counseled his king so foolishly was likely to ruin his own prospects as well.

So the king, having nothing more to live for, died suddenly and left a ten-year-old son to inherit the dismantled kingdom, the moth-eaten robe and the jewel-stripped crown.

No one envied the child, who had scarcely been thought of until he became king himself. Then he was recognized as a personage of some importance, and the politicians and hangers-on, headed by the chief counselor of the kingdom, held a meeting to determine what could be done for him.

These folk had helped the old king to live riotously while his money lasted, and now they were poor and too proud to work. So they tried to think of a plan that would bring more money into the little king's treasury, where it would be handy for them to help themselves.

After the meeting was over the chief counselor came to the young king, who was playing peg-top in the courtyard, and said:

"Your majesty, we have thought of a way to restore your kingdom to its former power and magnificence."

"All right," replied his majesty, carelessly. "How will you do it?"

"By marrying you to a lady of great wealth," replied the counselor.

"Marrying me!" cried the king. "Why, I am only ten years old!"

"I know; it is to be regretted. But your majesty will grow older, and the affairs of the kingdom demand that you marry a wife."

"Can't I marry a mother, instead?" asked the poor little king, who had lost his mother when a baby.

"Certainly not," declared the counsel

Judine Brey 06/10/2018
Let's face it, the creator of Oz knows how to make magic seem real in early 20th century America. This collection of stories focused on lessons that were sometimes silly (don't open things that don't belong to you. . . there might be pirates inside), but usually based in reality (if you flaunt your
J 06/21/2017
First of all Baum is definitely not one of my favorite authors thus ranking down at the bottom along with Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl, which all I truly really dislike deeply. And seeing that my sister had chosen out this particular book I was more or less worried about the stories that I would find w
A.M. 08/13/2014
Dating from 1901 some of these are pretty old fashioned and a little racist, but it is a work of its time. Each finishes with the moral of the story, just in case you missed it. Except for the glass dog tale. The dog barked and scared him away before he could ask the wizard what the moral was so it

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