Unique Elements Detailed 20th-Century Historical Map A Treasured Classic! Synopsis: Swiss Fairy Tales is a collection of magical stories by American author William Elliot Griffis first published in 1920. Inside you will find tales including: How Swiss Fairy Tales Came to America - The Swiss Home Near Valley Forge - The Wonderful Alpine Horn - The Whimsical Avalanche - The Mountain Giants - The Dwarf and His Confectionery - Two Good Natured Dragons - The Frost Giants and The Sunbeam Fairies - The Fairy in The Cuckoo Clock - The Castle of the Hawk - The Yodel Carillon of the Cows - The Tailor and the Giant - The Dwarf's Secret - The Fairy of the Edelweiss - The Avalanche That Was Peace Maker - The Fairies and their Playground - The Kangaroo Poa - The Swiss Fairies in Town Meeting - The Palace Under the Waves - The Alpine Hunter and His Fairy Guardian - The Fairies' Palace Car - The White Chamois - The Siren of The Rhine - The Ass that Saw the Angel Excerpt: ‘ TWO GOOD NATURED DRAGONS The whole family of dragons, that are scattered all over the world, have a very bad reputation. It is said that they feed on fat girls, and will not taste anything but nice, tender, juicy maidens. If they try to eat old folks, and grown up people, they get a stomach ache at once. Then, it takes many bottles of medicine, besides keeping them a long time on a baby’s diet of milk and bread, while they are getting well, before they are in full health again. But when they regain their appetite, they roam around through the country, devouring maidens by the dozen. Then all the fathers, that have lovely daughters, must be on their guard. They keep their girls at home, for fear there will be none of them left. This habit of the dragons to relish, on their bill of fare, only lovely maidens, makes the brave young men want to fight and kill the monsters, because, with so few girls left, they fear that they may not be able to get wives, and, without these, they cannot have homes or be husbands. But the old dragons were foxy fellows, very cunning and crafty. So they kept out of the way of the knights and heroes, with their swords and spears, and arrows, and bow guns: and even from the fairies, who cast spells over them. It was only once in a while, that a lucky fellow, like Saint George, could stick his spear clear down the monster’s throat. It happened, only rarely, that one like Sigurd, the Norseman, or Susanoo, the Japanese, was able to slay one of the big, clumsy, crawling creatures, with their trusty swords. Happily there came, once in a while, a good natured dragon; that is, the right sort of a fellow, jolly in disposition, and kind to boys. Such a dragon would even invite a well-behaved man to take dinner with him, and even point out what food on the dragon’s table tasted best.’