Northern European Mythology
The Key of Gold: Czech Folk Tales: Preface
THE present collection has been selected from the following sources:
V. Vondrák, Několik pohádek z Dubu u Vodňan (S. Bohemia), in "Český Lid," xiii.
V. Tille, Povídky sebrané na Valas̃sku (S. Moravia). "Národopisný sborník českoslovanský," Svazek vii. Prague, 1901.
Elpl, Řada pohádek a pověstí nasbíraných Lís̃ni u Brna (Moravia).
B. M. Kulda, Morayské národní pohádky a pověsti, i. (Prague, 1874). From Moravia.
The first two stories ("Twelve Months," "Víťazko") have been retold by the novelist Božena Němcová (from the Slovak).
My translation could not be, of course, a literal one, because many phrases in the
original might seem strange to the English reader's ear.
Finally, I wish to express my thanks to Miss Eleanor Hull and Mr. Robin Flower for revising my English.
JOSEF BAUDIŠ.
LONDON, October 1917.