"The Brownie's Story of the Brownie"

The following excerpt is "The Brownie's Story of the Brownie", from "The Book of the Brownies"(1902), an advertising booklet published by Kodak:

Once upon a time the Queen of the Fairies summoned the Chief of all the Brownies to her presence. "Good Brownie," said she, "for many years you have served me faithfully and well, and I now grant you one request- your heart's desire." Bowing low the Brownie pondered but a moment and then replied: "Give to me that which will bring back pleasures past and double pleasures present- that I may bestow it upon my earthly friends, the children." Waving once her magic wand, the Fairy Queen placed in the waiting Brownie's hands a box.

"Speed you back to earth again, and in a city near the great inland seas, you will find a man having power over light and darkness. Give to him this box, that he may reproduce it for the benefit of your children friends- all you ask for, and more, the box contains."

With box secure in his tiny arms the Brownie vanished and by means known to Brownies soon placed the box in the hands of the man by the inland seas.

As all good children know, mortals must heed the behest of the Fairy Queen, and so the magical box was reproduced again and again and scattered over the wide world wherever Brownie bands were found, to whisper in waiting ears the secret of the pleasures in the little black box.

This is the Brownie's Story of the Brownie- the little camera that has afforded pleasure and education to thousands of children and grown-ups the world over.