English Fairy Tales
'English Fairy Tales' Summary
The author himself states that it was his intention to create a book in which the stories would sound as if they were being narrated by an old nurse or grandmother. Hence, the style is simple, direct and like he states, meant to be read aloud and not visually. The original edition also included extensive notes on the source from which he collected the stories and reference material which is of great interest to folk-lore enthusiasts. Such was the impact of some of the stories that they are referenced in Shakespeare's plays and provided inspiration for poets like Milton.
The highlight of the book for serious readers is the elaborate footnotes which provide a great deal of information about different variants of these stories that are told in other parts of the world. One of the most attractive features in the book are the charming illustrations that accompany each tale.
The book is a delightful read for both parents and children. Apart from old favorites, there are many new tales which most people would not have encountered like “Nix Nought Nothing” “The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh” or “The Earl of Mar's Daughter.”
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1890Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Author
Joseph Jacobs
Australia
Joseph Jacobs (29 August 1854 – 30 January 1916) was an Australian folklorist, translator, literary critic, social scientist, historian and writer of English literature who became a notable coll...
More on Joseph JacobsDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
The Junior Classics Volume 6: Old-Fashioned Tales by William Patten
This collection of The Junior Classics is compiled from many wonderful authors including Alcott, Dickens, Hawthorne, and Carroll. The stories are suit...
The Red and the Black, Volume II by Stendhal
It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing through a combination of talent, hard work, decepti...
La Comédie Humaine: 03 - Scènes de la vie privée tome 3 by Honoré de Balzac
Ce n'était pas une petite tâche que de peindre les deux ou trois mille figures saillantes d'une époque, car telle est, en définitif, la somme des type...
Selected Works of E. Boyd Smith by E. Boyd Smith
The first story is Mr. Smith's version of the Story of Noah's Ark. He then tells us the story of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith. Next we join a hen...
The Green Millennium by Fritz Leiber
From the classic science-fiction and fantasy author Fritz Leiber comes this intriguing tale of a green cat. From the author's introduction: "The world...
The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories by Mark Twain
The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories (1906) is a collection of thirty comic short stories by the American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The stories...
Anthology of Magazine Verse for 1914 by William Stanley Braithwaite
Step into the poetic wonderland of 1914 with the Anthology of Magazine Verse, curated by the masterful wordsmith, William Stanley Braithwaite. Delve i...
Dot and the Kangaroo by Ethel C. Pedley
Dot and the Kangaroo is an 1899 Australian children's book written by Ethel C. Pedley about a little girl named Dot who gets lost in the Australian ou...
Las Fábulas de Esopo, Vol 3 by Aesop
The classic Aesop’s Fables have been translated to every language for hundreds of years. The fables, told in the form of allegories, give us universa...
To the lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the pages of "To The Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf. Written in 1927, this literary gem captures the essence...
Reviews for English Fairy Tales
No reviews posted or approved, yet...