The Red Fairy Book

Andrew Lang

Courier Corporation, Jan 30, 2013 - Juvenile Fiction - 384 pages

It is almost impossible to envision what childhood would be like without the enchanting world of fairyland. Three-headed trolls, horses that carry their masters up mountains of glass, giants and dwarfs, monsters and magicians, fairies and ogres — these are the companions who will thrill young boys and girls of all lands and all times, as Andrew Lang's phenomenally successful collections of stories have proved. From the day that they were first printed, the Lang fairy tale books of many colors have entertained thousands of boys and girls, as they have also brought pleasure to the many parents who have read these unforgettable classics to their children.
In addition to such familiar favorites as Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, The Ratcatcher (The Pied Piper), and Snowdrop (Snow White), The Red Fairy Book contains a wonderful collection of lesser-known tales from French, German, Danish, Russian, and Romanian sources. A tale from Norse mythology recounts the old story of Sigurd and Brynhild; tales by the great Madame d'Aulnoy include Graciosa and Percinet and Princess Rosette; lesser-known tales from Grimm's collection include The Three Dwarfs, Mother Holle, and The Golden Goose.
All in all, this collection contains 37 stories, all narrated in the clear, lively prose for which Lang was famous. Not only are Lang's generally conceded to be the best English versions of standard stories, his collections are the richest and widest in range. His position as one of England's foremost folklorists as well as his first-rate literary abilities makes his collections unmatchable in the English language. Includes 97 illustrations.

Contents

• The Twelve Dancing Prin Kari Woodengown: 189
• The Princess Mayblossom 13 The Ratcatcher: 208
• Soria Moria Castle 30 The True History of Little: 215
• The Black Thief and Knight The Three Dwarfs: 238
• The Master Thief 67 The Enchanted Canary: 257
• Brother and Sister 82 The Twelve Brothers: 274
• Princess Rosette 89 Rapunzel º e: 282
• The Norka 116 Farmer Weatherbeard: 294
• The Wonderful Birch 123 Mother Holle: 303
• The Little Good Mouse 146 Bushy Bride w: 322
• Graciosa and Percinet 158 Snowdrop e: 329
• The Three Princesses of The Golden Goose: 340
• The Voice of Death 182 The Marvellous Musician: 354

About the author

Andrew Lang was born at Selkirk in Scotland on March 31, 1844. He was a historian, poet, novelist, journalist, translator, and anthropologist, in connection with his work on literary texts. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy, St. Andrews University, and Balliol College, Oxford University, becoming a fellow at Merton College. His poetry includes Ballads and Lyrics of Old France (1872), Ballades in Blue China (1880--81), and Grass of Parnassus (1888--92). His anthropology and his defense of the value of folklore as the basis of religion is expressed in his works Custom and Myth (1884), Myth, Ritual and Religion (1887), and The Making of Religion (1898). He also translated Homer and critiqued James G. Frazer's views of mythology as expressed in The Golden Bough. He was considered a good historian, with a readable narrative style and knowledge of the original sources including his works A History of Scotland (1900-7), James VI and the Gowrie Mystery (1902), and Sir George Mackenzie (1909). He was one of the most important collectors of folk and fairy tales. His collections of Fairy books, including The Blue Fairy Book, preserved and handed down many of the better-known folk tales from the time. He died of angina pectoris on July 20, 1912.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Red Fairy Book; Dover Children's Classics
• Author: Andrew Lang
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Courier Corporation, 2013
• ISBN: 0486117545, 9780486117546
• Length: 384 pages
• Subjects: Juvenile Fiction / Classics; Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Country & Ethnic