Dewdrops from Fairyland - Illustrated by A. Duncan Carse

By Lucy M. Scott and A. Duncan Carse

Lucy M. Scott's collection of short stories, 'Dewdrops from Fairyland' was originally published in 1912. The stories were written by the author when she was just nine years old, produced sporadically and originally entitled 'Entirely Unaided'. This beautifully illustrated collection would make for ideal bedtime reading, and is highly recommended for those with a love of fairies and fairy tales. Contents include: 'Silver Wings' Visit to Earth', 'Tiger-Lily Sprite', 'The Last Bee of Summer', 'The Immortal Baby', 'The Witch and the Goblin', 'When the Sun and Moon Met', 'The First Rose Beetle', 'A Blackberry Tale', and 'Mrs. Nightingale's Evening Party'.

These tales are further enhanced by the wonderful watercolour illustrations of A. Duncan Carse - a lesser known though immensely accomplished artist and Golden Age illustrator. Although Carse provided the illustrations for Lucy M. Scott’s Dewdrops from Fairyland, it was his contributions to Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales that arguably solidified his reputation as an accomplished illustrator of children’s books.

Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s classics and fairy tales – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pook Press
• Release date: Jan 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781528782739

Book preview

SILVER WINGS’ VISIT TO EARTH

LONG, long ago when the stars were inhabited by fairies there lived a star-fairy named Silver Wings. Now, on her fifteenth birthday she was allowed to look right down into the world through the fairy telescope, and there—oh, what did she see? Houses upon houses. But such houses!—all blackened by the soot of the chimneys. Children, half naked, played in the muddy streets, and women stood gossiping on the doorsteps with screaming babies in their arms; men and women went into the public-houses and came rolling out again, spending their last penny on drink. The streets were so narrow that, if they would, the people of the top stories could reach across and shake hands with each other above the din and noise of the courts below. The windows of the houses had long been broken and stuffed up with rag and paper to prevent the wind from blowing in—which it did, nevertheless. Truly it was a dreadful sight! But this was only in the slums of London and other large towns.

The country was beautiful. Large oak and other trees gave a delightful shade, under which the people were only too thankful to rest, it being summer-time. There were also many large commons, with the pink heather in full bloom. Then she saw a different scene altogether. The wind came blowing and puffing across a wide, dreary, and sandy desert. Great pillars of sand rose, nearly blinding the Arabs travelling on camels, straining their eyes to see an oasis which they hoped they would soon come upon.

She turned the telescope towards the east, and saw women natives of Jamaica gathering bananas.

But I could fill a whole book if I were to tell you of the many sights that met her gaze. It is enough to say that, when she gave this marvellous telescope back, her mind was filled with wonders of all sorts. But one thing she could not get out of her mind—the fact that the poor children of the slums played in the dirty streets and rolled in the mud. This scene she could not forget. I wonder if I went down there I could do any good to them, she thought; and at last she determined to ask one of her star-fairy friends if it was possible for her to do so. The fairy was making little white snowdrops to send down into the world next spring, but she turned round now to look at little Silver Wings.

Whatever good do you imagine you could do? she asked. No, of course not, unless you asked the Wise Woman; she could get you down somehow, only she has to be paid.

I have heaps of gold buttercups and yellow crocuses, said Silver Wings earnestly.

Silly child! replied the other; "she does not want flowers, but something useful to her—your silver wings, I should think (they are pretty enough for anything), or your golden hair