Reading this book you will understand why it is said that fairytales are not primarily for children. The works in this collection - each a rendition of Czech folklore - will mystify you and carry you magically to a deeper version of reality.

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We are very blessed that this classic of Czech folk literature has finally been translated for us into English. The translation is good, and in this book we can get a taste of Slavic folklore. Originally this was a work of scholarship. Karel Jaromir Erben gathered his nation's folktales and presented them in a collection. His presentation of them however was so poetic that the book became a work of folk art in itself.

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I believe reading folklore is one of the best ways to explore a nation's spirit and mind. The works gathered in this book will take you back in time, and into a different culture. It is a dark and atmospheric experience, touching on death, religion and the afterlife. These stories are spooky in the wonderful sort of way.