1910 British Century Classic Fairy Tale The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby
The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by Charles Kingsley. Written between 1862–63 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. The work was immensely popular in Britain and has remained a staple of British children's literature for decades.
The protagonist is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who is constantly beaten and scolded by his master. One day, he encounters a mermaid named Ellie, who was once from a high-society family but was cast out and fell into the river, transforming into a mermaid. After being taken in by the mermaids, Tom, once a dirty and poor child, transforms into a clean and joyful water-baby, capable of living both on land and in water, and embarks on a series of wondrous underwater adventures.
The author of this book, Charles Kingsley, was a clergyman renowned for his classic fairy tales. "Water-Babies" is a work of remarkable freshness and fluidity, with "the scent of sea air emanating from every page." In 1906, Oxford University in the UK even selected it as a textbook for children.
With exaggerated techniques, rich imagination, and vivid prose, he portrays various human characteristics in a uniquely creative way, which is rare in typical fairy tale themes. His writing is akin to our own folk legends.
On the last page of the book, the author humorously wrote:
But remember anyway, as I told you at first, that this is all a fairy tale, and only fun and pretence: and, therefore, you are not to believe a word of it, even if it is true.
The binding is complete with no missing pages, making it suitable for reading. The content is interspersed with numerous small illustrations. This early 20th-century children's literature, with its hundred-year history, is exceptionally precious and worth collecting.
Dimensions: 18.7*13.2cm
Year: 1910
Condition: Good. As mentioned, antique books inevitably bear traces of history. Please purchase only if you can accept this.
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- The author of this book, Charles Kingsley, was a clergyman renowned for his classic fairy tales. "Water-Babies" is a work of remarkable freshness and fluidity, with "the scent of sea air emanating from every page." In 1906, Oxford University in the UK even selected it as a textbook for children.
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