Brown - 2 Short Stories About Bees - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Today continues a study in Brown, but a very different author, Elizabeth V. Brown, and it's very different emphasis is on nature.  I get upset when people mistake hornets for bees.  There's a Michigan tale told by our Native People about how they came to be so different, but here we look at bees.  Bees have a furry look and will only sting to protect themselves or their hive.  Without bees pollination wouldn't happen, so our fruits and vegetables wouldn't grow.  Here is a look at them from EVB, as she signs herself in

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Yes, Stories of Woods and Fields is a reader.  World Book produced it in 1902.  Unfortunately it's not online, but this introduces a wide assortment of topics without feeling overwhelmingly like a textbook.  First let's see her bee stories and then I'll give a quick overview of topics covered.

The story really is continued with

 

That's factual, but not too dry.

The book looks at plants, insects, spiders, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and also some unexpected history, holidays, and miscellaneous.  Of course there's never a guarantee that the specific species you want will be covered and not everything is by Brown as she includes other writers and occasional brief poetry by poets like Stevenson, Longfellow, and Emerson to enrich a topic.  You never know what to expect.  It's rather like the mother mockingbird near our back deck who's teaching her nestlings all her songs!

The next selection will also be by an author continuing our study in brown, but this will be a Browne with an "e" before moving on to another story from the public domain.

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This is part of a series of bi-weekly posting of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories. 

Currently I'm involved in projects taking me out of my usual work of sharing stories with an audience.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  This fall I expect to return to my normal monthly posting of a research project here.  Depending on response, I will decide at that time if "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my monthly postings.

Brown - The Young Dragon - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Mermaids, dragons, trolls, princesses, princes, and fairy godmothers!  Julia Brown's book, The Mermaid's Gift and Other Stories from 1912 has all of these and more.

My personal library's focus is on folklore, but public domain  literary tales deserve to be kept alive, too.  For my work, it must be worth telling and fit the interests of my audience.  Today's story and the book it comes from are good examples of that process: what works and what needs revision or rejecting.

The title story is an interesting contrast to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid."  Unfortunately the book not only is out of print, but it has yet to be digitized and put on line.  Buying or borrowing it currently is your only way to read the entire book.

Personally I would have to condense the title story for retelling and, at 60 pages, even with a double spread, it's too long for this blog.  It would benefit, in my opinion, from condensing.  Let's face it, literary tales of 100 years ago may have a more leisurely and different style of writing.  It's plot and characters, however, are worth discovering.  I won't say more as I don't want to give away just how it is an interesting contrast to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid."  That may be something leading you to seek it out.

In contrast, I love dragons and found Brown's story of her young dragon told in a style that adds to the fun of a young dragon testing out the conservative views of some elders against those of his more liberal father.  There's more fun to the story than that, but here you can see for yourself.

Unfortunately none of Julia Brown's works, if there were more, are yet digitized.  With a name like Julia Brown all references I could find were clearly still living 100 years after this book was published.  If she has descendants, perhaps they will appreciate this evidence of her creativity and whimsy in my efforts at  Keeping the Public in Public Domain.
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This is part of a series of bi-weekly posting of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories. 

Currently I'm involved in projects taking me out of my usual work of sharing stories with an audience.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  This fall I expect to return to my normal monthly posting of a research project here.  Depending on response, I will decide at that time if "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my monthly postings.

De Bosschere - The Convent Free From Care - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Today's story is a riddle tale with a most satisfactory ending, so it's appropriate there are two, no, three things may be misleading about today's story, "The Convent Free From Care", found in the book, Christmas Tales of Flanders.

First, when I bought the book I expected it to be Flemish Christmas tales.  WRONG!  They are Flemish, but not about Christmas.  I didn't mind, however, as I already had a love of Flemish folklore thanks to a little known anthology by Mount Clemens organist, August R. Maekelberghe.  He died shortly before I went to work at the Mount Clemens Public Library, but thanks to Isabel Miller, we have his wonderful retellings of his birthplace's folktales in the book, Flemish Folktales.  She published it for him shortly after his death. She gave me permission to freely tell from it, but I don't feel comfortable reprinting it here.  For even more Flemish folklore, and well told, it's a book worth seeking out.

Second, the title of the story is also misleading.  The author consistently calls it a "convent", but we would probably call it a "monastery" as it is about the abbot and his monks.  Maybe in Belgium or the Flemish section that is correct, but it is a bit confusing.

Third, when I found this book listed in my Cardfile program (I use AZZ Cardfile - a program I can't recommend highly enough!) I didn't find the book on my shelf under Bosschere, but I made a note there to look also under De Bosschere.  Just like the most recent story in the De Blumenthal book, the author's name includes the preposition, "de", meaning "of."  Perhaps Europeans are consistent in how they handle that, but I tend to waffle a bit.  I know it's standard library practice, to alphabetize it omitting the "de", but some people insist on using it when giving their last name.  Somehow I shelved the darned "de" in "da Ds."

Aside from the fact that the book is not about Christmas, something else interesting is worth noticing about this book collected by Jean de Bosschere and translated by M.C.O. Morris.  The anthologizer admits, many stories will be familiar in versions from other lands, but says, "all of them have peculiar Flemish traits."  I especially noticed several collected here can be found in Appalachia by Richard Chase.  As for the illustrator, the Wikipedia de Bosschere article never mentions this book, and while most illustrations seem to be quick sketches, I'm comfortable this is his work . . . and, yes, they refer to him as De Bosschere.

For more laughter and Flemish folklore, you may find the complete Christmas Tales of Flanders at Archive.org.
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This is part of a series of bi-weekly posting of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories. 

Currently I'm involved in projects taking me out of my usual work of sharing stories with an audience.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  This fall I expect to return to my normal monthly posting of a research project here.  Depending on response, I will decide at that time if "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my monthly postings. 

"Russophilia" - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Yesterday I admitted my love of Russian culture.  It's true, be it literature, folklore, music, dance, art, I'm a Russophile.  Today I want to share my list of Russian folktale anthologies and where their contents might be indexed for easy access when seeking stories for storytelling.  I also used a pair of graphics by Lucy Fitch Perkins, whose credit was accidentally omitted in the Project Gutenberg copy of Folktales from the Russian by Verra de Blumenthal.

“Russophilia”

(Transliteration from the Cyrillic may cause some spelling differences)

Afanasev, Aleksandr, translated by Norbert Guterman

Russian Fairy Tales

1945 (Public Domain according to search)

Indexed in Index to Fairy Tales Second Supplement and Index to Fairy Tales 1987-1992

Pantheon

Afanasev, Aleksandr, translated by Leonard A. Magnus

Russian Folk-tales

No date, (but indexed in original Index to Fairy Tales, so Public Domain)

NOT all are the same selections as other Afanasev volume

Almedingen, E.M.

Russian Folk and Fairy Tales

1957 (Public Domain according to search)

Indexed in Margaret Read MacDonald’s Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1949-1972

Bain, R. Nisbet

Russian Fairy Tales From the Russian of Polevoi

No date (but in the original Index to Fairy Tales, so Public Domain)

Blumenthal, Verra de

Folk Tales from the Russian

1903

Indexed in original Fairy Tale index

Carey, Bonnie

Baba Yaga's Geese and Other Russian Stories

1973

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1973-1977

Carpenter, Frances

Tales of a Russian Grandmother; Genuine Stories of Old Russia

1933 (Public Domain according to search)

Indexed in Index to Fairy Tales Supplement

Carrick, Valery

More Russian Picture Tales

1914

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales Supplement

Carrick, Valery

Picture Tales from the Russian

No date but Public Domain

Indexed in original Fairy Tale index

Carrick, Valery

Still More Russian Picture Tales

1915

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales Supplement

Daniels, Guy

Falcon under the Hat; Russian Merry Tales and Fairy Tales

1969

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

Downing, Charles

Russian Tales and Legends

1956

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1949-1972

Etchemendy, Teje

Tales of Old Russia

1964

Not indexed

Foster, Ruth

The Stone Horsemen; Tales from the Caucasus

1965

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1949-1972

Caucasian Russia

Ginsburg, Mirra

How Wilka Went to Sea and Other Tales from West of the Urals

1975

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

U.S.S.R./Russia

Ginsburg, Mirra

Kaha Bird; Tales from the Steppes of Central Asia

1971

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

Urals = Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tatar, Buryatia, Tofalars, Uzbekistan, Altay, Kirghizia, Uygurs, Tadzhikstan, Tuva,  Karakalpakia, and Siberia

U.S.S.R./Russia

Ginsburg, Mirra

The Lazies; Tales of the Peoples of Russia

1973

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

Ginsburg, Mirra

Master of the Winds and Other Tales from Siberia

1970

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1949-1972

Ginsburg, Mirra

One Trick Too Many; Fox Stories from Russia

1973

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1973-1977

Ginsburg, Mirra

Proud maiden, Tungak, and the Sun

1974

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

Russian Eskimo

Ginsburg, Mirra

Three Rolls and One Doughnut

1970

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

U.S.S.R./Russia

Ginsburg, Mirra

Twelve Clever Brothers and Other Fools

1979

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1978-1986

U.S.S.R./Russia; Noodlehead

Gottschalk, Fruma

The Runaway Soldier and Other Tales of Old Russia

1946

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales Second Supplement

Haviland, Virginia

Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Russia

1961 with earlier

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1949-1972

Higonet-Schnopper, Janet

Tales from Atop a Russian Stove

1973

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

Isserlis, H. and J. Auroy, translated by Peter Simmons

Emerald Tales

1958

Not indexed

Kimmel, Eric

Mishka, Pishka, & Fishka

1976

Not indexed

Galicia = Poland + Russia

Magnus, Conrad A.

Russian folk tales

1915

Indexed in original Index to Fairy Tales

Onassis, Jacqueline

The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales

1978

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook (under the title) and Index to Fairy Tales 1978-1986 (under Zvorykin)

Pushkin, Alexander (translated by James Reeves)

Golden Cockerel and Other Stories

1969

This edition is not indexed, but the title story and possibly other stories are indexed with different translations

Ransome, Arthur

Old Peter's Russian Tales

1916

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1973-1977

Riordan, James

Tales from Central Russia

1976

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1978-1986

All are from Afanasyev

Riordan, James

Tales from Tartary

1978 (includes sources? 1/2 Eng. & 1/2 Russian)

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1978-1986

Tartarstan

Siberiak, Mamin

Verotchka's Tales

1922

Not indexed

Russia’s Birds, animals, and insects

Titiev, Estelle and Lila Pargment

How the Moolah Was Taught a Lesson & Other Tales from Russia

1975

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

"USSR": Siberia, Chechen, (Caucasia), Urals, and Tuva

Tolstoy, Leo

Fables and Fairy Tales

(translated by Ann Dunnigan 1962)

Not this edition, but indexed in original Index to Fairy Tales, Index to Fairy Tales Supplement, and the Index to Fairy Tales Second Supplement

literary (Russia)

Wheeler, Post

Russian Wonder Tales

1912, 1946, and 1957

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and original Index to Fairy Tales and the Index to Fairy Tales Second Supplement

Whitney, Thomas P.

In a Certain Kingdom; 12 Russian Fairy Tales

1972

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1973-1977

Wyndham, Lee

Russian Tales of Fabulous Beasts and Marvels

1969

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook

Wyndham, Lee

Tales the People Tell in Russia

1970 (with Russian sources listed)

Indexed in Storyteller’s Sourcebook and Index to Fairy Tales 1949-1972

Zheleznova, Irina

Folk Tales from Russian Lands

1963

Not indexed

original title: A Mountain of Gems: Fairy-Tales of the Peoples of the Soviet Union

Russia; Ukraine; Byelorussia (White Russia); Lithuania; Estonia; Karelia; Moldavia; Azerbaijan; Armenia; Georgia; Bashkir; Kalmyk; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan; Tajikistan; Altai; Kirghiz; Kazakhstan; Yakut; Buryat; Neneta; Chukchi

Zheleznova, Irina

Ukrainian Folk Tales

1986 (U.S.S.R.)

Not indexed

Knowing me, I'm sure that, when it comes to my "Russophilia" this is not

This is part of my series, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain", but this time it is not a public domain story.  It's also outside the usual Wednesday/ Saturday schedule.  Like all of my blog, it's actually posted as "All rights reserved."  This means, since it is the result of my own research and personal musings, I reserve the right to have it reproduced.  You are welcome to enjoy it privately, but if you want to reproduce it in any way beyond your own viewing, you need to ask me for permission to use it.  Of course I have no problem with you linking to it as that promotes my work, both with search engines and in the offline community.