The Golden Spears

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The Golden Spears, by Edmund Leamy

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Title: The Golden Spears And Other Fairy Tales
Author: Edmund Leamy
Illustrator: Corinne Turner
Release Date: July 28, 2007 [EBook #22168]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: "She beckoned the children to her"]

THE GOLDEN SPEARS
And Other Fairy Tales
BY
EDMUND LEAMY
ILLUSTRATIONS BY CORINNE TURNER

New York Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.

Copyright, 1911 By DESMOND FITZGERALD, INC. All Rights Reserved

CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE vii
INTRODUCTORY NOTE X
THE GOLDEN SPEARS 1
THE HOUSE IN THE LAKE 23
THE ENCHANTED CAVE 49
THE HUNTSMAN'S SON 76
THE FAIRY TREE OF DOOROS 101
THE LITTLE WHITE CAT 123
PRINCESS FINOLA AND THE DWARF 149
NOTES 170

ILLUSTRATIONS
"She beckoned the children to her" Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
"'I have mourned you as dead, my darling,' said he" 39
"The queen wished to know if he would join them" 58
"Fergus knew it was the Pooka, the wild horse of the mountains" 81
"He was very sad, and tired" 106
"At the sight of him the prince remembered everything" 137
"Standing before him was the little princess" 169

PREFACE
It comes to me as a very welcome piece of news, and yet a piece of news which I have been long expecting, that a special American edition of Edmund Leamy's Irish fairy tales is about to be published. This, then, will be the third issue of the little book. I venture to predict that it will not be the last; and I fancy the American publisher who has had the judgment to take the matter up will soon be rewarded for his enterprise. For I believe the book to be a little classic in its way, and that it will go on making for itself a place in the libraries of those who understand children, and will hold that place permanently.
This is the verdict of competent literary judges. I am spared the necessity of attempting a discussion of the grounds on which so strong an opinion of Leamy's fairy tales is based by the fact that this is already done in Mr. T. P. Gill's Introductory Note. Mr. Gill, though he was, like myself, one of Leamy's intimate friends, is a conscientious critic, and to his analysis not merely of the "Tales," but of that attractive personality which Leamy infused into all he said or wrote I can safely refer the reader. I think no one of taste and judgment who reads these Tales will fail to agree with the view which is expressed in that Note and which I here, with some confidence, venture to reiterate.
My chief hope with regard to this American edition is that when it has made its mark with the general public, as it is sure to do, it will be taken note of by those who are specially concerned with education. Leamy, while a public man, a patriot steeped in the lore of Ireland's past and ever weaving generous visions for her future, was before all things else a child-lover. That was his own, his peculiar endowment. He had an exquisite gift with children and seemed always able to speak directly with the higher parts of their nature. It is this, I think, which is evident in every page of these Tales, and which gives the book its unique character. One to whose judgment on an educational matter I attach the greatest value writes to me these words: "For refining influence, for power to stimulate the sense of beauty, the tenderness, the sentiment of nobleness of the child-soul, I can imagine no volume more worthy of a place on the book-shelf of the people's schools." Having myself often witnessed this influence at work, I can emphatically indorse this opinion. I say I hope American educators may agree with it, for if they do our educators here at home will follow so distinguished a lead.
Of Edmund Leamy, in his personal aspect, I have already said something in my preface to the Dublin edition. I need only add here that this true-hearted Irishman had many friends on the American continent, and that to them this little flower of his genius will be a vivid and abiding souvenir of one of the most lovable of men.
If this book have the success in America which it deserves--and I hope that success may be extended to Canada and the Australias--I believe a charming and ennobling boon will have been conferred upon the child-life of these great communities; and it will be a source of gratification to those who were the author's friends and colleagues to