tone by discussing the nature of ballads and their historical context, explaining how the genre has largely declined in contemporary literature. Quiller-Couch organizes the ballads into thematic sections, starting with magical tales and proceeding through romance and historical narratives. He acknowledges his reliance on the foundational work of ballad scholars, emphasizing his aim to present a distilled version of these traditional stories, striking a balance between fidelity to the original texts and accessibility for modern readers. The introduction features several specific ballads, including "Thomas the Rhymer," highlighting their enchanting narratives and the universal themes of love, magic, and adventure. (This is an automatically generated summary.)