The ordinary “Fairy Story” is a developed form of the “Folk-Lore” story. Instead of having the roughness, and naïve simplicity characteristic of primitive ways of story telling it has polish, and definite literary or moral purpose. It is not a mere wonder story told in the first person by some definite individual, and made by the exaggeration of an actual event. It is a written rather than a spoken story, based, in the remote past, on some actual event, but now told in the third person, and directed strongly to an artistic, literary purpose,—frequently to a moral purpose. In every way the best type of “Fairy Story” is a distinct advance towards developed story telling. _The Crow Child_ is not an actual “Fairy Story,” but it illustrates remarkably well the way in which “Fairy Stories” developed. Every event in _The Crow Child_ is strictly true, but much of the story appears to be based on magic. A true story of this sort, told in primitive times, and retold again and again, with new emphasis placed on the elements of wonder, would have developed into a pure story of wonder,—a “Fairy Story.” The author of this original, and modern, “Fairy Story,” Mary Mapes Dodge, was born in New York in 1838. For many years she was the efficient editor of _St. Nicholas_, a young people’s magazine of the highest type. In addition to her editorial work she wrote many books for young people, the most famous being _Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates_. She died in 1905. THE SOUL OF THE GREAT BELL By LAFCADIO HEARN Very often the earliest stories are not crude accounts of ordinary events, exaggerated enough to be worthy of note. They are poetic narratives founded on matters of deep significance in the life of a people. All primitive people are poetic, because they see the world through the eyes of emotion rather than of scientific understanding. They also have an instinctive recognition of fundamental nobility. Therefore we have such stories as the legends of Hiawatha, in which an ideal man is presented, bringing benefit to his kind. Any story that is handed down from generation to generation, and that presents as facts matters that have no other verification, is legendary. The highest type of legendary story is one that presents high ideals. The Chinese, whose literature is exceedingly ancient, have always been an idealistic people. It is not surprising that they should create such an appealing legendary tale as _The Soul of the Great Bell_. Although the elements are quite simple the story has been turned from being a simple account of tragic self-sacrifice, and has become an explanation of the music of the bell, as well as an example of filial devotion. The preservation of such stories shows natural appreciation of short story values.