A BOOK OF MAGIC ANIMALS

The poor third son who marries the princess. . . the poor peasant cheated of his magic gift by an innkeeper. . . the abused stepdaughter. . . the enchanted prince transformed by love: all of these old fairy tale friends are aided here by magic animals (a hump-backed horse, a short-toothed dog, a dolphin) and in a few of the ten tales animals are themselves the heroes. It's a traditional collection, fluent as are all Manning-Sanders' retellings, but without the bite of her demons, trolls and goblins.