Pepper and Salt, or, Seasoning for Young Folk

Howard Pyle (1853-1911) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people, best known for his illustrations of pirates. Pyle is credited with creating the modern stereotype of pirate dress. His 1885 Pepper and Salt contains eight traditional stories written and illustrated by Pyle. It also contained 24 illustrated poems. These stories are told by a jolly old jester who lays aside his cap and bells and settles down to entertain the children. His tales are quite as fascinating as the famous ones of Grimm, and they are, besides, entirely new and original, with a whimsy of their own. Besides the stories there are many quaint verses, each pointed with a shrewd and comic moral, and bubbling with so genuine a humor that all children from seven to seventy will chuckle over them and want to memorize them to quote to their friends. The illustrations, drawn by one of the greatest illustrators who ever lived-the author himself-are both rollicking and lovely, and perfectly complete this gay and clever and altogether delightful book.