Bards and Sages Publishing, $3.00
Folklore and Mythology, 2008

Folklore and Fairy Tales of the East is a short collection of selected fairy tales from China, India, Japan, Persia, the Philippines, and Tibet. It’s a short and breezy read, but I’m left somewhat confused as to what the purpose of this collection is.

As a cozy read, perhaps? But I doubt many people will find this a cozy read due to the opaque imagery and metaphors that present in these stories. Is this a third-party resource for dungeon masters seeking inspirations for their next Dungeons & Dragons 3.5th edition games?

What this compilation is missing, in my opinion, is a simple introduction by Ms Dawson to explain the purpose of this compilation, if a short preface before each story to explain the cultural significance behind each story is too much to ask. Perhaps there is a moral message in each story? Or do the animals or the developments in a fairy tale represent something relevant to the culture of the people of that era?

Of course, you can also argue that it is up to the reader to analyze these stories, and I may agree with you if this collection is clearly marked for the purpose of literary study. I also feel that Ms Dawson could have done a little more, or inserted some extra-value content, if you will, like the prefaces that I have mentioned. This will make the compilation feel more complete and well worth the $3.00 spent. As it is, this PDF file I’ve purchased from DriveThruRPG doesn’t even come with a cover, much less an introduction or chapter prefaces that I have come to expect from a typical compilation or anthology.