old, classic Swedish stories (early 1900's) ( )

Originally published in 1924 as Sagan om den lilla hinden ("The Story of the Little Hind"), this sweet little picture-book presents a story within a story, as a little girl and her artist grandfather sit down to create a fairy-tale of their own, coming up with this original saga of Rosalind and her cervine companion. When Rosalind's deer is frightened away by a hunter, the little girl is distraught, and the repentant hunter vows to track down her companion. This proves more complicated that at first expected, as the deer has been captured and imprisoned by a nearby king. After both spending some time in the king's dungeon, due to their efforts to free the deer, the hunter and Rosalind (together with the deer) escape to the peace of the woods...

Although I think Rosalind and the Little Deer may be the weakest story I have yet read from celebrated Swedish children's author and artist Elsa Beskow - it cannot be an accident that it has only recently been translated into English - I enjoyed it all the same, primarily for the lovely artwork, and for the depiction of a young girl's flight of fancy. Beskow depicts Rosalind as a visual counterpart to the young girl in the framing device at the beginning - the little girl who is, together with her grandfather, creating the story - and I think we are meant to understand that she represents the little girl, who has imagined herself into a fairy-tale adventure. Thus the story, although a little weak as a fairy-tale, has added appeal as a depiction of a young girl's imaginative world. The visuals, as one would expect from Beskow, are beautiful, with a particularly adept use of color, and charming human characters. Recommended to all Elsa Beskow fans, as well as to young readers who dream of starring in their own fairy-tale. ( )