Clever Gretchen and other forgotten folktales Book

This collection is a short introduction to lesser known folktales. Lurie's commentary is minimal--all she really does is tell you where the tale comes from. After reading this, I suggest you check out the source the tale comes from. The final tale is "Tomlin" based on the ballad "Tamlin," which is much different experience than the prose version. I'd check this out for the inclusion of Cap O'Rushes alone. Cap O'Rushes is a variant of Cinderella (and similar to King Lear) about a maiden cast out by her father when she says she loves him as fresh meat loves salt. The story does not rely on demonizing a stepmother, and the main character really shines as a clever, compassionate woman.