Tales of the Peoples of the World

This book contains tales from various peoples of the world. Kind and terrifying, cheerful and sad, these stories reveal unimaginable mysteries, ancient customs, and true magic. Translations from English were done by Dmitry Mochnev, while the texts of Russian fairy tales are taken from the collection of the outstanding collector of Russian folklore Alexander Afanasyev. The tales are illustrated by American masters of book graphics from the 19th–20th centuries — George Carlson, Maurice Day, Rachel Elmer, and other artists.

The culture of each nation is unique and manifests itself in different forms. One of them is oral folk art, and above all, it is fairy tales. They capture the beauty of the people's traditions, their beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. For young readers, fairy tales will open the doors to the world of heroes, kings, and magical beings, while for adults, they provide a glimpse into how people perceived the universe centuries ago. This edition includes tales from various peoples of the world. Among them are Eskimo, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, Russian, Swiss, Dutch, Belgian, Irish, and Welsh tales. These are stories with which the modern domestic reader is little familiar. They tell of ancient events, remarkable miracles, and true nobility. The book is complemented by unique illustrations from American artists who worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

George Leonard Carlson (1887–1962) is known in the USA primarily as an illustrator of comics and children's books. He created numerous drawings for various texts, not only of his contemporaries but also of classic American literature. Nevertheless, he gained the greatest fame from a work written for adults: in 1936, he illustrated the cover for “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell.

Rachel Robinson Elmer (1878–1919) was born in Vermont into a family of an illustrator and an artist. Rachel learned to draw from childhood. After graduating from a private college, she began teaching at an art studio. At the age of twenty, Elmer moved to New York, where she became famous for her postcards. The cityscapes depicted in her unique style were magnificent. In addition, the artist engaged in illustrating books and magazines.

Maurice Ellicott Day (1892–1983) was born in the state of Maine. His ancestors had been involved in shipbuilding since the 17th century, but he did not follow in their footsteps — he preferred drawing. Day studied at the Massachusetts College of Arts, and after completing his studies, began his career as an artist. He collaborated with many magazines, including The Vanity Fair. Day also worked in animation. In 1936, he joined the animation company The Walt Disney Studios and became one of its first and most famous artists. One of his works was the animated feature “Bambi.” During that time, the artist spent several weeks in the forests of Vermont and Maine, photographing deer and the wilderness to portray them as realistically as possible in the animation.

All three artists share a love of illustration, a pursuit of accuracy in details, and impeccable mastery of various drawing techniques. Their works in this edition complement each other succinctly and adorn the texts of ancient fairy tales.