As the title suggests, "From the Tower Window" is primarily the book of romantic as well as heroic adventure, and the design has been, first of all, to include in it stories from all the great national epics. As the folk tales reflect the commonplace, homely, everyday life of the various nations and peoples, so the highest, loftiest, noblest, most stirring and deeply moving thoughts of the peoples have been expressed in their various long epic poems. From generation to generation these tales were told or sung by wandering bards in hall and castle or to a crowd on the street, until at last some poet appeared of sufficient genius to write down the tale and give it permanent form in the peculiar style and rhythm of his own country. In these massive old epics, with their splendid seriousness and dignity, their rousing stir of activity, their rhythmic flow of line, their numberless passages of great and lofty beauty, we find the finest literature of each country.

From the Preface