harmingly
elaborated in Tieck's _Romantic Poems_, and a similar story appears in
a Swedish popular song, _Jungfrun i'Blaskagen_, in _Folkviser_ 3; 68,
69.

VI, VII. The Old Tale and the Modern Tale.

The old fairy tale is to be distinguished from the modern fairy tale.
Most of the tales selected have been old tales because they possess
the characteristics suited to the little child. The modern fairy tale
may be said to begin with Andersen's _Fairy Tales_.--Since Andersen
has been referred to frequently and as a study of _The Tin Soldier_
has already been given, Andersen's work can receive no more detailed
treatment here.--The modern fairy tale, since the time of Andersen,
has yet to learn simplicity and sincerity. It often is long and
involved and presents a multiplicity of images that is confusing. It
lacks the great art qualities of the old tale, the central unity and
harmony of character and plot. The _idea_ must be the soul of the
narrative, and the problem is to make happen to the characters things
that are expressive of the idea. The story must hold by its interest,
and must be sincere and inevitable to be convincing. It must
understand that the method of expression must be the method of
suggestion and not that of detail. The old tale set no boundaries to
its suggestion. It used concrete artistry; but because the symbol
expressed less it implied more. The modern tale is more definitely
intentional and it often sets boundaries to its suggestion because the
symbol expresses so much. Frequently it emphasizes the satiric and
critical element, and its humor often is heavy and clumsy. To be
literature, as has been pointed out, besides characters, plot,
setting, and dialogue, a classic must present truth; it must have
emotion and imagination molded with beauty into the form of language;
and it must have the power of a classic to bestow upon the mind a
permanent enrichment. Any examination of the modern fairy tale very
frequently shows a failure to meet these requirements.

The modern tale is not so poor, however, when we mention such tales as
Lewis Carroll's _Alice in Wonderland_, Oscar Wilde's _Happy Prince_,
Alice Brown's _Gradual Fairy_, Frances Browne's _Prince Fairyfoot_,
Miss Mulock's _Little Lame Prince_, Barrie's _Peter Pan_, Jean
Ingelow's _Mopsa, the Fairy_ and _The Ouphe in the Wood_, Field's _The
Story of Claus_, Stockton's _Old Pipes and the Dryad_, Kingsley's
_Water Babies_, Ruskin's _King of th