James Stephens

“ WHAT THE SNAKE SAW
A little girl and a big ugly man
Went down the road. The girl was crying
And asking to go home, but when she ran
He hit her on the head and sent her flying,
And called her a young imp, and said he'd break
Her neck unless she went with him, and then
He smacked her on the cheek.—I was a snake
At that time crawling through a robber's den,
And diamonds were sticking to my tongue—
(That's the best dodge) , but when I saw the way
He beat the little girl I up and flung
A stone at him. My aim was bad that day
Because I hit the girl ... and she did sing! ”

“ It is a very long time indeed since we read such a human, satisfying book. Every page contains some happy phrase or illuminating piece of character drawing."
SONGS FROM THE CLAY. Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d. net.
EVENING STANDARD.—"They have the sense of elfin mischief and keen spiritual sympathy with inarticulate nature which is so recognisable a feature of all Mr. Stephens's writings, prose and verse. Many of the poems are models of that simplicity which is the supreme art of poesy, and in all may be found an underlying verity, masked may be with smiles or tears." ”

“ THE PALL MALL GAZETTE.—"A wise, beautiful, and humorous book.... If you could have given Sterne a soul and made him a poet he might have produced The Crock of Gold."
THE DEMI-GODS. Crown 8vo. 5s. net.
STANDARD.—"The book is full of fine knowledge and fantasies in every shade of gaiety and gravity, and we would call its author a magician did we not feel that everything he writes is perfectly natural to him.... This book would prove, if proof were needed, that Mr. ”