Fairy Tales

What do you do when you've completed a text of basic Latin grammar, but aren't ready yet for Cicero? For me, FAIRY TALES IN LATIN is a great solution: 1. I know the stories so well, they almost tell themselves. 2. I found myself breezing through grammar that gave me grief when I was learning it. I read right through the subjunctive, conditionals, and more without even realizing it! 3. The writers put to good use the repetition common to fairy tales by using different voices and vocabulary. 4. While you'll probably never again see a few of the new vocabulary (did the ancient Romans eat porridge?), there's *plenty* that you will. Word order is more English than Latin. But at this stage of the game, I think that's a good thing. The experts may hold a different opinion. All I know is that this book has solidified my ability to read selections that include many areas of grammar, and has expanded my vocabulary. There are no macrons in either the stories themselves or the glossary. Don't panic! It becomes easy fast. Hey, we'll have to face de-macroned Latin sometime :-) I just love that, with only a little effort, I can read through these stories. In Latin! Get this book.

I stumbled across this in a very broad search for any book in Latin. I viewed the sample pages and noticed it was pretty easy to understand right away. I could read most of it using the little Latin that I learned from Latin I. And by looking at the context, I could figure out some of the words I had not already known. But, to make things better, the book has a glossary/dictionary in the back with ALMOST all of the words used in the selections. I really enjoy this book. I take it to school (I'm a high school senior), in the van on long or short trips, or I just carry it around in my hands in case I ever get the urge to read a fairy tale in Latin. It is well worth the price my parents paid to get this as a Christmas present for me!One more thing. Before I used this book, I did not fully understand how the subjunctive worked, how to read "ut" in context (so that, in order that, etc), and I memorized a lot more of the passive verbs and their tenses. And now... I have a firm grip on the functions of the subjunctive and "ut"!

I teach Latin, and picked this book up to spice up the bonecrushing and endless grammar. The students (high schoolers) love it. Where else can you read "huffabo et puffabo et tuum domum inflabo"? (I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down.) It's fun because they already know the stories, and can fit the Latin to memories. So the grammar insinuates itself painlessly.But be warned, the first two little pigs DON'T survive. Disney lied.

This is a delightful collection of twelve well-known fairy tales rendered in impeccable Latin. The familiar content and avoidance of complicated syntax or difficult words make them a fine choice for intermediate students. To see Latin used playfully at a time when they're not ready for Ovid should be a treat after slogging through gerundives and the like. Barocas's translations have the virtue of skillfully employing syntax Latin students should be able to understand and recognize; there's a relative clause of purpose in the very first sentence, for example. Seeing the Latin form of a sentence whose meaning you essentially know is an effective way to learn how the language works. One last note: included as a bonus is a very complete glossary!

Victor Barocas does miraculous thing with the language here. Not only does he capture the imagery of the fairy tales presented, be he does so with perfect accuracy. There is no question; This is the authoritative work on the subject. I would recommend this book for anyone; From people with small children, to whom they wish to read in latin, to the adult student who wishes to see a prime example of the latin language in use. On a side note, the fairy tales presented here are fabulous. Thier moral imperatives, financial planning, and general life examples are touching for any generation.