How was the blessed sunshine to be thrown into them ? But Eustace told me that these myths were the most singular things in the world , and that he was invariably astonished , whenever he began to relate one , by the readiness with which it adapted itself to the childish purity of his auditors . The objectionable characteristics seem to be a parasitical growth , having no essential connection with the original fable . They fall away , and are thought of no more , the instant he puts his imagination in sympathy with the innocent little circle , whose wide-open eyes are fixed so eagerly upon him . Thus the stories -LRB- not by any strained effort of the narrator 's , but in harmony with their inherent germ -RRB- transform themselves , and re-assume the shapes which they might be supposed to possess in the pure childhood of the world . When the first poet or romancer told these marvellous legends -LRB- such is Eustace Bright 's opinion -RRB- , it was still the Golden Age . Evil had never yet existed ; and sorrow , misfortune , crime , were mere shadows which the mind fancifully created for itself , as a shelter against too sunny realities ; or , at most , but prophetic dreams to which the dreamer himself did not yield a waking credence . Children are now the only representatives of the men and women of that happy era ; and therefore it is that we must raise the intellect and fancy to the level of childhood , in order to re-create the original myths . I let the youthful author talk as much and as extravagantly as he pleased , and was glad to see him commencing life with such confidence in himself and his performances . A few years will do all that is necessary towards showing him the truth in both respects . Meanwhile , it is but right to say , he does really appear to have overcome the moral objections against these fables , although at the expense of such liberties with their structure as must be left to plead their own excuse , without any help from me . Indeed , except that there was a necessity for it -- and that the inner life of the legends can not be come at save by making them entirely one 's own property -- there is no defense to be made . Eustace informed me that he had told his stories to the children in various situations -- in the woods , on the shore of the lake , in the dell of Shadow Brook , in the playroom , at Tanglewood fireside , and in a magnificent palace of snow , with ice windows , which he helped his little friends to build . His auditors were even more delighted with the contents of the present volume than with the specimens which have already been given to the world . The classically learned Mr. Pringle , too , had listened to two or three of the tales , and censured them even more bitterly than he did THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES ; so that , what with praise , and what with criticism , Eustace Bright thinks that there is good hope of at least as much success with the public as in the case of the `` WonderBook . '' I made all sorts of inquiries about the children , not doubting that there would be great eagerness to hear of their welfare , among some good little folks who have written to me , to ask for another volume of myths . They are all , I am happy to say -LRB- unless we except Clover -RRB- , in excellent health and spirits . Primrose is now almost a young lady , and , Eustace tells me , is just as saucy as ever . She pretends to consider herself quite beyond the age to be interested by such idle stories as these ; but , for all that , whenever a story is to be told , Primrose never fails to be one of the listeners , and to make fun of it when finished . Periwinkle is very much grown , and is expected to shut up her baby house and throw away her doll in a month or two more .
Sweet Fern has learned to read and write , and has put on a jacket and pair of pantaloons -- all of which improvements I am sorry XXXXX .
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