'Halloween' is short for 'All Hallows Eve'. The USA used to spell it as 'Hallowe'en.' This anthology, which first came out in 1935, uses that earlier spelling, so please don't think the word isn't spelled correctly in the list of the stories and poems this book includes. Ms. Harper used an asterisk to mark stories she considered '...especially suited to the enjoyment of younger children' and I've got them here, too. Why list the stories? Because that's what I'd want to know before I buy an anthology online. This book had been an old library favorite of mine before I was able to buy a used copy -- back in the days before we had the Internet to help us buy out-of-print books.

According to the introduction, parents, teachers, and librarians could use the stories in this book throughout the year. A few of them aren't socially acceptable now, unless the person doing the reading aloud makes changes. One of the things I like about this book (besides still finding it enjoyable even though I'm a middle-aged adult), is that the stories come from other countries instead of just the United Kingdom and France.

The origin of the stories is as given in the book except for changes to no-longer acceptable terms. I've written a brief description under each title. I know there was a later edition with a different illustrator because I photocopied the only two illustrations I liked from it and glued them into my copy. I don't remember if that later edition has exactly the same stories.

'Hallowe'en' by Molly Capes (poem)
Going door to door yelling "trick or treat!" isn't part of the description.

'The Ghost of the Great White Stag' by Arthur C. Parker (American Indian/Native American folk tale)
Good, spooky tale of treachery and retribution among the fur-folk and the feather-folk. It's one of my favorites in this collection.

'The Hungry Old Witch' by Charles J. Finger (South American legend)
A young man and woman try to escape the clutches of a ravenous old witch.

*'The Conjure Wives' by Frances G. Wickes (tale from the USA's Old South)
Written in dialect, this is a tale of greedy African-American women preparing to weave spells on Hallowe'en. They don't want to feed the stranger knocking at their door.

*'Someone' by Walter de la Mare (poem)
It's night and there's a mysterious caller.

'Ah Tcha the Sleeper' by Arthur B. Chrisman (Chinese folk tale)
Tale of a rich orphan boy who unknowingly angers a witch. Contains what is said to be a reliable method for frightening a Chinese dragon. This is an origin story for tea. It's one of my favorites in this collection.

*'The Woodman and the Goblins' by J. B. Esenwein and Marietta Stockard (story from Scotland)
Nice old woodman should not have tried to hatch those eggs he found in the forest.

*'The King o' [of] the Cats' by Joseph Jacobs (Old English folk tale)
A sexton tells his wife about a strange thing that happened while he was digging a grave. Their cat is listening.

'The Enchanted Cow' by Mary G. Davis (a tale of Old Italy)
A young man must save his beloved from a wicked witch

'Peter and the Witch of the Wood' by Anna Wahlenberg (Old Swedish tale)
Will Peter commit an evil deed in order to save a princess from a witch? It's one of my favorites in this collection.

'The Goblin of the Pitcher' by Alida S. Malkus (Mayan folk tale)
The imp in the pitcher is too shy to let himself be seen, but once...

''Tamlane' by Joseph Jacobs (Old English folk tale)
A maiden must save her beloved from the elves.

*'The Ghosts of Forefathers' Hill' by Raymond W. Alden
A charming story about a 10 year-old girl named Betty whose wish comes true. It's one of my favorites in this collection.

*'The Shadow People' by Francis Ledwidge (poem)
A child sees the shadow people but isn't believed.

*The Black Cat of the Witch-Dance-Place' by Frances J. Olcott (Old German folk tale)
A girl is fool enough to try a charm by moonlight

*Tompson's Hallowe'en' by Margaret and Mary Baker
A witch's cat doesn't believe in charms.

*''So-Beé-Yit' by Maynard Dixon (American Indian/Native American story)
A Native American lad takes a foolish dare against the Big Medicine Rock.

'The Old Hag of the Forest' by Seumas MacManus (Irish folk tale)
A lovely princess is the prize for the man who can beat three giants.

'The Ghost Wife' by Charles A. Eastman (Sioux folk tale)
This is a story of love lasting beyond the grave

*'The Old Witch' by Joseph Jacobs (Old English folk tale)
A witch who isn't wicked gets robbed and slandered

*'Wait Till [Until] Martin Comes' by Frances G. Wickes (tale from the USA's Old South)
A preacher takes refuge in an empty house that doesn't stay empty.

*'The Wishing-Well' by Maud Lindsay and Emilie Poulsson
This is a tale of greed and generosity and what happens to the wishers.

'The Witch's Shoes' by Frances J. Olcott (wonder tale from Scotland)
This story is about two brothers, their oblivious employer, and his wife.

'Old Man Gully's Hant [Haunt]' by Sarah J. Cocke (tale told by African-American women of the USA's Old South)
I don't know if they still tell this story. It's written in dialect, has one use of the "N" word and a racist portrayal of the African-American hired hand. The best I can say about it is that the white master and mistress don't come off well, either.

*'A Hallowe'en Story' by Margaret Widdemer (poem)
A sister tells her siblings a ghost story.

'The Witch of Lok Island' by Elsie Masson (folk tale of Brittany)
Enjoy a story where the heroine saves the hero. When I was trying to remember folk or fairy tales in which the heroine wasn't imprisoned or in peril until rescued, this one came to mind. It's one of my favorites in this collection.

*'The Great White Bear' by Maud Lindsay
Two boasters get caught out.

'The Ghosts of Kahlberg' by Bernard Henderson (wonder tale from Alsace-Lorraine)
The Langebergs of Kahlberg never forgive an injury nor forget a friend

'The Wonderful Lamb' by Nandor Pogany (Old Hungarian legend)
If a princess doesn't laugh, she'll die.

*''Teeny-Tiny' by Joseph Jacobs (Old English folk tale)
A very small woman makes a discovery on a churchyard grave.

I like Wilfred Jones' illustrations, which is why I wasn't happy to find them replaced in a different neighborhood library's later edition. (I was an Air Force brat, so I spent my childhood being moved around. It was pretty disappointing when the new library didn't have some of my favorites that were in the old one.) Most of these stories should still entertain children today. I'd also recommend this collection to adults who enjoy folk tales. ( )