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The Coloured Fairy Books
The Yellow Fairy Book
Forty-eight tales from various cultures transport children to the enchanting world of magic, monsters, and fairies
321 pages, Hardcover
First published February 18, 1894
208 people are currently reading
3575 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Lang
2,906 books555 followersTales of the Scottish writer and anthropologist Andrew Lang include
The Blue Fairy Book
(1889).
Andrew Gabriel Lang, a prolific Scotsman of letters, contributed poetry, novels, literary criticism, and collected now best folklore.
The Young Scholar and Journalist
Andrew Gabriel Lang, the son of the town clerk and the eldest of eight children, lived in Selkirk in the Scottish borderlands. The wild and beautiful landscape of childhood greatly affected the youth and inspired a lifelong love of the outdoors and a fascination with local folklore and history. Charles Edward Stuart and Robert I the Bruce surrounded him in the borders, a rich area in history. He later achieved his literary Short History of Scotland .
A gifted student and avid reader, Lang went to the prestigious Saint Andrews University, which now holds a lecture series in his honor every few years, and then to Balliol College, Oxford. He later published Oxford: Brief Historical and Descriptive Notes about the city in 1880.
Moving to London at the age of 31 years in 1875 as an already published poet, he started working as a journalist. His dry sense of humor, style, and huge array of interests made him a popular editor and columnist quickly for The Daily Post, Time magazine and Fortnightly Review. Whilst working in London, he met and married Leonora Blanche Alleyne Lang, his wife.
Interest in myths and folklore continued as he and Leonora traveled through France and Italy to hear local legends, from which came the most famous The Rainbow Fairy Books . In the late 19th century, interest in the native stories declined and very few persons recounting them for young readers. In fact, some educationalists attacked harmful magical stories in general to children. To challenge this notion, Lang first began collecting stories for the first of his colored volumes.
Lang gathered already recorded stories, while other folklorists collected stories directly from source. He used his time to collect a much greater breadth over the world from Jacob Grimm, his brother, Madame d'Aulnoy, and other less well sources.
Lang also worked as the editor, often credited as its sole creator for his work despite the essential support of his wife, who transcribed and organised the translation of the text, to the success.
He published to wide acclaim. The beautiful illustrations and magic captivated the minds of children and adults alike. The success first allowed Lang and Leonora to carry on their research and in 1890 to publish a much larger print run of The Red Fairy Book , which drew on even more sources. Between 1889 and 1910, they published twelve collections, which, each with a different colored binding, collected, edited and translated a total of 437 stories. Lang, credited with reviving interest in folklore, more importantly revolutionized the Victorian view and inspired generations of parents to begin reading them to children once more.
Last Works
Lang produced and at the same time continued a wide assortment of novels, literary criticism, articles, and poetry. As Anita Silvey, literary critic, however, noted, "The irony of Lang's life and work is that although he wrote for a profession... he is best recognized for the works he did not write," the folk stories that he collected.
He finished not the last Highways and Byways of the Border but died.
Andrew Gabriel Lang, a prolific Scotsman of letters, contributed poetry, novels, literary criticism, and collected now best folklore.
The Young Scholar and Journalist
Andrew Gabriel Lang, the son of the town clerk and the eldest of eight children, lived in Selkirk in the Scottish borderlands. The wild and beautiful landscape of childhood greatly affected the youth and inspired a lifelong love of the outdoors and a fascination with local folklore and history. Charles Edward Stuart and Robert I the Bruce surrounded him in the borders, a rich area in history. He later achieved his literary Short History of Scotland .
A gifted student and avid reader, Lang went to the prestigious Saint Andrews University, which now holds a lecture series in his honor every few years, and then to Balliol College, Oxford. He later published Oxford: Brief Historical and Descriptive Notes about the city in 1880.
Moving to London at the age of 31 years in 1875 as an already published poet, he started working as a journalist. His dry sense of humor, style, and huge array of interests made him a popular editor and columnist quickly for The Daily Post, Time magazine and Fortnightly Review. Whilst working in London, he met and married Leonora Blanche Alleyne Lang, his wife.
Interest in myths and folklore continued as he and Leonora traveled through France and Italy to hear local legends, from which came the most famous The Rainbow Fairy Books . In the late 19th century, interest in the native stories declined and very few persons recounting them for young readers. In fact, some educationalists attacked harmful magical stories in general to children. To challenge this notion, Lang first began collecting stories for the first of his colored volumes.
Lang gathered already recorded stories, while other folklorists collected stories directly from source. He used his time to collect a much greater breadth over the world from Jacob Grimm, his brother, Madame d'Aulnoy, and other less well sources.
Lang also worked as the editor, often credited as its sole creator for his work despite the essential support of his wife, who transcribed and organised the translation of the text, to the success.
He published to wide acclaim. The beautiful illustrations and magic captivated the minds of children and adults alike. The success first allowed Lang and Leonora to carry on their research and in 1890 to publish a much larger print run of The Red Fairy Book , which drew on even more sources. Between 1889 and 1910, they published twelve collections, which, each with a different colored binding, collected, edited and translated a total of 437 stories. Lang, credited with reviving interest in folklore, more importantly revolutionized the Victorian view and inspired generations of parents to begin reading them to children once more.
Last Works
Lang produced and at the same time continued a wide assortment of novels, literary criticism, articles, and poetry. As Anita Silvey, literary critic, however, noted, "The irony of Lang's life and work is that although he wrote for a profession... he is best recognized for the works he did not write," the folk stories that he collected.
He finished not the last Highways and Byways of the Border but died.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
October 23, 2017
If fairy stories can't get a five-star rating then what is our standard? Five stars to Andrew Lang and his magnificent collection of colored fairy stories. This Yellow one is one of my favorites. Real fairy stories with real consequences.
April 7, 2018
Haven't quite enjoyed it as much as the previous tomes, I've considered some stories to be a bit vulgar to be read to kids.
May 4, 2021
این کتاب تعداد زیادی داستان های کوتاه داره و داستان های کتاب برگرفته از داستان های خیلی قدیمی و افسانه هاست و به نظرم کتاب خیلی خوبی برای نوجوانان محسوب میشه.
August 5, 2018
I grew up with a copy of Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book. I loved that hardback edition of fairy tales. I read it and reread it and reread it. At that time, I had no idea that there were a whole set of color fairy tales to be had. But I had such fond memories of it that when I spied a modern edition of The Yellow Fairy Book at our Friends of the Library Book Shop in 2015, I just had to bring it home with me. I have to admit that it wasn't as spellbinding to my adult self as that first fairy tale collection was to my younger self.
There is something very magical about fairy tales for children. The simple phrase "Once upon a time..." sets the stage for all sorts of wonderful adventures. Adventures that feature girls no bigger than your thumb, a boy who can turn into a wolf, and a talking stove as well as the traditional princes, princesses, giants, witches, elves, and giants. In fact I was already familiar with a number of the stories collected here--including "Thumbelina," "The Six Swans," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Glass Mountain," and "The Nightingale." These are also some of the best tales in the book and I did still enjoy the visit to fairy land...with a few reservations.
[pardon me a moment as I step onto one of my soap boxes...]
I didn't realize when I picked up the book that Andrew Lang's collection had been "edited" by Brian Alderson. Edited here means that Brian made whatever alterations he thought necessary to make these more palatable to a modern audience. I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of those decisions--what I will do is give my opinion that if Mr. Alderson wanted to put together a "more acceptable" collection of fairy tales, then he should have done so with his own book. He shouldn't have been given Andrew Lang's collection and then been given free rein to decide whether the versions Lang included were appropriate or the most "readable" or whatever. Part of the charm of the Blue Fairy Book (as I recall) was that I knew (even as a youngster in the late 1970s) that I was stepping into a different time period--an era that believed in fairies and magic and dragons, etc. and a time period that may have thought other things that were no longer true as well. I knew that this time period didn't represent my time period and I didn't expect it to.
But setting aside the rightness of whether he should have made the choices at all, I also have trouble with some of the choices themselves--he tells us that he has gotten rid of some of Lang's selections because they weren't interesting, but then he keeps variations of stories that are virtually the same. For example, we have multiple variations of the simpleton (or the least favored or what-have-you) winning the day through virtue of having made the right friends--gluttons who can eat everything, men who can make things cold or can see great distances; friends who can help him perform the impossible tasks required of him. If the point is to have a better offering of stories all arond, then I would think variety would be a good standard to meet as well.
Overall--still a good selection of fairy tales that should appeal to young readers and I did enjoy them. Just not quite as much as expected.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
There is something very magical about fairy tales for children. The simple phrase "Once upon a time..." sets the stage for all sorts of wonderful adventures. Adventures that feature girls no bigger than your thumb, a boy who can turn into a wolf, and a talking stove as well as the traditional princes, princesses, giants, witches, elves, and giants. In fact I was already familiar with a number of the stories collected here--including "Thumbelina," "The Six Swans," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Glass Mountain," and "The Nightingale." These are also some of the best tales in the book and I did still enjoy the visit to fairy land...with a few reservations.
[pardon me a moment as I step onto one of my soap boxes...]
I didn't realize when I picked up the book that Andrew Lang's collection had been "edited" by Brian Alderson. Edited here means that Brian made whatever alterations he thought necessary to make these more palatable to a modern audience. I'm not going to argue the pros and cons of those decisions--what I will do is give my opinion that if Mr. Alderson wanted to put together a "more acceptable" collection of fairy tales, then he should have done so with his own book. He shouldn't have been given Andrew Lang's collection and then been given free rein to decide whether the versions Lang included were appropriate or the most "readable" or whatever. Part of the charm of the Blue Fairy Book (as I recall) was that I knew (even as a youngster in the late 1970s) that I was stepping into a different time period--an era that believed in fairies and magic and dragons, etc. and a time period that may have thought other things that were no longer true as well. I knew that this time period didn't represent my time period and I didn't expect it to.
But setting aside the rightness of whether he should have made the choices at all, I also have trouble with some of the choices themselves--he tells us that he has gotten rid of some of Lang's selections because they weren't interesting, but then he keeps variations of stories that are virtually the same. For example, we have multiple variations of the simpleton (or the least favored or what-have-you) winning the day through virtue of having made the right friends--gluttons who can eat everything, men who can make things cold or can see great distances; friends who can help him perform the impossible tasks required of him. If the point is to have a better offering of stories all arond, then I would think variety would be a good standard to meet as well.
Overall--still a good selection of fairy tales that should appeal to young readers and I did enjoy them. Just not quite as much as expected.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
August 26, 2020
These were a lot of fun. Not as good as Grimm’s but enjoyable nonetheless!
April 29, 2018
My rating as more to do with the narration of the audiobook rather than the fairy tales. The actual fairy tales were ok. Some were more interesting than others. However, the narration was awful. Each narrator read in such a bored voice that it was very difficult to be interested in what they were reading. I may have enjoyed the book more if I had read it rather than listened to it. If I decide to read another of the color fairy books, I will definitely skip the audio version.
March 11, 2025
ENGLISH: 48 fairy tales: 10 by Andersen; 6 by the Grimm Brothers; 2 German; 4 French; 3 Icelandic; 15 from Eastern Europe; 2 Greek; 3 from the North American Indians. The other 3 are from uncertain origin. The Eastern European tales are from Russia (4), Estonia (1), Bukovina (5), Hungary (2), and Poland (3). In my opinion, the most original are those by Andersen.
One tale by the Grimm Brothers, "How Six Men Travelled throughout the Wide World," is quite similar to one of "The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen." The same plot appears in "The flying ship," a Russian fairy story. The same stories are repeated once and again in many countries. Lang has selected several repeated stories here, without pointing this out.
I had read before all the tales by Andersen and the Grimm Brothers. Among those I had not read, I want to mention "Fairer-than-a-fairy," whose original is "Le Prince Arc-en-ciel," published anonymously in 1718 in the collection "Recueil des contes de fées." The story is attributed to the Chevalier de Mailly, and it should not be confused with the story with the same title written in 1698 by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force, who was also the author of the original story later converted in "Rapunzel" by the Grimm Brothers.
ESPAÑOL: 48 cuentos de hadas: 10 de Andersen; 6 de los Hermanos Grimm; 2 alemanes; 4 franceses; 3 islandeses; 15 de Europa Oriental; 2 griegos; 3 de los indios de América del Norte. Los otros 3 tienen origen incierto. Los cuentos de Europa Oriental son de Rusia (4), Estonia (1), Bucovina (5), Hungría (2) y Polonia (3). Los más originales, en mi opinión, son los de Andersen.
Un cuento de los Grimm, "Cómo seis hombres viajaron por el ancho mundo", es muy similar a una de "Las Aventuras del Barón de Münchhausen". La misma trama aparece también en "El barco volador", cuento de hadas ruso. Los mismos cuentos se repiten una y otra vez en diversos países. Lang ha seleccionado aquí varios cuentos repetidos, pero no lo señala.
Había leído antes todos los cuentos de Andersen y de Grimm. Entre los que no había leído, es interesante "Más bella que un hada", cuya versión original es "El Príncipe Arco Iris", publicado anónimamente en 1718 en la colección "Recueil des contes de fées". El cuento se atribuye al Caballero de Mailly, y no debe confundirse con el cuento del mismo título escrito en 1698 por Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force, que también fue la autora del cuento original convertido posteriormente en "Rapunzel" por los hermanos Grimm.
One tale by the Grimm Brothers, "How Six Men Travelled throughout the Wide World," is quite similar to one of "The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen." The same plot appears in "The flying ship," a Russian fairy story. The same stories are repeated once and again in many countries. Lang has selected several repeated stories here, without pointing this out.
I had read before all the tales by Andersen and the Grimm Brothers. Among those I had not read, I want to mention "Fairer-than-a-fairy," whose original is "Le Prince Arc-en-ciel," published anonymously in 1718 in the collection "Recueil des contes de fées." The story is attributed to the Chevalier de Mailly, and it should not be confused with the story with the same title written in 1698 by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force, who was also the author of the original story later converted in "Rapunzel" by the Grimm Brothers.
ESPAÑOL: 48 cuentos de hadas: 10 de Andersen; 6 de los Hermanos Grimm; 2 alemanes; 4 franceses; 3 islandeses; 15 de Europa Oriental; 2 griegos; 3 de los indios de América del Norte. Los otros 3 tienen origen incierto. Los cuentos de Europa Oriental son de Rusia (4), Estonia (1), Bucovina (5), Hungría (2) y Polonia (3). Los más originales, en mi opinión, son los de Andersen.
Un cuento de los Grimm, "Cómo seis hombres viajaron por el ancho mundo", es muy similar a una de "Las Aventuras del Barón de Münchhausen". La misma trama aparece también en "El barco volador", cuento de hadas ruso. Los mismos cuentos se repiten una y otra vez en diversos países. Lang ha seleccionado aquí varios cuentos repetidos, pero no lo señala.
Había leído antes todos los cuentos de Andersen y de Grimm. Entre los que no había leído, es interesante "Más bella que un hada", cuya versión original es "El Príncipe Arco Iris", publicado anónimamente en 1718 en la colección "Recueil des contes de fées". El cuento se atribuye al Caballero de Mailly, y no debe confundirse con el cuento del mismo título escrito en 1698 por Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force, que también fue la autora del cuento original convertido posteriormente en "Rapunzel" por los hermanos Grimm.
July 13, 2022
تا حالا رنگهای بنفش و آبی و زرد این مجموعه رو خوندم و داستانهای این مجموعه رو کمتر از دوتای دیگه دوست داشتم
March 21, 2018
I feel like I saw pretty much the same thing in all my reviews for these books but it was enjoyable. Some were boring and other were good.
Read
January 21, 2025These books take us f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get through and we only read cover to cover through my daughter's persistence in asking me to read "just one more," but there were some pretty memorable tales with striking images in this volume.
May 16, 2019
I enjoyed this book a lot, with its classic tales from around the world. There are stories compiled from Russia, Iceland, Poland, and many other places. There are Hans Christian Andersen stories, and some Native American legends added in for good measure. H.J. Ford's illustrations are exquisite as usual, and though the writing is more formal in style, so you have to read carefully to avoid missing details, the tone matches the fantastical tales. The stories range from the more serious and dark to the lighthearted and funny. A lot of the stories have similar elements, and so can be a bit predictable, but there are still some that are more creative and memorable. My favorite stories were as follows:
The Dragon of the North, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Iron Stove(in which a young woman saves a prince for a change), The Dragon and his Grandmother, The Flower-Queen's Daughter, The Grateful Beasts, The Magic Ring, Snow-Daughter and Fire-Son(which has a darker tone and a sad ending), The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus, The Swine-Herd, The Flying Ship, The Tinder-Box, The Nightingale, and Blockhead-Hans.
The Dragon of the North, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Iron Stove(in which a young woman saves a prince for a change), The Dragon and his Grandmother, The Flower-Queen's Daughter, The Grateful Beasts, The Magic Ring, Snow-Daughter and Fire-Son(which has a darker tone and a sad ending), The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus, The Swine-Herd, The Flying Ship, The Tinder-Box, The Nightingale, and Blockhead-Hans.
December 1, 2014
This is the one in which the tales really start to branch out. There are a couple of literary tales that I didn't much like, but a lot more places. Greek. Polish. Bukowinaer. Iclelandic. A few from North America. I particularly liked The Golden Crab, The Flower-Queen's Daughter (in which dragons ride horses and go to dances where humans can dance, too), The Grateful Beasts, The Witch in the Stone Boat, and The Blue Mountains.
November 4, 2023
6/2023 reread:
I have not written about all of the stories I like in this collection, as some I have covered in reviews of Grimm and Andersen. I'm mystified as to why Lang includes so many stories from those authors, as they are popular in their own right, whereas most of the other stories in the fairy books were obscure before Lang collected them.
The Golden Crab is one of my absolute favorites in this collection. It gives me such a warm, satisfied feeling--well, a "golden" feeling! I did not notice before that the genie character is black and calls the crab his master, an aspect that feels uncomfortable today. But instead of freaking out and refusing to read these stories to children, we need to keep reading them and explain how attitudes about race have changed.
I still enjoy the Seven-Headed Serpent for its atmosphere and imagery, and also, as always, for its lack of formulas--other than the sacrificing youths to monsters part.
Despite the sadness of Snow Daughter and Fire Son, it is a beautiful story that shows how some things, or people, simply do not belong together.
The Witch in the Stone Boat contains the common queen is enchanted but comes to visit her child scenario. But the witch climbing onto the boat, the giant with the chain, and the floorboards opening up are very vivid.
The Magic Ring is much like The Enchanted Watch from the Green Fairy Book. A magical object brings the hero prosperity but also hardship, yet everything works out with the help of his faithful animals. I appreciate when the heroes/heroines forgive and are reconciled in stories like these.
The Crow is one of my absolute favorite fairy tales. It is so short, yet it is so moving. I cannot imagine enduring the terror the princess submits to, but she perseveres to set the prince free.
Alphege, or the Green Monkey is really cute, with the king showing his love for the maiden only with his face while he is a monkey. I like how he does not punish his half brother just for being related to the evil stepmother but shares the throne with him.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy is one of those tales that I can never remember well, even though I like it a lot. My favorite aspects are the prince appearing as a rainbow over water and the silver castle suspended on chains.
There is much to love about The Flower Queen's Daughter. The title itself is a promise of beauty and magic, both of which the story delivers. I love the perseverance of the prince in pursuing his bride, the dragons dancing together at a ball, the flower queen's daughter's dress made of the world's most beautiful flowers, the bell that summons the animals.
The Story of King Frost feels like a Grimm tale with its retributive response to a bad character. I enjoy the inclusion of King Frost, although his question of whether or not the maiden is cold is quite silly. She is supposed to pretend she is warm? Why can't she politely say she is cold? I suppose the story is mainly about politeness and is not meant to be taken too literally, like most fairy tales.
I really like the Native American tales in this collection. All three of them are on the sad side. In the Land of Souls reminds us that we are not in charge of life and death (or shouldn't be, at least), but the hero receives comfort in his grief and reassurance that he will be reunited with his love. He is given strength to continue his work on earth. The Dead Wife is a very interesting cautionary tale against impatience, while The Boy and the Wolves shows the consequences of breaking one's word.
I feel like I should be rather bored by The White Duck, as it is yet another story about a queen's stolen identity. But something about it is charming, albeit the ducklings' deaths make it very dark.
The Witch reminds me of Hansel and Gretel, but it is especially endearing as it has a cat helping out the children, and it shows a rare time when the father stands up to the wicked stepmother.
I noticed this time that The Death of the Sun Hero not only teaches humility but also cautions parents against doing their children a disservice by making too big a deal of them, thus fostering unhealthy egos.
The Dragon and His Grandmother is an entertaining tale of three soldiers thwarting an evil dragon's plan to entrap them in a bad deal. I appreciate how two of the soldiers despair, but the third one keeps up his spirits and is most instrumental in freeing them.
Blockhead Hans is one of my favorite Andersen tales. It seems to be not only about not discounting the worthiness of people who appear to be "dummies" but also about being oneself instead of being fake to impress someone. Andersen is the king of whimsical little lines that add so much humor and charm to his stories, such as, in this one, when he mentions that the two "smart" brothers oil their mouths to help them speak better, or in the very last line when he states that the editors wrote the story, and one cannot believe anything from them.
The Nightingale has a lot of messages packed into it--the value of authenticity, the power music can have, the shallowness of society, the enduring nature of true friendship, and humility (seen in the nightingale's character). The descriptions are also wonderful, particularly in the beginning: "stately forest with great trees and deep lakes." That line is so simple yet brings a vivid image into my mind. I only wish this version mentioned the emperor seeing the faces of all his bad deeds around him while he lies dying.
The Little Green Frog is not quite as enchanting as I thought before, at least not all the way through. My favorite parts are the beginning with the mirrors and the beautiful bird and the end when the bird turns out to be the lost queen.
I had forgotten most of Hermod and Hadvor, which is a shame because it is a wonderful tale. Hadvor has the worse deal, I think, with all the horrors she has to endure with the giant and his ghost. Living as a lion by day and a man by night in an isolated cave, as Hermod does, actually does not sound so bad. I most like faithful Olof.
The Blue Mountains has never been very interesting for me. It contains the typical prince falls under an enchanted sleep and keeps missing the princess formula during the second half. I do like the first half in which the soldier endures terrible suffering for the sake of the maiden, much like in The Crow.
The good deeds rewarded trope as in The Grateful Beasts can get a bit wearisome, but I do like the bee, mouse, and wolf combo, and I most love the part that describes the bees' flower castle.
The Hazel-Nut Child is similar to a couple Grimm stories, but I enjoy it even more. The hero does not let his disadvantageous size prevent him from doing his best to succeed. This message seems especially valuable with today's culture tending to use disadvantages, or supposed disadvantages, as excuses to not even try and to receive special treatment that actually holds people back. Not everyone has a defeatist attitude, of course, and some people truly are unable to do some things, but I think, for all of us, that we need to at least try to do the best we can in spite of things that might hold us back.
I enjoy the magic of The Giants and the Herd Boy, but I am not sure that showing the hero stealing a loaf of bread sends a good message. I would prefer that he asked the giant for it or had it offered to him.
I have read so many stories similar to The Three Brothers. It is a good story, but I have simply seen it too often. I wonder that the hero wouldn't rather stay in the underworld, actually, as it is beautiful.
The Dragon of the North is an absolutely fascinating, magical story due to the description of the dragon and the magical ring with its various functions. The plot cautions against dishonest gain.
The Invisible Prince, much like The Wizard King, features a powerful being who uses his abilities to kidnap a princess and thereby wins her hatred rather than love. The part with the graveyard of scorned lovers who are buried with one hand sticking out of the ground is bizarrely fascinating. But I would most like to hear more about the princes of the four elements.
The Glass Mountain is quite horrifying with its heap of corpses at the bottom of the mountain. As is often the case, the tale is vague, not specifying why the princess is imprisoned in the golden palace. But that is rather irrelevant, as the point of the story appears to be the persistence of the hero in climbing the mountain.
The Witch and Her Servants is yet another grateful beasts tale, but it has the unusual and intriguing character of the little man covered in prickles like a hedgehog and with two lions attached to the ends of his long beard. I would like to know more about him.
I had forgotten much of The Iron Stove. I love the part with the toads in the hut (similar to the frogs in The Three Feathers, one of my favorite Grimm tales) and how the maiden uses the needles and the plough-wheel to overcome obstacles. The story is about our responsibility to fulfill our own promises and also about having the chance to redeem ourselves, often with much effort, after making mistakes.
***
2014:
I started out loving the stories, then they got less enchanting and more redundant and brutal. Favorites:
The Dragon of the North
The Golden Crab
The Little Green Frog
The Crow
The Flower Queen's Daughter
The Flying Ship (I love gifted companion stories like this)
The Seven-Headed Serpent (rather anticlimactic at the end, and how could that king live with himself, sending young people to die every year? But somehow I liked the atmosphere of the story)
The Grateful Beasts
The Wizard King (I feel sympathy with him--he just couldn't force it, could he?)
Fairer Than a Fairy
The Death of the Sun-Hero (really thought-provoking, challenging us to be careful when we give ourselves titles we may not deserve)
The Witch
The Witch in the Stone Boat
Hermod and Hadvor
I have not written about all of the stories I like in this collection, as some I have covered in reviews of Grimm and Andersen. I'm mystified as to why Lang includes so many stories from those authors, as they are popular in their own right, whereas most of the other stories in the fairy books were obscure before Lang collected them.
The Golden Crab is one of my absolute favorites in this collection. It gives me such a warm, satisfied feeling--well, a "golden" feeling! I did not notice before that the genie character is black and calls the crab his master, an aspect that feels uncomfortable today. But instead of freaking out and refusing to read these stories to children, we need to keep reading them and explain how attitudes about race have changed.
I still enjoy the Seven-Headed Serpent for its atmosphere and imagery, and also, as always, for its lack of formulas--other than the sacrificing youths to monsters part.
Despite the sadness of Snow Daughter and Fire Son, it is a beautiful story that shows how some things, or people, simply do not belong together.
The Witch in the Stone Boat contains the common queen is enchanted but comes to visit her child scenario. But the witch climbing onto the boat, the giant with the chain, and the floorboards opening up are very vivid.
The Magic Ring is much like The Enchanted Watch from the Green Fairy Book. A magical object brings the hero prosperity but also hardship, yet everything works out with the help of his faithful animals. I appreciate when the heroes/heroines forgive and are reconciled in stories like these.
The Crow is one of my absolute favorite fairy tales. It is so short, yet it is so moving. I cannot imagine enduring the terror the princess submits to, but she perseveres to set the prince free.
Alphege, or the Green Monkey is really cute, with the king showing his love for the maiden only with his face while he is a monkey. I like how he does not punish his half brother just for being related to the evil stepmother but shares the throne with him.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy is one of those tales that I can never remember well, even though I like it a lot. My favorite aspects are the prince appearing as a rainbow over water and the silver castle suspended on chains.
There is much to love about The Flower Queen's Daughter. The title itself is a promise of beauty and magic, both of which the story delivers. I love the perseverance of the prince in pursuing his bride, the dragons dancing together at a ball, the flower queen's daughter's dress made of the world's most beautiful flowers, the bell that summons the animals.
The Story of King Frost feels like a Grimm tale with its retributive response to a bad character. I enjoy the inclusion of King Frost, although his question of whether or not the maiden is cold is quite silly. She is supposed to pretend she is warm? Why can't she politely say she is cold? I suppose the story is mainly about politeness and is not meant to be taken too literally, like most fairy tales.
I really like the Native American tales in this collection. All three of them are on the sad side. In the Land of Souls reminds us that we are not in charge of life and death (or shouldn't be, at least), but the hero receives comfort in his grief and reassurance that he will be reunited with his love. He is given strength to continue his work on earth. The Dead Wife is a very interesting cautionary tale against impatience, while The Boy and the Wolves shows the consequences of breaking one's word.
I feel like I should be rather bored by The White Duck, as it is yet another story about a queen's stolen identity. But something about it is charming, albeit the ducklings' deaths make it very dark.
The Witch reminds me of Hansel and Gretel, but it is especially endearing as it has a cat helping out the children, and it shows a rare time when the father stands up to the wicked stepmother.
I noticed this time that The Death of the Sun Hero not only teaches humility but also cautions parents against doing their children a disservice by making too big a deal of them, thus fostering unhealthy egos.
The Dragon and His Grandmother is an entertaining tale of three soldiers thwarting an evil dragon's plan to entrap them in a bad deal. I appreciate how two of the soldiers despair, but the third one keeps up his spirits and is most instrumental in freeing them.
Blockhead Hans is one of my favorite Andersen tales. It seems to be not only about not discounting the worthiness of people who appear to be "dummies" but also about being oneself instead of being fake to impress someone. Andersen is the king of whimsical little lines that add so much humor and charm to his stories, such as, in this one, when he mentions that the two "smart" brothers oil their mouths to help them speak better, or in the very last line when he states that the editors wrote the story, and one cannot believe anything from them.
The Nightingale has a lot of messages packed into it--the value of authenticity, the power music can have, the shallowness of society, the enduring nature of true friendship, and humility (seen in the nightingale's character). The descriptions are also wonderful, particularly in the beginning: "stately forest with great trees and deep lakes." That line is so simple yet brings a vivid image into my mind. I only wish this version mentioned the emperor seeing the faces of all his bad deeds around him while he lies dying.
The Little Green Frog is not quite as enchanting as I thought before, at least not all the way through. My favorite parts are the beginning with the mirrors and the beautiful bird and the end when the bird turns out to be the lost queen.
I had forgotten most of Hermod and Hadvor, which is a shame because it is a wonderful tale. Hadvor has the worse deal, I think, with all the horrors she has to endure with the giant and his ghost. Living as a lion by day and a man by night in an isolated cave, as Hermod does, actually does not sound so bad. I most like faithful Olof.
The Blue Mountains has never been very interesting for me. It contains the typical prince falls under an enchanted sleep and keeps missing the princess formula during the second half. I do like the first half in which the soldier endures terrible suffering for the sake of the maiden, much like in The Crow.
The good deeds rewarded trope as in The Grateful Beasts can get a bit wearisome, but I do like the bee, mouse, and wolf combo, and I most love the part that describes the bees' flower castle.
The Hazel-Nut Child is similar to a couple Grimm stories, but I enjoy it even more. The hero does not let his disadvantageous size prevent him from doing his best to succeed. This message seems especially valuable with today's culture tending to use disadvantages, or supposed disadvantages, as excuses to not even try and to receive special treatment that actually holds people back. Not everyone has a defeatist attitude, of course, and some people truly are unable to do some things, but I think, for all of us, that we need to at least try to do the best we can in spite of things that might hold us back.
I enjoy the magic of The Giants and the Herd Boy, but I am not sure that showing the hero stealing a loaf of bread sends a good message. I would prefer that he asked the giant for it or had it offered to him.
I have read so many stories similar to The Three Brothers. It is a good story, but I have simply seen it too often. I wonder that the hero wouldn't rather stay in the underworld, actually, as it is beautiful.
The Dragon of the North is an absolutely fascinating, magical story due to the description of the dragon and the magical ring with its various functions. The plot cautions against dishonest gain.
The Invisible Prince, much like The Wizard King, features a powerful being who uses his abilities to kidnap a princess and thereby wins her hatred rather than love. The part with the graveyard of scorned lovers who are buried with one hand sticking out of the ground is bizarrely fascinating. But I would most like to hear more about the princes of the four elements.
The Glass Mountain is quite horrifying with its heap of corpses at the bottom of the mountain. As is often the case, the tale is vague, not specifying why the princess is imprisoned in the golden palace. But that is rather irrelevant, as the point of the story appears to be the persistence of the hero in climbing the mountain.
The Witch and Her Servants is yet another grateful beasts tale, but it has the unusual and intriguing character of the little man covered in prickles like a hedgehog and with two lions attached to the ends of his long beard. I would like to know more about him.
I had forgotten much of The Iron Stove. I love the part with the toads in the hut (similar to the frogs in The Three Feathers, one of my favorite Grimm tales) and how the maiden uses the needles and the plough-wheel to overcome obstacles. The story is about our responsibility to fulfill our own promises and also about having the chance to redeem ourselves, often with much effort, after making mistakes.
***
2014:
I started out loving the stories, then they got less enchanting and more redundant and brutal. Favorites:
The Dragon of the North
The Golden Crab
The Little Green Frog
The Crow
The Flower Queen's Daughter
The Flying Ship (I love gifted companion stories like this)
The Seven-Headed Serpent (rather anticlimactic at the end, and how could that king live with himself, sending young people to die every year? But somehow I liked the atmosphere of the story)
The Grateful Beasts
The Wizard King (I feel sympathy with him--he just couldn't force it, could he?)
Fairer Than a Fairy
The Death of the Sun-Hero (really thought-provoking, challenging us to be careful when we give ourselves titles we may not deserve)
The Witch
The Witch in the Stone Boat
Hermod and Hadvor
January 18, 2020
This collection has an assortment of tales by the Brothers Grimm, Andersen, Afanasiev and several folk stories from other northern countries. The ones I liked best were by Andersen.
Daniel: I liked all the stories very much.
Daniel: I liked all the stories very much.
January 1, 2016
This is the other book I got for Christmas last week. This was probably the first of Andrew Lang's Fairy Books that I exposed myself to (all the way back in 2013), and I'm glad to finally have a copy of my own. This one has quite a selection, including stories by Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, as well as stories from other parts of Europe as well as some Native American stories. I think this is the book with the most stories out of all of Andrew Lang's books (I think The Olive Fairy Book has the least).
My favorite stories:
- The Story of the Emperor's New Clothes
- The Iron Stove
- The Little Green Frog
- The Glass Mountain
- Alphege, or the Green Monkey (really love this one)
- Fairer-than-a-Fairy
- The Flower Queen's Daughter
- The Death of the Sun-Hero (this one's really sad)
- The Swineherd
- The Nightingale
This one had a really good selection, which I am impressed with. There's no major complaints that I have about this book, so I'm giving it a perfect score.
My favorite stories:
- The Story of the Emperor's New Clothes
- The Iron Stove
- The Little Green Frog
- The Glass Mountain
- Alphege, or the Green Monkey (really love this one)
- Fairer-than-a-Fairy
- The Flower Queen's Daughter
- The Death of the Sun-Hero (this one's really sad)
- The Swineherd
- The Nightingale
This one had a really good selection, which I am impressed with. There's no major complaints that I have about this book, so I'm giving it a perfect score.
January 6, 2009
Another beautiful book with amazing stories. I particularly enjoyed the native american fairy tales in this book. Also, as I continue to read these fairy tale series a few things stand out:
One, we will ALWAYS make mistakes.
Two, we should always try to persever and correct out mistakes, which hopefully will be rewarded in the end (and maybe not the way we thought we would be rewarded!)
Three, love is really a powerful force, and that there is infatuation (which during this time, dumb mistakes are made) and then there is true love (where we sacrifice ourselves in order to make those we love happy).
One, we will ALWAYS make mistakes.
Two, we should always try to persever and correct out mistakes, which hopefully will be rewarded in the end (and maybe not the way we thought we would be rewarded!)
Three, love is really a powerful force, and that there is infatuation (which during this time, dumb mistakes are made) and then there is true love (where we sacrifice ourselves in order to make those we love happy).
February 11, 2022
Enjoyed it until about page 100 or so and then the racism kinda nudged itself in. I usually love the illustrations but some were positively reminiscent of Jim Crow.
The question becomes then: should they be removed or left in (as evidence of what was)?
The question becomes then: should they be removed or left in (as evidence of what was)?
October 27, 2021
A collection of fairy tales from all over the world: Grimm, Andersen, Arabian Nights and more. I listened to it on Spotify but got a bit annoyed by the i to atoon of the reader. I think I do prefer reading myself :)
January 3, 2013
I own this Folio edition, but the tattered and torn faded smudged yellow falling apart edition my mother owned as a child was the one I adored in my own younglinghood.
April 19, 2013
All the Lang books are required reading. Pre- Joseph Campbell panoramas of history's imagination. Great illustrations and grittier lessons than any Disney wants to teach.
November 15, 2020
2.75 stars.
First, I wanted mention a few small issues I have with this book, specifically the edition I have, because it did impact the reading experience. None of the page numbers match up in the Kindle edition I have, not even within the book itself. For example, the table of contents states that the story is on page 100, but when I go to the story the page number at the bottom says 80. I think this is because the edition I have does not include illustrations or woodcuts, despite having lists of them at the beginning of the book. The book lists the final story as starting on page 319, but the Kindle says that it has 253 pages, and here on Goodreads it says it only has 156 pages. This is a minor annoyance, but I wish it was more consistent because I've never had this problem before. There were also no attributions at the end of each story about what country or culture it came from, which is always interesting to know.
This is definitely my least favorite of the books in this series I've read so far. There were a lot stories that fell into the just okay category for me, and only one that I really loved, which was Thumbelina. There were more stories that I disliked than the number of ones I liked.
Favorites:
Thumbelina
Good:
The Six Swans
The Donkey Cabbage
The Grateful Beasts
The Giants and the Herd-Boy
The Invisible Prince
The Wizard King
Alphege, or the Green Monkey
Fairer-than-a-Fairy
The Glass Axe
The White Duck
The Witch and her Servants
The Magic Ring
The Flower Queen's Daughter
The Snow-daughter and the Fire-son
The Story of King Frost
The Swineherd
The Witch in the Stone Boat
The Nightingale
The Steadfast Tin-soldier
Okay:
The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership
The Dragon of the North
Story of the Emperor's New Clothes
The Golden Crab
The Iron Stove
The Little Green Frog
The Crow
How Six Men travelled through the Wide World
The Nixy
The Glass Mountain
The Three Brothers
The Boy and the Wolves, or the Broken Promise
The Dead Wife
In the Land of Souls
The Flying Ship
The Death of the Sun-hero
The Witch
The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus
Prince Ring
How to Tell a True Princess (A.K.A The Princess and the Pea)
The Blue Mountains
The Tinder-box
Hermod and Hadvor
Didn't Like:
The Dragon and his Grandmother
The Seven-headed Serpent
The Hazel-nut Child
Blockhead Hans
A Story about a Darning-needle
First, I wanted mention a few small issues I have with this book, specifically the edition I have, because it did impact the reading experience. None of the page numbers match up in the Kindle edition I have, not even within the book itself. For example, the table of contents states that the story is on page 100, but when I go to the story the page number at the bottom says 80. I think this is because the edition I have does not include illustrations or woodcuts, despite having lists of them at the beginning of the book. The book lists the final story as starting on page 319, but the Kindle says that it has 253 pages, and here on Goodreads it says it only has 156 pages. This is a minor annoyance, but I wish it was more consistent because I've never had this problem before. There were also no attributions at the end of each story about what country or culture it came from, which is always interesting to know.
This is definitely my least favorite of the books in this series I've read so far. There were a lot stories that fell into the just okay category for me, and only one that I really loved, which was Thumbelina. There were more stories that I disliked than the number of ones I liked.
Favorites:
Thumbelina
Good:
The Six Swans
The Donkey Cabbage
The Grateful Beasts
The Giants and the Herd-Boy
The Invisible Prince
The Wizard King
Alphege, or the Green Monkey
Fairer-than-a-Fairy
The Glass Axe
The White Duck
The Witch and her Servants
The Magic Ring
The Flower Queen's Daughter
The Snow-daughter and the Fire-son
The Story of King Frost
The Swineherd
The Witch in the Stone Boat
The Nightingale
The Steadfast Tin-soldier
Okay:
The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership
The Dragon of the North
Story of the Emperor's New Clothes
The Golden Crab
The Iron Stove
The Little Green Frog
The Crow
How Six Men travelled through the Wide World
The Nixy
The Glass Mountain
The Three Brothers
The Boy and the Wolves, or the Broken Promise
The Dead Wife
In the Land of Souls
The Flying Ship
The Death of the Sun-hero
The Witch
The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus
Prince Ring
How to Tell a True Princess (A.K.A The Princess and the Pea)
The Blue Mountains
The Tinder-box
Hermod and Hadvor
Didn't Like:
The Dragon and his Grandmother
The Seven-headed Serpent
The Hazel-nut Child
Blockhead Hans
A Story about a Darning-needle
July 29, 2021
I found this collection to be very enjoyable overall, with most of the stories being new to me (unlike in The Blue Fairy Book), showing a great deal of variety (unlike in The Red Fairy Book) and having several strong entries (far more than I found in The Green Fairy Book). It does contain some very weak stories as well, particularly towards the end (in fact, I think the whole first half is stronger than the second), but of course, some variation is to be expected.
The collection contains some good stories from less familiar cultures, and I particularly liked the Native American's incorporation of the natural world into their tales. I was interested to read 'The Glass Mountain', which (unsurprisingly) has many similarities to 'The Princess on the Glass Hill', to which I gave a special mention in my review of The Blue Fairy Book. I was also interested to read the well-known 'Tumbelina' all the way through (which I don't recall ever doing before), as well as a short, uncomplicated version 'The Princess and the Pea', which in this collection is called 'How to Tell a True Princess'. Of the stories I was not at all familiar with, I liked 'The Wizard King' best for its plot and characters, but my overall favourite was one of those better-known tales: 'Story of the Emperor's New Clothes' (as Lang has called it), which really is very funny in this translation!
The collection contains some good stories from less familiar cultures, and I particularly liked the Native American's incorporation of the natural world into their tales. I was interested to read 'The Glass Mountain', which (unsurprisingly) has many similarities to 'The Princess on the Glass Hill', to which I gave a special mention in my review of The Blue Fairy Book. I was also interested to read the well-known 'Tumbelina' all the way through (which I don't recall ever doing before), as well as a short, uncomplicated version 'The Princess and the Pea', which in this collection is called 'How to Tell a True Princess'. Of the stories I was not at all familiar with, I liked 'The Wizard King' best for its plot and characters, but my overall favourite was one of those better-known tales: 'Story of the Emperor's New Clothes' (as Lang has called it), which really is very funny in this translation!
September 14, 2021
I enjoyed these non-Disnified fairy tales, especially the beautiful original illustrations. I would have liked to know the national origin of all the tales.
In the midst of this book and another I was reading, I started talking with my husband of 30+ years about believing in fairy tales and happily- ever- afters. This is no longer popular, but the contrast with my other book made me think about how we've often replaced happily- ever- after with the- grass- is- always- greener. In all the fairy tales there was struggle to reach that place of happiness. Not once did the young man ask for the princess' hand, get an excited yes and the bells ring out immediately. There was always something to overcome. In the contrasting story, our new fairy tale, the couple is in the midst of chaos and struggle. Over the edge of a newspaper or the rim of a coffee cup, the unhappy spouse sees the golden ideal, shifts allegiance to this person, and is now happily- every- after. But that doesn't happen if you've never learned to work through the struggles. Eventually there will be financial strain, serious illness, straying eyes, squabbling children, or maybe just a difference of opinion on how to spend free time. And you're back where you started, glancing over the rim of a coffee cup, at the fascinating stranger who has no irritating habits. Yet!
In the midst of this book and another I was reading, I started talking with my husband of 30+ years about believing in fairy tales and happily- ever- afters. This is no longer popular, but the contrast with my other book made me think about how we've often replaced happily- ever- after with the- grass- is- always- greener. In all the fairy tales there was struggle to reach that place of happiness. Not once did the young man ask for the princess' hand, get an excited yes and the bells ring out immediately. There was always something to overcome. In the contrasting story, our new fairy tale, the couple is in the midst of chaos and struggle. Over the edge of a newspaper or the rim of a coffee cup, the unhappy spouse sees the golden ideal, shifts allegiance to this person, and is now happily- every- after. But that doesn't happen if you've never learned to work through the struggles. Eventually there will be financial strain, serious illness, straying eyes, squabbling children, or maybe just a difference of opinion on how to spend free time. And you're back where you started, glancing over the rim of a coffee cup, at the fascinating stranger who has no irritating habits. Yet!
April 8, 2024
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP
THE SIX SWANS
THE DRAGON OF THE NORTH
THE STORY OF THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
THE GOLDEN CRAB
THE IRON STOVE
THE DRAGON AND HIS GRANDMOTHER
THE DONKEY CABBAGE
THE LITTLE GREEN FROG
THE SEVEN-HEADED SERPENT
⭐️THE GRATEFUL BEASTS
THE GIANTS AND THE HERD-BOY
⭐️THE INVISIBLE PRINCE
No one can speak as long as he is invisible, and besides, they knew that the spirits were all around them, and at the slightest sound they would be recognised; so all they could do was to feel about in the hope that their hands might once more meet.
THE CROW
HOW SIX MEN TRAVELLED THROUGH THE WIDE WORLD
THE WIZARD KING
THE NIXY
THE GLASS MOUNTAIN
ALPHEGE, OR THE GREEN MONKEY
FAIRER-THAN-A-FAIRY
THE THREE BROTHERS
THE BOY AND THE WOLVES, OR THE BROKEN PROMISE
THE GLASS AXE THE DEAD WIFE
IN THE LAND OF SOULS
THE WHITE DUCK
THE WITCH AND HER SERVANTS
THE MAGIC RING
THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DAUGHTER
THE FLYING SHIP
THE SNOW-DAUGHTER AND THE FIRE-SON
THE STORY OF KING FROST
THE DEATH OF THE SUN-HERO
THE WITCH
THE HAZEL-NUT CHILD
THE STORY OF BIG KLAUS AND LITTLE KLAUS
PRINCE RING
THE SWINEHERD
HOW TO TELL A TRUE PRINCESS
THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
THE TINDER-BOX
THE WITCH IN THE STONE BOAT
THUMBELINA
THE NIGHTINGALE HERMOD AND HADVOR
THE STEADFAST TIN-SOLDIER
BLOCKHEAD-HANS
A STORY ABOUT A DARNING-NEEDLE
THE SIX SWANS
THE DRAGON OF THE NORTH
THE STORY OF THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
THE GOLDEN CRAB
THE IRON STOVE
THE DRAGON AND HIS GRANDMOTHER
THE DONKEY CABBAGE
THE LITTLE GREEN FROG
THE SEVEN-HEADED SERPENT
⭐️THE GRATEFUL BEASTS
THE GIANTS AND THE HERD-BOY
⭐️THE INVISIBLE PRINCE
No one can speak as long as he is invisible, and besides, they knew that the spirits were all around them, and at the slightest sound they would be recognised; so all they could do was to feel about in the hope that their hands might once more meet.
THE CROW
HOW SIX MEN TRAVELLED THROUGH THE WIDE WORLD
THE WIZARD KING
THE NIXY
THE GLASS MOUNTAIN
ALPHEGE, OR THE GREEN MONKEY
FAIRER-THAN-A-FAIRY
THE THREE BROTHERS
THE BOY AND THE WOLVES, OR THE BROKEN PROMISE
THE GLASS AXE THE DEAD WIFE
IN THE LAND OF SOULS
THE WHITE DUCK
THE WITCH AND HER SERVANTS
THE MAGIC RING
THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DAUGHTER
THE FLYING SHIP
THE SNOW-DAUGHTER AND THE FIRE-SON
THE STORY OF KING FROST
THE DEATH OF THE SUN-HERO
THE WITCH
THE HAZEL-NUT CHILD
THE STORY OF BIG KLAUS AND LITTLE KLAUS
PRINCE RING
THE SWINEHERD
HOW TO TELL A TRUE PRINCESS
THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
THE TINDER-BOX
THE WITCH IN THE STONE BOAT
THUMBELINA
THE NIGHTINGALE HERMOD AND HADVOR
THE STEADFAST TIN-SOLDIER
BLOCKHEAD-HANS
A STORY ABOUT A DARNING-NEEDLE
September 4, 2025
Andrew Lang really knew how to put together a fairy tale party. You’ve got magic popping up everywhere, heroes doing their thing, heroines outsmarting everyone, and just enough weirdness to keep things spicy. Some of these stories will ring a bell, but then he’ll hit you with something totally out of left field, and you’re like, “Wait, how have I never heard this one before?”
What I love about this collection is how it doesn’t just stick to the same old European tales everyone’s heard a million times. Nah, Lang grabs stories from all over—Russia, Iceland, Germany, even a few oddballs from Africa and Asia. It’s like flipping through a kaleidoscope; every turn gives you a new color, a new vibe, a fresh surprise. And don’t expect all the stories to be sugar and sunshine, either. Some of these tales get dark, like, “hide under the covers” dark, which honestly just makes them more interesting.
What I love about this collection is how it doesn’t just stick to the same old European tales everyone’s heard a million times. Nah, Lang grabs stories from all over—Russia, Iceland, Germany, even a few oddballs from Africa and Asia. It’s like flipping through a kaleidoscope; every turn gives you a new color, a new vibe, a fresh surprise. And don’t expect all the stories to be sugar and sunshine, either. Some of these tales get dark, like, “hide under the covers” dark, which honestly just makes them more interesting.
August 21, 2025
These books are entertaining and give a wonderful glimpse into a range of fairy tales from many cultures. There are some interesting and sometimes disturbing trends. Beauty if often highly valued but occasionally the tales point out that it is more important to be beautiful on the inside. Kindness if often valued as well. The various protagonists, often male, get into trouble for not listening to advice sometimes there are second chances and redemption sometimes not. There are often violent deaths especially of evil doers, witches, trolls and giants. Some of the tale are old favorites, like Thumbelina, The Tin Soldier, The Emperors New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea and some are more obscure.
March 24, 2019
I love reading fairy tales - and especially a whole collection - I love seeing the common themes that the different ways the same stories are told. Although I may not agree with all of the messages - i am always interested to see how social norms get played out in these stories. In this collection - I was particularly interested in the themes of forgiveness and justice and the choices that characters make in regards to this. Not my favorite collection of stories but a few new ones I have not heard told in that particular manner.
December 27, 2019
This was a lot of fun and there were some pretty crazy stories included. Very few of the selections in this one were the main classics, which I think were mostly already covered in the previous three books.
Steadfast Tin Soldier is in this one, which I'm not personally fond of. There were a couple of weird short fairy tales that felt kind of random and abrupt (e.g. the Darning Needle). But otherwise, I enjoyed my romp through old fairy tales, and I actually was quite fond of the Nightingale story when I read it again.
On to more color fairy books!
Steadfast Tin Soldier is in this one, which I'm not personally fond of. There were a couple of weird short fairy tales that felt kind of random and abrupt (e.g. the Darning Needle). But otherwise, I enjoyed my romp through old fairy tales, and I actually was quite fond of the Nightingale story when I read it again.
On to more color fairy books!
March 21, 2021
There are a few good fairy tales and these can be found in most collections. However, there are a lot of boring ones. The yellow fairy book contains almost exclusively stories of the “a thing happens and then another thing happens” type. Lots of deus ex machina. I found it tedious and uninteresting to read. I really wanted to like this book, but I didn’t. I stopped reading half way through and I doubt I will pick up any of the other fairy books by Lang...
March 10, 2021
I find old fairy tales fascinating and this is a beguiling and surreal and uncensored selection. There's plenty of cruelty and bloodthirstiness amongst the 'happy ever afters'! My favourite aspect were the magical illustrations by Henry J, Ford who I'd never heard of before. Some of them would make lovely framed prints :)
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