THE TURNIP

From the poet's collection of literary retellings (Told Again, 1927, o.p.), the first half of one of the Grimms' shorter tales, extended into a classic story about two brothers, ``as different as chalk from cheese.'' The rich one is ``a mean and merciless greedyguts''; the poor, a paragon of generosity. How the younger is rewarded and the elder gets his comeuppance makes a satisfying tale, slightly pruned (as the publisher fails to note), and wisely amended by replacing the ``Jew'' who deals in gems with a ``man.'' Hawkes's bright, energetically mannered paintings, busily bordered with decorative details, nicely reflect de la Mare's wry wit. It's good to have a sampling of his worthy collection available in such attractive format. (Fiction. 6-10)