Reading Notes, English Fairy Tales, Part B

The second part of this collection was full of unfamiliar stories. There was a particular gruesome one called "Mr. Fox" in which a woman named Lady Mary married Mr. Fox. One day she went to her husbands castle and explored. She found a room full of young ladies skeletons, and watched as Mr. Fox cut off the hand of a young lady to get her diamond ring. Lady Mary then confronted her husband, and her brother and friends drew their swords and cut up Mr. Fox. The next story, "Johnny-cake" was a variation of the Gingerbread Man, although I definitely think the Gingerbread Man was cuter. This would be the story I would choose if I were to rewrite one. With this, I would make a sequel. Instead of Johnny-cake being eaten by a fox, I would have him outrun the fox, and write a sequel about his next adventure on the run.

(Johnny-Cake, John D. Batten)

Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs link to reading