Many people in England have little knowledge of genuine 'English' fairy tales. The stories that many of us grew up with are from overseas: for example Snow White is German, Cinderella is French and Aladdin is Arabian. But folk tales and legends are an intrinsic part of English national culture and the author has revived our best tales for a new generation of readers. This terrific collection of 12 classic tales is a great introduction to the different types of traditional story and their place in English oral and written heritage. They include tales of giants, dragons, fairies, beauty-and-the-beast, and Arthurian Romance. Each tale is linked with a specific place or county in England: 'The Dragon Castle' from Northumberland, 'The Girl Snatched By Fairies' from County Durham, 'The Princess and the Fool' from Kent and 'The Dark Moon' from Lincolnshire. The book also includes notes on each story: the history and where it came from, its development and short summaries of many related or similar stories
In 1970 Katharine Briggs published in four volumes the vast and authoritative Dictionary of British Folktales and Legends to wide acclaim. This sampler comprises the very best of those tales and legends. Gathered within, readers will find an extravagance of beautiful princesses and stout stable boys, sour-faced witches and kings with hearts of gold. Each tale is a masterpiece of storytelling, from the hilarious 'Three Sillies' to the delightfully macabre 'Sammle's Ghost'.
A complete collection of much loved fairy tales, myths and legends, bound into a beautiful new edition. Whether you're searching for a sky-high beanstalk, a sleeping princess or a bewitched prince, you're guaranteed to find your favourite fairy tales right here. And no matter how the story starts, you'll always find your happy ending. Including Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, Cinderella, Jack and theBeanstalk, Rapunzel, Aladdin and many, many more.
Fearless heroes, feisty princesses, sly magicians, terrifying dragons, talking foxes and miniature dogs. They all feature in this enthralling compendium of Chinese fairy tales and legends, along with an array of equally colourful characters and captivating plots. Although largely unknown in the West, the 70-plus stories in this volume are just as beguiling as the more familiar Grimms' Fairy Tales or Arabian Nights. They were collected in the early 20th century by Richard Wilhelm and first translated into English by Frederick H Martens. This beautifully produced revised and edited new edition includes updated notes which not only provide background on the tales, but also offer a fascinating insight into ancient Chinese folk lore and culture. These are stories to return to time and time again. From awesome adventures to quirky allegories, from the exploits of the gods to fables about beggars who outwit their betters, Chinese Fairy Tales and Legends is extraordinarily diverse and endlessly engaging. These wonderful stories have enduring and universal appeal, and will intrigue both children and adults.
12 classic English fairy tales and their history, from tales of dragons to Robin Hood. Folk tales and legends are an intrinsic part of English national culture. In his book, Rosalind Kerven has revived the best English fairy tales for a new generation. These are stories of giants, dragons, fairies and Arthurian Romance. Together, they form a perfect introduction to the different types of traditional stories and their place in English oral and written heritage. Each tale is linked with a specific place or county in England: 'The Dragon Castle' from Northumberland, 'The Girl Snatched By Fairies' from County Durham, 'The Princess and the Fool' from Kent and 'The Dark Moon' from Lincolnshire. The book also includes notes on each story: the history and where it came from, its development and short summaries of many related or similar stories.
A stunning collection of English folklore featuring stories of beasts, giants, ghosts, saints, and the Devil, as well as moral tales and tales of origins. Master storyteller, social historian, and folklorist Sybil Marshall scoured English history to bring together a fascinating collection of folk tales in one glorious edition. Out-of-print for over thirty years, Overlook is re-issuing this bewitching book to enchant a new audience. From the great mass of folk tales that exists, Sybil Marshall has chosen a wide variety of stories, retelling them with wit and suspense. We have her tales of the little people and of giants, of the Devil and the saints, and supernatural and moral tales. Let Sybil Marshall lead you through the old English countryside, exploring the beliefs and legends of time gone by. This beautiful edition, complete with wood engraved illustrations by John Lawrence, will entertain, educate, and ensnare audiences of all ages. “A compilation of vivid, sometimes fearsome stories . . . The England we visit here has no afternoon teas or jolly rounds of cricket on lovely green lawns. In these pages, the sophisticated reader steps onto older, darker soil half-soaked in blood, superstition, and magic. . . . Wood engravings by John Lawrence deepen our sense of the blackened accretion of centuries in this fascinating collection.” —Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal
This volume contains 43 English folk and fairy tales. Stories like: “Tom Tit Tot”, “The Three Sillies”, “The Rose Tree”, “The Old Woman and Her Pig”, “How Jack Went to Seek His Fortune”, “Mr. Vinegar”, “Nix Nought Nothing” and many, many more. Many of the tales in this volume, as in similar collections from other European countries, are what the folklorists call Drolls, or a short comical sketch. They serve to justify the title of “Merrie England” and mostly originate from the puritan era (1649 – 1660), a title which used to be given to England, indicating the unsuspected capacity for fun and humour among the English. The story of Tom Tit Tot, which opens the collection, is unequalled among all other folk-tales, for its combined sense of humour and dramatic power. But why call them FAIRY STORIES? One cannot imagine a child saying, 'Tell me a folk-tale', or 'Another nursery tale, please, grandma'. The words 'Fairy Tales' must accordingly be taken to include tales in which occurs something 'fairy', something extraordinary--fairies, giants, dwarfs, speaking animals. It must be taken also to cover tales in which what is extraordinary is the stupidity of some of the actors, as is so common in moral tales. So take some time out and travel back to a period before television, or even radio for that matter, when families would gather around a crackling and spitting hearth and granddad or grandma, or an uncle or aunt, would delight and captivate their audience with stories passed on to them from their mothers, fathers and grandparents before them. YESTERDAY'S BOOKS FOR TODAY'S CHARITIES 10% of the PROFIT from the sale of this book will be donated to Charities. ================= TAGS: Fairytales, folklore, fairy, tales children’s stories, faerie, classic stories, English, England, faerie, tales, children, classic fairy tales, antique fairytales, something extraordinary, fairies, giants, dwarf, dwarves, speaking animals, grandma, grandpa, magical, comical, stupid, stupidity, morals, moral tales, old and forgotten, rare, prince's trust, Tom Tit Tot, Three Sillies, Rose Tree, Old Woman and Her Pig, How Jack Went to Seek His Fortune, Mr Vinegar, mister vinegar, mrs vinegar, Nix Nought Nothing, Jack Hannaford, Mouse and Mouser, Cap o' Rushes, cap o’,cap of rushes, Teeny-Tiny, Jack and the Beanstalk, Three Little Pigs, Master and His Pupil, Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse, Jack and his Golden Snuff-Box, Three Bears, goldilocks, Jack the Giant Killer, Henny-Penny, Childe Rowland, Molly Whuppie, Red Ettin, Golden Arm, Tom Thumb, Mr Fox, Lazy Jack, lazy,Johnny-Cake, Earl Mar's Daughter, Mr Miacca, Whittington and his Cat, Strange Visitor, Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh, Cat and the Mouse, Fish and the Ring, Magpie's Nest, Kate Crackernuts, Cauld Lad of Hilton, cold lad, Ass, Table, Stick, Fairy Ointment, Well at the World's End, Master of All, Three Heads of the Well,
From wicked queens, beautiful princesses, elves, monsters, and goblins, to giants, glass slippers, poisoned apples, magic keys, and mirrors, the characters and images of fairy tales have cast a spell over readers and audiences, both adults and children, for centuries. These fantastic stories have travelled across cultural borders, and been passed on from generation to generation, ever-changing, renewed with each re-telling. Few forms of literature have greater power to enchant us and rekindle our imagination than a fairy tale. But what is a fairy tale? Where do they come from and what do they mean? What do they try and communicate to us about morality, sexuality, and society? The range of fairy tales stretches across great distances and time; their history is entangled with folklore and myth, and their inspiration draws on ideas about nature and the supernatural, imagination and fantasy, psychoanalysis, and feminism. In this Very Short Introduction, Marina Warner digs into a rich hoard of fairy tales in all their brilliant and fantastical variations, in order to define a genre and evaluate a literary form that keeps shifting through time and history. Drawing on a glittering array of examples, from classics such as Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty, the Grimm Brothers' Hansel and Gretel, and Hans Andersen's The Little Mermaid, to modern-day realizations including Walt Disney's Snow White, Warner forms a persuasive case for fairy tale as a crucial repository of human understanding and culture. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Discover the magic of classic English folklore with "English Fairy Tales" by Flora Annie Webster Steel. Immerse yourself in a world of enchantment as timeless stories unfold, filled with mischievous sprites, valiant heroes, and wise old women. From the familiar to the forgotten, these tales capture the heart of English mythology. Let the enchanting voices of these characters transport you to a realm of wonder, where dreams take flight and wishes come true.
