Segal, L., translator. The Juniper Tree and Other Tales from Grimm. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Additional translation by Randall Jarrell. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973. 0374180571.
This is a two-volume collection of twenty-seven stories translated from Grimm. A few of the stories are the ones most commonly retold, such as "Hansel and Gretel" or "Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs." However, most of the tales are lesser known yet fully in keeping with the common fairytale themes of magic, transformation, and punishment. There is no specific mention of methods for organization or selection; the tales can easily be read separately from each other and in any order. There are no source notes other than the statement that the tales are from Grimm, but maybe Grimm fairy tales are famous enough that more explanation is not needed. The assumption is that the Grimm tales were written down, not told. The book jacket claims that "Both translators have been painstakingly faithful to the German texts."
Reading the tales, one gets the sense that themes were not censored. Most of the tales are very violent and feature emotions like jealousy, greed, and selfish love, emotions which often appear or change suddenly. We see archetypical fairytale characters such as kings, princesses, and witches, but many of the tales feature laborers, villagers, and other average folk. Magic is incorporated into many stories, and there are many transformations, such as a frog turning into a prince or, in the title story, a young boy turning into a bird after he is murdered. Indeed, death or the threat of death is almost a given in these stories, but rebirth is almost as common.
The style of the writing uses storytelling tropes of repetition and a sequential narrative order. For instance, in "Frederick and His Katelizabeth," Katelizabeth repeats the pattern of making foolish mistakes over and over in different scenarios. Simple transitions such as "and," "then" and "now" are used at the beginning of sentences, giving the sense that these tales could easily be told out loud to children, despite their formal tone. This fairly straightforward writing style contrasts with the detailed black and white illustrations by Maurice Sendak, which reflect his signature textured style. Even though there is only one drawing per story, they do enhance the narrative because they reflect the larger than life, almost disturbing quality of the fairytales. These stories are not for the squeamish, but children and adults who appreciate the macabre and enjoy hearing the more traditional - and violent - versions of fairytales will enjoy this collection.
Hamilton, V. The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. Alfred A. Knopf, 1985. 0394869257.
This book is much more rooted in the culture that created the included tales. Hamilton's introduction, her source notes after every single story, and her extensive bibliography indicate the research and thought put into the collection. She discusses origins and variants of the tales. The author has a clear purpose to "remember" the original tellers, many of whom were enslaved and disenfranchised around the world.
Twenty-four tales are included, and they are organized into four categories: Animal Stories, Tales of the Real, Extravagant, and Fanciful, Tales of the Supernatural, and Slave Tales of Freedom. The stories don't have to be read in a specific order, and they can be read by children or adults. Stylistically, the writing lends itself to being read out loud. The style is very casual and colloquial and sounds like someone speaking. Humorous asides and entertaining dialogue make the stories feel like they should be spoken and also make them fun to read. The informal tone allows for more personality than The Juniper Tree seemed to have. Familiar storytelling elements like repetition and punishment appear, as well as some words from the original sources, although in certain cases the meaning of these words is no longer known. Besides the covers, the illustrations are in black and white and often use silhouette and shading to powerful effect.
Many of the stories are humorous, but in the last section, they take on a poignant and powerful meaning as they tell stories of enslaved people, often describing how they were able to finally find freedom. This book is clearly not just for entertainment; it is an important cultural record.
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