The Sons of Cormac, and Tales of other Men's Sons.
By Allis Dunbar. With 8 Illustrations by Myra Luxmoore. (Longmans and Co. 6s.)—This is a fascinating volume of tales of Irish folk- lore, full of poetry and magic and other traditions of " faerie," all made additionally attractive by being given in the form of stories coaxed by the children of the house out of a garrulous gardener, who protests that he cannot neglect his work to talk to the brats, but none the less does talk to them, while the garden shifts for itself. There is little to be said in a review about stories of this sort. There is a sameness in their elements, a monotony in their inspiration. One, however, "The Servin o' Culain," deserves a word of special commendation. It has an originality and a definiteness that make it stand out from the
others. And its humour is delightful. The jolly beggars, Taig and Derg, who swindle the boy out of his horse and his sword, are irresistible rogues, and there is charm as well as truth in the simplicity of the invention by which redemption comes. Culain, starting forth to win his right to a share in his father's kingdom by some deed of prowess, gives a parting promise to his old nurse that he will always be true to his spoken word. In a marvellously short time he has got rid of all his possessions and pledged himself for a year to be the slave of the beggars. All is lost save honour, as represented by his promise,—and by his fidelity he wins.
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