On the Tree Top

"On the Tree Top" by Clara Doty Bates is a compilation of captivating children's stories and poems from the 1800s, designed to amuse and impart values to its young audience. The anthology presents celebrated folktales like "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Cinderella," and "Puss in Boots," filled with well-known personalities and enduring escapades. The book starts with "The Gold Spinner," which is a version of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, illustrating the troubles of a miller's daughter who must turn straw into gold for the king or suffer greatly. She gets help from a strange dwarf who wants her future child as payment. The story explores deals, the results of making promises, and eventual salvation, setting the scene for more charming and exciting stories in the collection.