Favorite Medieval Tales

by Mary Pope Osborne, Troy Howell (Illustrator)

1 Finn Maccoul - Boy eats magic salmon for Irish poetry, weds girl evil Druid transformed to doe.
2 Beowulf - He slays Grendel for besieged King Hothgar of Denmark but monster mother leaves marsh for revenge.
3 Sword in the Stone - Boy Merlin tells evil king, red dragon slain is his future, hides son Arthur for Uther.
4 Island of the Lost Children - Griffin flies Dutch Prince Hagen to isle with Hilda and princesses.
5 Roland - Count Ganelon from Charlemagne in France, betrays to pagan Spaniards, who flee when devout Roland sounds horn
6 Werewolf - Faithless wife hides clothes so Sir Marrok stays animal.
7 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Youngest Camelot knight beheads green bearded stranger with own axe, after promising to allow return on New Year Day.
8 Robin Hood and his Merry Men - archer disguised in red beggar robes and eye patch contests for Sheriff's gold arrow.
9 Chanticleer and the Fox - Fable where fox captures rooster by flattery.

Genres: Medieval, Fairy Tales, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Picture Books, Childrens, Mythology

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

We really enjoyed this one. I loved the illustrations that reminded me of illuminated manuscripts. The stories were good and the history of each one was fascinating.

[R. G. Nairam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, first 5-star book of the year...figures you'd be children's, history, and J398.

I loved this. The tales were very succinct, from the ones I was familiar with (Beowulf, Robin Hood, Roland, Gawain) were loyal depictions in a short space. The ones I wasn't familiar with I want to look up, especially Finn Maccoul. I found the prose very readable. A good introduction.

I especially liked, however, the focus on language Osborne brings up in the introduction. I further liked the background information after the stories (pretty accurate!), and explanation of the illustrations and how the illustrator took medieval elements as inspiration. Each story has one full page illustration and lovely title page.

I think it would work well for introducing kids to these stories, and a discussion of the supplementary elements in the beginning and the back will also start them on the way to understanding the history that the stories come from.

I want one.

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork in this book. We read this aloud during our morning tea time and it was a very enjoyable blast. Glad we took the hot second to read it.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done. Not only did this transport the reader to another era, it does so with ease. The layout and design fit the subject.

In addition to the 9 tales, there are several supporting elements
-- an introduction
-- notes on the stories
(background info about each tale, Story Forms of Medieval Times, Some Early Peoples of W Europe, Time Periods, Words Related to Medieval Times, The Evolution of the English Language)
-- an artist's note
-- a bibliography
-- and an index

Each tale begins with a quote from the time period. This example is from the intro page for Beowulf:
Tha com of more under mist-hleothum
Grendel gongan, Godes Erre Baer

Fortunately, MPO translated this word jumble from old English to modern English:
Then up from the marsh,
under misty cliffs,
Grendel came walking;
He bore God's wrath

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable collection! Definitely got me interested in reading some of the epics in their entirety, such as "The Song of Roland" as well as getting back to "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" (set aside awhile ago and now hopelessly buried in a to-pick-up-again-soon stack). Nice retelling of Beowulf makes me want to revisit that one, too! Favorite new-to-me story was the "Island of Lost Children" for sure.

This is a wonderful resource to add to a study of the Middle Ages! Will be saving this one to enjoy again and again. 💙

[Lee]

I wasn't expecting to care much about this book, but it's actually a nice collection of early/classic/often studied literature that's translated into easily readable language.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

All are optimistic, except Roland ends in tears. Illustrations suit stained glass monk manuscript origins. Language is simple. Beowulf movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaShOr... is tragic version, where "sins of the fathers" Christianity and demons overtake pagan king.
This sneaky Sir Kay is more believable than T.H. White's in Sword in the Stonehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... There Sir Ector directs son to replace weapon. Only Art can pull out. Here Kay apologizes after being found out.
1 Finn Maccoul - Boy eats magic salmon for Irish poetry, weds girl evil Druid transformed to doe Changed back, she protects boy till age seven, leaves Oisin (means fawn) for Finn.
2 Beowulf - He slays Grendel for besieged King Hothgar of Denmark but monster mother leaves marsh for revenge. After slaying mother, he returns with treasure, peace, to long wise reign.
3 Sword in the Stone - Boy Merlin tells evil king, red dragon slain is his future, hides son Arthur for Uther. When grown, Merlin puts sword in stone, Art pulls out.
4 Island of the Lost Children - Griffin flies Holland Prince Hagen to isle with Hilda and princesses, dons armor washed ashore to fight. Rescued by enemy, golden cross birthmark reveals identity, gains peace.
5 Roland - Count Ganelon from Charlemagne in France, betrays to pagan Spaniards, who flee when devout Roland sounds horn Charlesmagne comes too late, Roland and his forces all dead.
6 Werewolf - Faithless wife hides clothes so Sir Marrok stays animal. Wolf follows king tamely till bites off nose of remarried wife. Wise man advises imprison couple for confession. Clothes restore man.
7 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Youngest Camelot knight beheads green bearded stranger with own axe, after promising to allow return on New Year Day. After wandering the year to castle, Gawain rejects wife's advances but does accept sash of protection. Green giant is her husband who rewards chastity, takes only few drops blood punishment for love of life. Chapel in picture is cave in text.
8 Robin Hood and his Merry Men - archer disguised in red beggar robes and eye patches contests for Sheriff's gold arrow. Wins.
9 Chanticleer and the Fox - Fable where fox captures rooster by flattery. Rooster escapes by encouraging boast.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a marvelous collection of nine Medieval tales from Ireland, Britain, Germany, Scandinavia, and France. This collection is particularly fascinating due to the in depth research and source details the author includes. The introduction itself is richer than many average collections of tales include. Osbourne goes into the earliest history known about this area of the world, the evolution of its written word and religions, and quite a lot about the evolution of English as a language. She explains that the tales she chose illustrate this journey language made over time, and it is what ultimately unites the collection and determines the order the tales are arranged.

Each tale begins with an excerpt from the tale's original language, be it Old English, Middle English, Old Irish, Old Welsh, Old French, Middle High German, or Latin. A modern English translation follows. The stories are beautifully and lyrically told. While they are longer at 5-10 pages each, there is a great sense of epic adventure to each, making them suitable for grades three and up. Familiar tales included are "The Sword In the Stone", "Robin Hood and His Merry Men", and "Beowulf".
Tales particularly good for storytelling are "Finn MacCoul", "Island of the Lost Children", and "The Sword In The Stone".

Additional information in the back makes this collection even more impressive, with a very detailed section dedicated to source notes for each tale, another about story forms of Medieval times, information on the groups of people living in Western Europe at the time, the time periods that the tales emerged during, vocabulary related to Medieval times, more information of the evolution of the English Language, a time line of pertinent history, and even an artist's note about medieval art. A fascinating collection.

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these stories and I even found a few new ones for my collection of medieval tales. Beowulf, The Sword in the Stone and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are definitely on my top all time favorite medieval tales. The illustrations are beautiful, the stories are classic, and the author's notes are interesting.

Some of the author's notes:
Ballad- Poetry put to music and sung by troubadours and minstrels. "Robin Hood and His Merry Men" was first told in ballad form.
Chanson De Geste- Early French epic, or a "song of great deeds," which reflects ideals of chivalry. The Song of Roland is the most famous chanson de geste.
Fable- A story about legendary people (or animals) that makes a moral point. The story of "Chanticleer and the Fox" is an example of a fable.
Heroic Epic- A narrative poem that celebrates a real or legendary hero. Gundrun, the source of "Island of the Lost Children," and Beowulf are heroic epics.
Lay- A short romantic poem, not a song. "The Werewolf" was included in a collection of lays (lais in French) by Marie de France.
Legend- A story passed down orally from generation to generation about historical heroes. The story of "Fin MacCoul" is a famous Celtic legend of old Ireland.
Romance- A story containing chivalry, mystery, and antasy. These first appeared in Old French, a language derived from Latin (a "Roman" language, hence "romance"). "The Sword in the Stone" and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are called Arthurian romances though their original sources include English and Latin writing.

[The Unicorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was first published in 1999, though asides from The Sword in the Stone, I never properly read through ALL of the stories before reading through it this month.

The writing is really dry, which is must be why I had a hard time jumping into the stories before, though it clearly was written for younger readers being introduced to Medieval English folklore (as evident of the footnotes and term definitions). Moving past that, these particular interpretations of stories a reader might or might not have heard before are fascinating at its core, and it is obvious a lot of love and passion for English literature and storytelling went into the writing.

With the exception of The Song of Roland (which bored me to tears), each story brought out a strong reaction with each dramatic turn of the plot. This version of The Sword in the Stone brings in a new element that I have never encountered in any other adaptation— beginning the story with Merlin's childhood. It also occurred to me until reading this interpretation that Robin Hood and the Merry Men might have been history's first gangsters.

Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a starting point for, or needing a quick overview of, English folklore; each story averages at about 6 pages, and includes at least one illustration and a lay (song, or short romantic poem) with both original language form (i.e. Old English, Middle High German, Latin) and its modern English translation, plus plenty of notes addressing notable facts about their origins.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of nine classic mythological tales, mostly from the British Isles, 'Favorite Medieval Tales' is a great read for late elementary-aged students and children interested in folkore. It is also a good example of the ways in which languages change, as each tale begins with an excerpt in the original language (Old Irish, Old English, Latin, Middle High German, Old French, and Middle English to be specific) translated to Modern English. The decorations and illustrations by Troy Howell are influenced by medieval art and provide readers further engagement with traditional methods of portrayal and symbolism. The book also includes valuable elements in the author's and illustrator's notes, notes on the stories, chronology bibliography and index. Surely a great resource for students especially interested in traditional mythology.

The date recorded for my finishing this book is an approximate guess, as I know I read it some time last year in preparation for including it in a lesson plan I was writing at the time.

[Liss Carmody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly good. Written for an elementary-middle schooler audience, these are European literature classics from the early- to mid-middle ages, drawn from a variety of sources. Osborne hits the expected highlights - King Arthur, Robin Hood, Chaucer - but also delves into the literary, mythological, and slightly obscure with adaptations of Beowulf, Finn MacCoul, Gawain, Roland, and even Marie de France's The Werewolf. The adaptations are nicely done, easily understood but also clearly referential to their source work, and the whole book is elegantly pulled together with original art thoughtfully designed for each piece and title pages adorned with a snippet of the original work as well as a modern English translation. Honestly this is impressive enough that I might be adding a copy to my children's shelves, which as an English literature wonk is about the highest compliment I can pay.

[Josette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a treasure! We are studying the Middle Ages right now and this book has a number of legends from this time period, re-told for children. Each tale begins w/ an excerpt from the story in the language it was originally written (Ie., Old French, Old/Middle English, Latin, etc.), along side the same excerpt in modern English. AT the end of the book, there are notes about the story (when it was probably written, by whom, etc.), some info. about the development of the English language, info. about the peopples of northern Europe, a glossary, and a timeline. So much good stuff! This is great for grade school age students (but I've enjoyed reading the legends myself). I wish there were more illustrations, but the ones that are there are lovely. A real gem!

[Melody Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are faced with having to read Beowulf or the ancient poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, beef up your background knowledge with this collection of stories which simplify the old writings, giving an overview of the works. Of course, this is meant to provide young people with background knowledge of the middle ages, but it could also be a preparatory reading to ready older students for the more complex texts. Simple to read true to the originals, the stories are suitable for many grades. There are one or two illustrations per story and each story is preceded with a bit of text from the original works, some in Old English, Old French and other ancient languages, along with a modern-day English translation.

[Leanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin Hood and His Merry Men, King Arthur (The Sword in Stone), Beowulf and Grendel, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Song of Roland, Finn MacCoul and more. I must say this one of my favorite compiling of Medieval Tales. The Illustrations are simply beautiful, yet match the feel of the medieval tales very well.

[Elizabethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction for younger children to classic medieval tales. Think of it more as an appetizer for these tales, they are the perfect length and complexity for a read aloud. My 6 year old loves these stories and the pictures.

Good to read along with a first pass through medieval on a classical curriculum. For the older elementary years move in to something more advanced and detailed.

[Sierra Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of all things medieval. I'm a huge fan of folklore. It only makes sense that this book was one of the best folklore books I've ever read. Since it's a children's book, it made for a fast and simple read. It's actually sparked me to read up on some of the tales inside the book.

Bonus: really awesome wizard on the front cover.

[Maria M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to love this book as a child. It's part of what turned me to a major in Medieval Studies at university. It still holds up when I reread it as an adult. The stories are very simplified versions of medieval European classics, but it's a good range of tales and most/all the important bits of the stories are there.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously illustrated book of 9 well-told tales from medieval times:
Finn Maccoul
Beowolf
The Sword in the Stone
Island of the Lost Children
The Song of Roland
The Werewolf
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Robin Hood and his Merry Men
Chanticleer and the Fox

At the back of the book are notes on each story and more interesting information.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Osborne faithfully retells these stories an accesible and enjoyable way and Howell’s illustrations are excellent. There is some linguistic, historical, and literary/artistic context provided as well. Altogether, I think this book can provide children with a great introduction to medieval stories and legends.

[Irene Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to give a long review because it was just a few stories. But I loved reading this out loud. I liked reading stories familiar to me and some I've never heard of before. This is a book I see myself re reading to my children whenever I have some. They were fun to read. Sometimes nonsense but it just gave me the fairytale vibe. I recommend this.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #64 read in 2006

I enjoyed this book. I liked the simplfied versions of some of the great classics in literature. I can see reading this to my students and having them understand and enjoy this as well.

[Conner Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Favorite Medieval Tales is by Mary Pope Osborne and Troy Howell. This book tells some of some of the most liked stories from long ago. It has stories like Robin Hood, The Werewolf, and Beowulf. The stories are very detailed and interesting. I would recommend this book to someone who likes tales.

[Betty Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't a fan of the illustrations but this isn't really about the pictures as it is about the tales and all of the great information at the back of the book. Can't wait until my daughter is old enough to read it.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

My children and I enjoyed all the stories in this book. They are well-written with helpful notes on the language and history of each tale. The illustrations are beautiful and I wish there were more of them.

[Esther May · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some of everything. We enjoyed a small introduction to the medieval world in this book.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We kicked off our Middle Ages history studies this year with this collection of favorite medieval tales. There are so many great stories to complement this time period. We're looking forward to it.

[Ella Pyne]

For lovers of medieval tales that are simplified down a bit, this book you will really enjoy!

[Kristyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun. Even my two-year-old kept asking to read the story of Beowulf again.

Read-aloud, boys age 7, 5, 2.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, brief collection of medieval tales, some familiar, others new. Used as an intro to medieval history. We love Mary Pope Osborne!