A review by edders
Old Peter's Russian Tales by Arthur Ransome, Christina Hardyment

3.0

This is an entertaining mix of old fairytales - some myths, some fables, but most just stories set in traditional Russia. It would be very interesting to see Russian versions of these and compare them to Arthur Ransome's edition/translation - just how far has he Anglicised it all? How much of the style is his, and how much Russian? Is the setting (Old Peter and his grandchildren, Vanya and Maroosia) Ransome's or is it something older?

Not as dark or as blunt as Grimm's fairy tales, these are still at times pretty strange by English standards. Worth reading, as a child or an adult.