Résumé de Contes de fées suisses

À qui s’adresse-t-il ?

You will love this book if you enjoy mountain scenery, cows with names, clever tailors, kind dwarfs, and fairies with opinions. It suits families who read aloud and lovers of folklore.

De quoi parle ce livre ?

What would you choose if three cups stood before you, one red for strength, one green for gold, and one white for music? A shepherd boy named Perrod faces that choice in a mountain chalet at night, in the first fairy tale of this collection. His answer gives the Swiss their Alpine horn.

Swiss Fairy Tales was gathered by William Elliot Griffis, an American minister and writer who heard the stories from his grandmother and her sisters. He wrote them down for children, and for grown people who still remember being children. Each tale explains something Swiss, such as the horn, the cuckoo clock, or the edelweiss.

Questions about Contes de fées suisses

What is Swiss Fairy Tales by William Elliot Griffis about?

It is a collection of Alpine legends and fairy tales about dwarfs, giants, dragons, water spirits, and flower fairies. Each story explains something Swiss, such as the Alpine horn, the cuckoo clock, edelweiss, or cheese, and many carry a plain moral.

Where did the stories in Swiss Fairy Tales come from?

Griffis says he heard them from his Swiss American grandmother and her sisters, who learned them from Swiss parents near Valley Forge. He adds chapters on mountain life, custom, and history, and tells everything in a lively storyteller's voice.

Why is the edelweiss so important in the book?

The book makes edelweiss a brave fairy dressed in white flannel to defy the Frost Giants. Its name means noble white, and it stands for purity, faithful love, and a nation that holds its ground against invaders.

Is Swiss Fairy Tales easy to read aloud?

Yes, in the sense that the tales are short, funny, and full of concrete pictures like cows with bells, a clever tailor, and an angel-seeing donkey. Griffis speaks directly to young listeners and keeps the stories moving.

What lessons do the tales teach?

They stress kindness to animals and small creatures, keeping promises, avoiding greed and drink, and using wit instead of force. Several also say that wonder and faith deserve respect, even in an age of railways and science.