BooksYellow，Red，andGreenandBlue，Alltrue，orjustasgoodastrue，Andhere’stheYellowBookforYOU！
HardisthepathfromAtoZ，Andpuzzlingtoacurlyhead，YetleadstoBooks——Green，Blue，andRed。
ForeverychildshouldunderstandThatlettersfromthefirstwereplannedToguideusintoFairyLandSolabouratyourAlphabet，ForbythatlearningshallyougetTolandswhereFairiesmaybemet。
Andgoingwherethispathwaygoes，Youtoo，atlast，mayfind，whoknows？
TheGardenoftheSingingRose。
TheEditorthinksthatchildrenwillreadilyforgivehimforpublishinganotherFairyBook。WehavehadtheBlue，theRed，theGreen，andhereistheYellow。Ifchildrenarepleased，andtheyaresokindastosaythattheyarepleased，theEditordoesnotcareverymuchforwhatotherpeoplemaysay。Now，thereisonegentlemanwhoseemstothinkthatitisnotquiterighttoprintsomanyfairytales，withpictures，andtopublishtheminredandbluecovers。HeisnamedMr。G。LaurenceGomme，andheispresidentofalearnedbodycalledtheFolkLoreSociety。
Onceayearhemakeshisaddresstohissubjects，ofwhomtheEditorisone，andMr。JosephJacobs(whohaspublishedmanydelightfulfairytaleswithprettypictures)[1]isanother。
Fancy，then，thedismayofMr。Jacobs，andoftheEditor，whentheyheardtheirpresidentsaythathedidnotthinkitveryniceinthemtopublishfairybooks，aboveall，red，green，andbluefairybooks！Theysaidthattheydidnotseeanyharminit，andtheywerereadyto’putthemselvesontheircountry，’andbetriedbyajuryofchildren。And，indeed，theystillseenoharminwhattheyhavedone；nay，likeFatherWilliaminthepoem，theyareready’todoitagainandagain。’
[1]YoumaybuythemfromMr。Nutt，intheStrand。
Whereistheharm？ThetruthisthattheFolkLoreSociety——madeupofthemostclever，learned，andbeautifulmenandwomenofthecountry——isfondofstudyingthehistoryandgeographyofFairyLand。Thisiscontainedinveryoldtales，suchascountrypeopletell，andsavages:
’LittleSiouxandlittleCrow，LittlefrostyEskimo。’
Thesepeoplearethoughttoknowmostaboutfairylandanditsinhabitants。But，intheYellowFairyBook，andtherest，aremanytalesbypersonswhoareneithersavagesnorrustics，suchasMadameD’AulnoyandHerrHansChristianAndersen。TheFolkLoreSociety，oritspresident，saythatTHEIRtalesarenotsotrueastherest，andshouldnotbepublishedwiththerest。ButWEsaythatallthestorieswhicharepleasanttoreadarequitetrueenoughforus；soheretheyare，withpicturesbyMr。Ford，andwedonotthinkthateitherthepicturesorthestoriesarelikelytomisleadchildren。
Astowhethertherearereallyanyfairiesornot，thatisadifficultquestion。ProfessorHuxleythinkstherearenone。TheEditorneversawanyhimself，butheknowsseveralpeoplewhohaveseenthem——intheHighlands——andheardtheirmusic。IfeveryouareinNetherLochaber，gototheFairyHill，andyoumayhearthemusicyourself，asgrown-uppeoplehavedone，butyoumustgoonafineday。Again，iftherearereallynofairies，whydopeoplebelieveinthem，allovertheworld？TheancientGreeksbelieved，sodidtheoldEgyptians，andtheHindoos，andtheRedIndians，andisitlikely，iftherearenofairies，thatsomanydifferentpeopleswouldhaveseenandheardthem？TheRev。Mr。
Baring-Gouldsawseveralfairieswhenhewasaboy，andwastravellinginthelandoftheTroubadours。Forthesereasons，theEditorthinksthattherearecertainlyfairies，buttheyneverdoanyoneanyharm；and，inEngland，theyhavebeenfrightenedawaybysmokeandschoolmasters。AstoGiants，theyhavediedout，butrealDwarfsarecommonintheforestsofAfrica。Probablyagoodmanystoriesnotperfectlytruehavebeentoldaboutfairies，butsuchstorieshavealsobeentoldaboutNapoleon，Claverhouse，JuliusCaesar，andJoanofArc，allofwhomcertainlyexisted。Awisechildwill，therefore，rememberthat，ifhegrowsupandbecomesamemberoftheFolkLoreSociety，ALLthetalesinthisbookwerenotofferedtohimasabsolutelytruthful，butwereprintedmerelyforhisentertainment。Theexactfactshecanlearnlater，orhecanleavethemalone。
ThereareRussian，German，French，Icelandic，RedIndian，andotherstorieshere。TheyweretranslatedbyMissCheape，MissAlma，andMissThyraAlleyne，MissSellar，Mr。Craigie(hedidtheIcelandictales)，MissBlackley，Mrs。Dent，andMrs。Lang，buttheRedIndianstoriesarecopiedfromEnglishversionspublishedbytheSmithsonianBureauofEthnology，inAmerica。
Mr。Forddidthepictures，anditishopedthatchildrenwillfindthebooknotlesspleasingthanthosewhichhavealreadybeensubmittedtotheirconsideration。TheEditorcannotsay’good-bye’withoutadvisingthem，astheypursuetheirstudies，toreadTheRoseandtheRing，bythelateMr。Thackeray，withpicturesbytheauthor。Thisbookhethinksquiteindispensableineverychild’slibrary，andparentsshouldbeurgedtopurchaseitatthefirstopportunity，aswithoutitnoeducationiscomplete。
Acathadmadeacquaintancewithamouse，andhadspokensomuchofthegreatloveandfriendshipshefeltforher，thatatlasttheMouseconsentedtoliveinthesamehousewithher，andtogosharesinthehousekeeping。’Butwemustprovideforthewinterorelseweshallsufferhunger，’saidtheCat。’You，littleMouse，cannotventureeverywhereincaseyourunatlastintoatrap。’Thisgoodcounselwasfollowed，andalittlepotoffatwasbought。Buttheydidnotknowwheretoputit。Atlength，afterlongconsultation，theCatsaid，’Iknowofnoplacewhereitcouldbebetterputthaninthechurch。Noonewilltroubletotakeitawayfromthere。Wewillhideitinacorner，andwewon’ttouchittillweareinwant。’Sothelittlepotwasplacedinsafety；butitwasnotlongbeforetheCathadagreatlongingforit，andsaidtotheMouse，’Iwantedtotellyou，littleMouse，thatmycousinhasalittleson，whitewithbrownspots，andshewantsmetobegodmothertoit。Letmegooutto-day，anddoyoutakecareofthehousealone。’
’Yes，gocertainly，’repliedtheMouse，’andwhenyoueatanythinggood，thinkofme；Ishouldverymuchlikeadropoftheredchristeningwine。’
Butitwasalluntrue。TheCathadnocousin，andhadnotbeenaskedtobegodmother。Shewentstraighttothechurch，slunktothelittlepotoffat，begantolickit，andlickedthetopoff。
Thenshetookawalkontheroofsofthetown，lookedattheview，stretchedherselfoutinthesun，andlickedherlipswhenevershethoughtofthelittlepotoffat。Assoonasitwaseveningshewenthomeagain。
’Ah，hereyouareagain！’saidtheMouse；’youmustcertainlyhavehadanenjoyableday。’
’Itwentoffverywell，’answeredtheCat。
’Whatwasthechild’sname？’askedtheMouse。
’TopOff，’saidtheCatdrily。
’Topoff！’echoedtheMouse，’itisindeedawonderfulandcuriousname。Isitinyourfamily？’
’Whatisthereoddaboutit？’saidtheCat。’ItisnotworsethanBreadthief，asyourgodchildiscalled。’
NotlongafterthisanothergreatlongingcameovertheCat。ShesaidtotheMouse，’Youmustagainbekindenoughtolookafterthehousealone，forIhavebeenaskedasecondtimetostandgodmother，andasthischildhasawhiteringrounditsneck，I
cannotrefuse。’
ThekindMouseagreed，buttheCatslunkunderthetownwalltothechurch，andateuphalfofthepotoffat。’Nothingtastesbetter，’saidshe，’thanwhatoneeatsbyoneself，’andshewasverymuchpleasedwithherday’swork。WhenshecamehometheMouseasked，’Whatwasthischildcalled？’
’HalfGone，’answeredtheCat。
’Halfgone！whataname！Ihaveneverhearditinmylife。I
don’tbelieveitisinthecalendar。’
SoontheCat’smouthbegantowateroncemoreafterherlickingbusiness。’Allgoodthingsinthrees，’shesaidtotheMouse；’I
haveagaintostandgodmother。Thechildisquiteblack，andhasverywhitepaws，butnotasinglewhitehaironitsbody。Thisonlyhappensonceintwoyears，soyouwillletmegoout？’
’Topoff！Halfgone！’repeatedtheMouse，’theyaresuchcuriousnames；theymakemeverythoughtful。’
’Oh，yousitathomeinyourdarkgreycoatandyourlongtail，’
saidtheCat，’andyougetfanciful。Thatcomesofnotgoingoutintheday。’
TheMousehadagoodcleaningoutwhiletheCatwasgone，andmadethehousetidy；butthegreedyCatatethefateverybitup。
’Whenitisallgoneonecanbeatrest，’shesaidtoherself，andatnightshecamehomesleekandsatisfied。TheMouseaskedatonceafterthethirdchild’sname。
’Itwon’tpleaseyouanybetter，’saidtheCat，’hewascalledCleanGone。’
’Cleangone！’repeatedtheMouse。’Idonotbelievethatnamehasbeenprintedanymorethantheothers。Cleangone！Whatcanitmean？’Sheshookherhead，curledherselfup，andwenttosleep。
FromthistimeonnooneaskedtheCattostandgodmother；butwhenthewintercameandtherewasnothingtobegotoutside，theMouserememberedtheirprovisionandsaid，’Come，Cat，wewillgotoourpotoffatwhichwehavestoredaway；itwilltasteverygood。’
’Yes，indeed，’answeredtheCat；’itwilltasteasgoodtoyouasifyoustretchedyourthintongueoutofthewindow。’
Theystartedoff，andwhentheyreachedittheyfoundthepotinitsplace，butquiteempty！
’Ah，’saidtheMouse，’’nowIknowwhathashappened！Ithasallcomeout！Youareatruefriendtome！Youhaveeatenitallwhenyoustoodgodmother；firstthetopoff，thenhalfofitgone，then——’
’Willyoubequiet！’screamedtheCat。’AnotherwordandIwilleatyouup。’
’Cleangone’wasalreadyonthepoorMouse’stongue，andscarcelywasitoutthantheCatmadeaspringather，seizedandswallowedher。
Youseethatisthewayoftheworld。
