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The Coloured Fairy Books
The Violet Fairy Book
Roumania, Japan, Serbia, Lithuania, Africa, Portugal, and Russia are among the sources of these 35 stories that tell of a haunted forest, chests of gold coins, a magical dog, and a man who outwits a dragon. Perhaps the best English versions available of these classic stories. 74 illustrations.
388 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1901
174 people are currently reading
3108 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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April 25, 2016
In the preface of The Violet Fairy Book, Andrew Lang's seventh in the series, he seems quite annoyed at certain "ladies" who persist in the belief that he is the author, rather than editor of the stories. Before you get too excited that means he will for once provide thorough credit for his sources, he continues:
For one, the Fairy Books frequently contain adaptations of tales of a very well known literary origin (see those from Marie d'Aulnoy or Hans Christian Andersen). Even those stories from the Grimm's, which they themselves considered true German "folk" tales may have a complicated authorship than suggested by this description.
I recently read an article titled "On the Origin of Hansel and Gretel" [Willem Blecourt, Fabula (2008)], which examines the origins of a number of similiar Magic Flight stories (AT 313) in the early Grimm brothers' collections that were provided by young, single female acquaintances of the brothers who they met in small gatherings at their house. The article concludes that rather than being passive reciters of these "found" stories, the Wild and Hassenpflug sisters composed these tales from literary sources and their own imagination.
Ultimately these stories arose from an atmosphere of collaboration and rivalry between a small group of educated, and perhaps more importantly: eligible youths. ("Hansel and Gretel" in particular can be credited to Marie Hassenpflug and Dortchen Wild. Dortchen married Wilhelm in 1825. The only Grimm sister, Lotte, married a Hassenpflug brother in 1822.) The image of literary salon as middle-class courtship ritual is decidedly more Jane Austen than Joseph Conrad, to say the least.
What does this mean for Lang's "learned men"? Well for one, some of them were women. Not long-ago, far-off women, but female contemporaries whose contributions were unreported or minimized as that of mere facilitators. For instance, one Leonora Blanche Lang, who is credited only offhandedly in this volume ("Mrs. Lang") as the translator of a full two-thirds of the stories. In fact, it was not until the twelfth and final Lilac Fairy Book that he says --
It also means that we have to consider the political, social, and cultural contexts of Lang's "learned" men and women. That while the motifs and themes may be universal, their method of presentation are reflective of certain motives (conscious or unconscious) of their presenters, both at the stages of writing and editing.
As such, Lang's authorial erasure, and continued insistence then that these stories are suitable only for children may be an attempted neutralization of their social aims. A not small number of the stories in this volume come from contributors of the Romantic nationalist vein, including Vuk Karadzic ("major reformer of the Serbian language") and Friedrich Kreutzwald ("father of national literature of his country")*. "Folk culture", as presented by these 19th century writers, served as a validation of native culture and national character. What is more political than laying a claim of continuity of imagination of a people?
Or perhaps, Lang's pose is a kind of subterfuge. Lang's commodification of folk culture for children was following no less than the lead of the Grimm's, who started out with scholarly ambition before realizing the greater commercial (and cultural) possibilities of creating volumes for children. Which is its own form of brilliance: The indoctrination must begin early and often. And all the more easy to deliver under the appearance of authorless, unsophisticated, "naked", innocuous entertainments.
Nah, us "civilised" people would never fall for those kind of "savage" methods, would we?
*More on major contributors I could find information on:
- Besides his linguistic work, Vuk Karadzic is also considered the "father of the study of Serbian folklore" for his work collecting Serbian songs, riddles and fairy tales (four of which appear in this volume). Naturally, the majority of his folkloric work was banned under the rule of Prince Milos of Serbia (which at the time was a principality of the Ottoman Empire), who felt "the content of some of the works, although purely poetic in nature, was capable of creating a certain sense of patriotism and a desire for freedom and independence, which very likely might have driven the populace to take up arms against the Turks."
- Friedrich Kreutzwald, who provides six Estonian tales, was a leader in the Estonian national awakening (movement towards Estonian self-rule, rather than Russian rule). Considered the author of the first original Estonian book, he also composed the national epic Kalevipoeg based on old Estonian legends of a giant who battled other giants and enemies of the land.
- German-born Mite Kremnitz, the source of three Romanian tales, was a close literary collaborator of and maid-of-honor to "Carmen Sylva" AKA Elisabeth of Wied, queen consort of Romania. Kremnitz's husband became a doctor of the royal Romanian family during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78), the very war that precipitated independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878 and the declaration of Carol I as the first king of independent Romania in 1881. Mite Kremmnitz's Romanian Tales was published in 1882. Kremnitz also wrote biographies of both monarchs. ("Carmen Sylva" is fascinating literary figure in her own right, but that's a story for another day.)
- Edward Steere, who features three Swahili tales, was an English-born "colonial bishop [who worked] to abolish slavery in Zanzibar."
____________________________________________
On to the actual stories, the focus of The Violet Fairy Book appears to be on the Eastern European, with the Estonian, Serbian, and Romanian making heavy showings, as well as a handful of Swahili and Japanese tales. If there are only a handful of truly memorable tales, there are plenty of interesting ones. And as I read more of these Fairy Books, certain repeated motifs do seem to stand out to me all the more. Rating: 3 stars
- On quests: No less than three stories in the Violet are centered around the youngest son accomplishing the father-king's quest after his elder brothers have failed. In particular, the Serbian The Nine Peahens and the Golden Apples (Vuk Karadzic) and the Swahili The Nunda (Steere) begin with the same episode of the king asking the sons to discover what bird is eating the fruit of his tree. From there, Peahens becomes a Swan-Maiden search for the lost bride [AT 400], while Nunda briefly becomes a "Firebird" quest [AT 550] turned monster hunt.
The Fairy of the Dawn (Romanian - Mite Kremnitz) is the third story of this triumvirate, with the son seeking the water from the spring of the fairy of the dawn to heal his father, who cries out of one eye and laughs out of the other.
This turns out to be the longest story in the collection, spanning an epic quest that has elements of both the aforementioned "Firebird" [AT550] and "Water of Life" [AT 551] quests, but takes on its own distinctly pagan images. Which include travels through the realms of the goddesses of Mercury/Wednesday, Jupiter/Thursday, and Venus/Friday, and before he arrives at the palace of the fairy of the dawn, where he eats the bread of strength and the wine of youth and steals three kisses before obtaining the water of her well as she sleeps.
"The Fairy of the Dawn" abounds in vivid imagery, though I particularly like the episode of the Welwa. A goblin of wind and air who is first described as having "not exactly a head" with the mane of a horse, horns of a deer, face of a bear, eyes of a polecat, and the body of "something of each" -- and then:
- On transformation chases: I've always been fond of the part of Cinderella variant "Tam and Cam" in which the heroine comes back again and again as a supernatural helper after each time she is killed by her stepsister. Two filial versions appear here. In The Boy With the Golden Stars (Romanian, Kremnitz), the king's sons become trees, beds, and fishes before they can return to reclaim their mother's rightful place. (The king is sort of a douche though, burying his wife alive or whatever.)
It's more touchingly applied in "The Envious Neighbor" (Japanese, Karl Alberti), better known as Hanasaka Jiisan, in which a dog returns as a tree, a mortar, and cherry blossoms in order to bless the old couple who took in the dog in. Surprisingly, the dog does not return itself. The ending is not a restoration, only a reminder. The beauty of the cherry blossom is in the ephemerality of the thing; so too, the impermanence of filial duty that touches the sentimental nerve
The Prince Who Wanted to See the World (Portuguese) and The Grateful Prince (Estonian, Kreutzwald) features the more tradition style of transformation chase. Specifically both are tales of Aarne-Thomspson type 313, in which the heroine helps the hero's escape, first to perform the three tasks before they flee together by means of a magic flight. This is a story type at least as old as Jason and Medea, and the basic, yet highly flexible formula of three tasks + three transformations (+ optional "hero forgets the heroine" episode) explains its enduring popularity.
"The Grateful Prince" is really very charming variant of the tale, which works because of the depth of characterization. For once, the hero is good-humored enough that we actually buy that the heroine would want to help him at all. Unlike their progenitors, the hero and heroine actually seem well-matched, and Kreutzwald provides an interesting twist by foregrounding the psycho-social subtext. The farm under the ground is essentially an uncanny reflection of the upper world, and so the impossible tasks set before the hero are only harder versions of normal farm chores (feeding a horse, milking a cow, stacking the hay).
- On genderbenders: The Lute Player (Russian) is a sweet fable of a king who is bored and starts a war with a heathen prince and gets captured for the trouble, and his awesome wife, who disguises herself a boy and sings so sweetly that the heathen prince promises to give her anything she desires. Make music not war. Naturally, the king does not appreciate her for it. (I would have stuck with the heathen prince.)
But if I only have eyes for one, it's The Girl Who Pretended To Be A Boy (Romanian, Jules Brun/Leo Bachelin), which is one of the most delightful fairy tales I've read in the last few years. It's a story of guises and appearances. The father guised as wolf (permissive enough to let his daughters try, but protective enough to test them first), the daughter guised as son. The deceptiveness of beauty and the usefulness of old things. And of course, the mutability of gender. Note that Fet-Fruners is equally skilled at sword rights and cooking, is fond of both flowers and practical weapons -- and only plays upon a fake hyper-masculinity in order to take advantage of other's rigid gender expectations. Golden-haired Iliana does the same with a pretended hyper-femininity, playing the part of the fickle and empty-headed damsel, and effectively saving her own damned self from two unwanted marriages.
These stories are as old as anything that men have invented. They are narrated by naked savage women to naked savage children. They have been inherited by our earliest civilised ancestors, who really believed that beasts and trees and stones can talk if they choose, and behave kindly or unkindly. [...] As people grew more civilised and had kings and queens, princes and princesses, these exalted persons generally were chosen as heroes and heroines. But originally the characters were just `a man,' and `a woman,' and `a boy,' and `a girl,' with crowds of beasts, birds, and fishes, all behaving like human beings. When the nobles and other people became rich and educated, they forgot the old stories, but the country people did not, and handed them down, with changes at pleasure, from generation to generation. Then learned men collected and printed the country people's stories, and these we have translated, to amuse children. Their tastes remain like the tastes of their naked ancestors, thousands of years ago, and they seem to like fairy tales better than history, poetry, geography, or arithmetic, just as grown-up people like novels better than anything else.Sigh. I don't have time to unpack the whole "savages" thing or the rampant cultural imperialism/class hierarchy in the image of "learned men" swooping down to collect these found tales. I will however, will point out that this simplified image is almost certainly disingenuous.
For one, the Fairy Books frequently contain adaptations of tales of a very well known literary origin (see those from Marie d'Aulnoy or Hans Christian Andersen). Even those stories from the Grimm's, which they themselves considered true German "folk" tales may have a complicated authorship than suggested by this description.
I recently read an article titled "On the Origin of Hansel and Gretel" [Willem Blecourt, Fabula (2008)], which examines the origins of a number of similiar Magic Flight stories (AT 313) in the early Grimm brothers' collections that were provided by young, single female acquaintances of the brothers who they met in small gatherings at their house. The article concludes that rather than being passive reciters of these "found" stories, the Wild and Hassenpflug sisters composed these tales from literary sources and their own imagination.
Ultimately these stories arose from an atmosphere of collaboration and rivalry between a small group of educated, and perhaps more importantly: eligible youths. ("Hansel and Gretel" in particular can be credited to Marie Hassenpflug and Dortchen Wild. Dortchen married Wilhelm in 1825. The only Grimm sister, Lotte, married a Hassenpflug brother in 1822.) The image of literary salon as middle-class courtship ritual is decidedly more Jane Austen than Joseph Conrad, to say the least.
What does this mean for Lang's "learned men"? Well for one, some of them were women. Not long-ago, far-off women, but female contemporaries whose contributions were unreported or minimized as that of mere facilitators. For instance, one Leonora Blanche Lang, who is credited only offhandedly in this volume ("Mrs. Lang") as the translator of a full two-thirds of the stories. In fact, it was not until the twelfth and final Lilac Fairy Book that he says --
The fairy books have been almost wholly the work of Mrs. Lang, who has translated and adapted them from the French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, and other languages.-- before launching into a less wrong-headed version of the "stories are ancient!" line. (Little consolation: "Mrs. Lang" still does not appear anywhere on the title page, and one has a devil of a time trying to track down who exactly the "Miss Blackley" who translates three of the Violet tales is supposed to be.)
My part has been that of Adam, according to Mark Twain, in the Garden of Eden. Eve worked, Adam superintended. I also superintend. I find out where the stories are, and advise, and, in short, superintend."
It also means that we have to consider the political, social, and cultural contexts of Lang's "learned" men and women. That while the motifs and themes may be universal, their method of presentation are reflective of certain motives (conscious or unconscious) of their presenters, both at the stages of writing and editing.
As such, Lang's authorial erasure, and continued insistence then that these stories are suitable only for children may be an attempted neutralization of their social aims. A not small number of the stories in this volume come from contributors of the Romantic nationalist vein, including Vuk Karadzic ("major reformer of the Serbian language") and Friedrich Kreutzwald ("father of national literature of his country")*. "Folk culture", as presented by these 19th century writers, served as a validation of native culture and national character. What is more political than laying a claim of continuity of imagination of a people?
Or perhaps, Lang's pose is a kind of subterfuge. Lang's commodification of folk culture for children was following no less than the lead of the Grimm's, who started out with scholarly ambition before realizing the greater commercial (and cultural) possibilities of creating volumes for children. Which is its own form of brilliance: The indoctrination must begin early and often. And all the more easy to deliver under the appearance of authorless, unsophisticated, "naked", innocuous entertainments.
Nah, us "civilised" people would never fall for those kind of "savage" methods, would we?
*More on major contributors I could find information on:
- Besides his linguistic work, Vuk Karadzic is also considered the "father of the study of Serbian folklore" for his work collecting Serbian songs, riddles and fairy tales (four of which appear in this volume). Naturally, the majority of his folkloric work was banned under the rule of Prince Milos of Serbia (which at the time was a principality of the Ottoman Empire), who felt "the content of some of the works, although purely poetic in nature, was capable of creating a certain sense of patriotism and a desire for freedom and independence, which very likely might have driven the populace to take up arms against the Turks."
- Friedrich Kreutzwald, who provides six Estonian tales, was a leader in the Estonian national awakening (movement towards Estonian self-rule, rather than Russian rule). Considered the author of the first original Estonian book, he also composed the national epic Kalevipoeg based on old Estonian legends of a giant who battled other giants and enemies of the land.
- German-born Mite Kremnitz, the source of three Romanian tales, was a close literary collaborator of and maid-of-honor to "Carmen Sylva" AKA Elisabeth of Wied, queen consort of Romania. Kremnitz's husband became a doctor of the royal Romanian family during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78), the very war that precipitated independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878 and the declaration of Carol I as the first king of independent Romania in 1881. Mite Kremmnitz's Romanian Tales was published in 1882. Kremnitz also wrote biographies of both monarchs. ("Carmen Sylva" is fascinating literary figure in her own right, but that's a story for another day.)
- Edward Steere, who features three Swahili tales, was an English-born "colonial bishop [who worked] to abolish slavery in Zanzibar."
____________________________________________
On to the actual stories, the focus of The Violet Fairy Book appears to be on the Eastern European, with the Estonian, Serbian, and Romanian making heavy showings, as well as a handful of Swahili and Japanese tales. If there are only a handful of truly memorable tales, there are plenty of interesting ones. And as I read more of these Fairy Books, certain repeated motifs do seem to stand out to me all the more. Rating: 3 stars
- On quests: No less than three stories in the Violet are centered around the youngest son accomplishing the father-king's quest after his elder brothers have failed. In particular, the Serbian The Nine Peahens and the Golden Apples (Vuk Karadzic) and the Swahili The Nunda (Steere) begin with the same episode of the king asking the sons to discover what bird is eating the fruit of his tree. From there, Peahens becomes a Swan-Maiden search for the lost bride [AT 400], while Nunda briefly becomes a "Firebird" quest [AT 550] turned monster hunt.
The Fairy of the Dawn (Romanian - Mite Kremnitz) is the third story of this triumvirate, with the son seeking the water from the spring of the fairy of the dawn to heal his father, who cries out of one eye and laughs out of the other.
This turns out to be the longest story in the collection, spanning an epic quest that has elements of both the aforementioned "Firebird" [AT550] and "Water of Life" [AT 551] quests, but takes on its own distinctly pagan images. Which include travels through the realms of the goddesses of Mercury/Wednesday, Jupiter/Thursday, and Venus/Friday, and before he arrives at the palace of the fairy of the dawn, where he eats the bread of strength and the wine of youth and steals three kisses before obtaining the water of her well as she sleeps.
"The Fairy of the Dawn" abounds in vivid imagery, though I particularly like the episode of the Welwa. A goblin of wind and air who is first described as having "not exactly a head" with the mane of a horse, horns of a deer, face of a bear, eyes of a polecat, and the body of "something of each" -- and then:
... something came to him--WHAT I cannot tell you. Perhaps, in his dreams, a man may see a creature which has what it has not got, and has not got what it has. At least, that was what the Welwa seemed like to Petru. She flew with her feet, and walked with her wings; her head was in her back, and her tail was on top of her body; her eyes were in her neck, and her neck in her forehead, and how to describe her further I do not know.Shivers.
- On transformation chases: I've always been fond of the part of Cinderella variant "Tam and Cam" in which the heroine comes back again and again as a supernatural helper after each time she is killed by her stepsister. Two filial versions appear here. In The Boy With the Golden Stars (Romanian, Kremnitz), the king's sons become trees, beds, and fishes before they can return to reclaim their mother's rightful place. (The king is sort of a douche though, burying his wife alive or whatever.)
It's more touchingly applied in "The Envious Neighbor" (Japanese, Karl Alberti), better known as Hanasaka Jiisan, in which a dog returns as a tree, a mortar, and cherry blossoms in order to bless the old couple who took in the dog in. Surprisingly, the dog does not return itself. The ending is not a restoration, only a reminder. The beauty of the cherry blossom is in the ephemerality of the thing; so too, the impermanence of filial duty that touches the sentimental nerve
The Prince Who Wanted to See the World (Portuguese) and The Grateful Prince (Estonian, Kreutzwald) features the more tradition style of transformation chase. Specifically both are tales of Aarne-Thomspson type 313, in which the heroine helps the hero's escape, first to perform the three tasks before they flee together by means of a magic flight. This is a story type at least as old as Jason and Medea, and the basic, yet highly flexible formula of three tasks + three transformations (+ optional "hero forgets the heroine" episode) explains its enduring popularity.
"The Grateful Prince" is really very charming variant of the tale, which works because of the depth of characterization. For once, the hero is good-humored enough that we actually buy that the heroine would want to help him at all. Unlike their progenitors, the hero and heroine actually seem well-matched, and Kreutzwald provides an interesting twist by foregrounding the psycho-social subtext. The farm under the ground is essentially an uncanny reflection of the upper world, and so the impossible tasks set before the hero are only harder versions of normal farm chores (feeding a horse, milking a cow, stacking the hay).
- On genderbenders: The Lute Player (Russian) is a sweet fable of a king who is bored and starts a war with a heathen prince and gets captured for the trouble, and his awesome wife, who disguises herself a boy and sings so sweetly that the heathen prince promises to give her anything she desires. Make music not war. Naturally, the king does not appreciate her for it. (I would have stuck with the heathen prince.)
But if I only have eyes for one, it's The Girl Who Pretended To Be A Boy (Romanian, Jules Brun/Leo Bachelin), which is one of the most delightful fairy tales I've read in the last few years. It's a story of guises and appearances. The father guised as wolf (permissive enough to let his daughters try, but protective enough to test them first), the daughter guised as son. The deceptiveness of beauty and the usefulness of old things. And of course, the mutability of gender. Note that Fet-Fruners is equally skilled at sword rights and cooking, is fond of both flowers and practical weapons -- and only plays upon a fake hyper-masculinity in order to take advantage of other's rigid gender expectations. Golden-haired Iliana does the same with a pretended hyper-femininity, playing the part of the fickle and empty-headed damsel, and effectively saving her own damned self from two unwanted marriages.
August 2, 2011
This is possibly my favourite from the Andrew Lang Fairy Books. At least it contains two of my favourite stories: "The Girl who Pretended to be a Boy" and "The History of Dwarf Long Nose". It is very surprising that the first of these should have made it into a book for children at all back in 1910 or so, but you'll have to read the story to find out why. Many of the stories feature female heroines who are as capable of battling dragons and other monsters as any handsome prince.
Many of the stories are Rumanian, but there are also stories from other parts of Eastern Europe, and Africa and Japan amongst many other places. Few of the stories are likely to be familiar to you, though of course many of the incidents in the stories will be. This book shows that "multiculturalism" is not really such a recent invention - and it is great fun to have stories from very different parts of the world adjacent to one another.
The Amazon "Look Inside" feature is showing another edition of the book, not the Dover edition, which is much better than the one shown, since it contains all the original illustrations, which are a very important part of all the books. All the Fairy books are long out of copyright, and versions of them can be found on the web. But it is well worth buying the Dover Edition, so that you can linger over the illustrations as you read the tales.
There are twelve books in the series, and once you have one you will want to collect them all.
Amazon is showing "reading ages" for these books, but you should take them with a pinch of salt. None of the books, at least as printed by Dover, are suitable for many readers under about 9 or 10.
Many of the stories are Rumanian, but there are also stories from other parts of Eastern Europe, and Africa and Japan amongst many other places. Few of the stories are likely to be familiar to you, though of course many of the incidents in the stories will be. This book shows that "multiculturalism" is not really such a recent invention - and it is great fun to have stories from very different parts of the world adjacent to one another.
The Amazon "Look Inside" feature is showing another edition of the book, not the Dover edition, which is much better than the one shown, since it contains all the original illustrations, which are a very important part of all the books. All the Fairy books are long out of copyright, and versions of them can be found on the web. But it is well worth buying the Dover Edition, so that you can linger over the illustrations as you read the tales.
There are twelve books in the series, and once you have one you will want to collect them all.
Amazon is showing "reading ages" for these books, but you should take them with a pinch of salt. None of the books, at least as printed by Dover, are suitable for many readers under about 9 or 10.
November 4, 2023
July 2023 reread:
This is the final volume in this year's rereading of the fairy books. This is one of the ones I enjoy the most, as I like something in each tale, and I reread every one.
There is something so cozy about The Child Who Came from an Egg. It is probably the basket and the ongoing presence of the fairy godmother. The only strange part is the prince and princess getting married despite being raised as siblings. Even if they are not blood relatives, I would think that behaving like siblings would discourage a romantic relationship. But the times when these stories originated were very different.
Of course I enjoy Two in a Sack with its magical objects, although I don't think the wife should have been beaten, however quarrelsome and abusive she is.
The Finest Liar in the World is very fun story of outrageous imagination.
I'm not sure what the message of The Two Frogs is--maybe delusion?--but it is an amusing story.
The Nine Pea Hens and the Golden Apples is a mixture of fairy tale formulas: a tree whose fruit is stolen each night, saving animals and later being rewarded by them, disobeying by opening that last door, serving a witch by trying to keep track of her mare, being chased by a villain with a special horse. The image of the golden apples and hens in the beginning is beautiful, and I am amused by the thought of a dragon riding a horse. Otherwise, there is not much to distinguish this tale.
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet is another wonderful Japanese tale. It teaches humility and patience.
The Frog is much like Puddocky with the competition to obtain the best cloth, dog, etc. I do not like the concept of choosing a favorite daughter in law, but the story is charming, especially toward the end with the three witches who are cured of their disabilities through laughing at the frog in her chariot.
The Lute Player is one of my very favorite tales in this collection and the whole series, which is why I am thrilled that a picture representing it graces the spine of my Folio edition. The queen takes the initiative to save her husband and gain his appreciation in the end. This is yet another tale featuring a woman who saves a man.
The Boys with the Golden Stars has the typical evil stepmother, but the boys with stars on their foreheads and their various transformations make the story unique.
The Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan represents the futility of denial.
I never paid much attention to Hassebu, but I really enjoyed it this time. I appreciate when tales feature "good" snakes, although in this one the poor Snake King has a tragic end.
The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground has the common plot of young men risking death to win the princess' hand. In almost every tale like this the king tries to dissuade the men from trying, even though the king is the one who invented the rules. Maybe the kings are showing false sympathy? But I enjoy the clever trick in this one.
The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened is one of my favorite types of fairy tales. Both enchanting and wise, it teaches us that more knowledge does not necessarily lead to greater joy or peace but can actually torment us.
The Monkey and the Jellyfish is an entertaining explanation story. I love how it references Uraschimataro in the beginning. I'm not sure who I am rooting for in the story, though. I want Otohime to be healed, but I also do not want the monkey to be killed. The end also indicates that the turtle, not the jellyfish, should be punished, but if the jellyfish had not blabbed the monkey would not have discovered the plan to kill him.
The Headless Dwarfs is another story I previously overlooked, but with the bell tower at midnight and the headless men, it has an eerie, mysterious atmosphere. I appreciate Hans' dauntless attitude as well, and although he is rather arrogant, he learns compassion.
The Story of the Three Wonderful Beggars is similar to The King Who Would be Stronger than Fate from Brown Fairy. Stories like these show the consequences of evil plots and the lack of control we have over our circumstances. This is yet another tale in this collection featuring a Serpent King.
The Three Princes and Their Beasts is similar to a Grimm tale. I enjoy the presence of all the faithful beasts and how the middle brother, not the youngest, is the one to save his brothers.
Halfman is similar to Tom Thumb, but it has a strange ending. Halfman and his wife simply accept that the ogress will keep their son, whereas in most tales I would expect them to fight for him. But maybe the tale is about accepting the consequences of our choices with grace. I am amused by how the story only says there is half of the hero and does not specify which half.
Stand Bolovan, aside from The Brave Little Tailor, is my favorite "underdog" tale. This one is especially endearing because Stan does everything for his hungry children (versus the tailor who seeks adventure and fortune) and because dragons are involved and turn out to be (rather adorably) a bit dim-witted and cowardly. The story is also whimsical with the narrator mentioning that each child is smaller than the others but none are larger than the others.
The History of Dwarf Long Nose is a unique, highly entertaining tale. One of the things I love most is how the hero becomes a master cook, an unusual feature of fairy tales. I'm not sure if the tale is cautioning against being rude and ridiculing others. It probably is, although I think Jem was rather justified in insulting the ill-mannered fairy. In any case, Jem does learn humility and compassion.
I don't enjoy the cat killings in Schippeitaro, but I do appreciate that a dog saves the day.
Jesper Who Herded the Hares is an absolutely hilarious tale with a moral about politeness.
The Envious Neighbor is a tragic representation of how jealousy never leads to anything good.
How a Fish Swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water is a humorous tale about a husband outsmarting his wife to keep her from blabbing. Some readers today might view this story as misogynistic, but as with other tales such as The Fisherman and His Wife, this one says nothing about women in general but about one woman in particular.
The Underground Workers is a wise, enchanting story about the value of work in our lives and the harm that excessive wealth can do.
The plot of The Fairy of the Dawn is not the highlight of this story. The descriptions are what make it stand out. I particularly love the parts that say the prince travels as quickly as a curse, as desire, etc.
The Prince Who Wanted to See the World is somewhat lackluster but still charming and yet another example of a woman saving a man.
The Enchanted Knife is very short but a rather amusing and entertaining tale of trickery.
Few tales are as mysterious and magical as A Tale of the Tontlawald with its huge black cat, old man with a beard, and large stone that provides for everyone, not to mention Kisika's box that summons the sea. Some parts of the tale are a bit brutal, but overall it is an uplifting story, although it is hard to understand that the heroine is better off in the "regular" world instead of the Tontlawald.
Virgilius the Sorcerer is also a rather brutal tale, but it is a rare story with a sorcerer as the hero, and I enjoy reading about his various acts of magic.
The Nunda, Eater of People is probably my least favorite in the collection. I enjoy when the hero is soaring through the air while holding onto the great bird and how the least favorite son is finally loved and appreciated. But some of the pacing is odd, such as when the story mentions that the hunting party eats rice. That seems like an irrelevant detail. Also, the slaying of the Nunda is very anticlimactic since he is asleep--although I never enjoy beasts being slain anyway.
I am always a bit reluctant to the read The Story of a Gazelle because the ending is so heartbreaking, but it does contain a valuable lesson about the importance of gratitude. While most of us probably aren't as heartless as the gazelle's master, we could all probably make more of an effort to thank those who have blessed us.
Mogarzea and His Son is a bit strange, but I appreciate the part when Mogarzea describes his life without his soul: "without being able to take pleasure in any thing, without having a moment's happiness, or even once enjoying a laugh." I am sure we have all had days when we feel like this. I also like how Mogarzea basically adopts the hero and helps him find his bride.
The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy is exciting and gratifying with the heroine showing her mettle, but the gender change is odd and does not add to the story at all.
The Best Part of the aptly named Grateful Prince is the hero's attitude. In contrast to his selfish father, he cannot bear the thought that a peasant girl has suffered in his stead. Otherwise, the plot of the story is not overly interesting.
***
2014:
Every story in this collection is a delight. My favorites:
A Tale of the Tontlawald
Stan Bolovan
The Lute Player
The Underground Workers
The Maiden With the Wooden Helmet
Story of the Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened
This is the final volume in this year's rereading of the fairy books. This is one of the ones I enjoy the most, as I like something in each tale, and I reread every one.
There is something so cozy about The Child Who Came from an Egg. It is probably the basket and the ongoing presence of the fairy godmother. The only strange part is the prince and princess getting married despite being raised as siblings. Even if they are not blood relatives, I would think that behaving like siblings would discourage a romantic relationship. But the times when these stories originated were very different.
Of course I enjoy Two in a Sack with its magical objects, although I don't think the wife should have been beaten, however quarrelsome and abusive she is.
The Finest Liar in the World is very fun story of outrageous imagination.
I'm not sure what the message of The Two Frogs is--maybe delusion?--but it is an amusing story.
The Nine Pea Hens and the Golden Apples is a mixture of fairy tale formulas: a tree whose fruit is stolen each night, saving animals and later being rewarded by them, disobeying by opening that last door, serving a witch by trying to keep track of her mare, being chased by a villain with a special horse. The image of the golden apples and hens in the beginning is beautiful, and I am amused by the thought of a dragon riding a horse. Otherwise, there is not much to distinguish this tale.
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet is another wonderful Japanese tale. It teaches humility and patience.
The Frog is much like Puddocky with the competition to obtain the best cloth, dog, etc. I do not like the concept of choosing a favorite daughter in law, but the story is charming, especially toward the end with the three witches who are cured of their disabilities through laughing at the frog in her chariot.
The Lute Player is one of my very favorite tales in this collection and the whole series, which is why I am thrilled that a picture representing it graces the spine of my Folio edition. The queen takes the initiative to save her husband and gain his appreciation in the end. This is yet another tale featuring a woman who saves a man.
The Boys with the Golden Stars has the typical evil stepmother, but the boys with stars on their foreheads and their various transformations make the story unique.
The Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan represents the futility of denial.
I never paid much attention to Hassebu, but I really enjoyed it this time. I appreciate when tales feature "good" snakes, although in this one the poor Snake King has a tragic end.
The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground has the common plot of young men risking death to win the princess' hand. In almost every tale like this the king tries to dissuade the men from trying, even though the king is the one who invented the rules. Maybe the kings are showing false sympathy? But I enjoy the clever trick in this one.
The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened is one of my favorite types of fairy tales. Both enchanting and wise, it teaches us that more knowledge does not necessarily lead to greater joy or peace but can actually torment us.
The Monkey and the Jellyfish is an entertaining explanation story. I love how it references Uraschimataro in the beginning. I'm not sure who I am rooting for in the story, though. I want Otohime to be healed, but I also do not want the monkey to be killed. The end also indicates that the turtle, not the jellyfish, should be punished, but if the jellyfish had not blabbed the monkey would not have discovered the plan to kill him.
The Headless Dwarfs is another story I previously overlooked, but with the bell tower at midnight and the headless men, it has an eerie, mysterious atmosphere. I appreciate Hans' dauntless attitude as well, and although he is rather arrogant, he learns compassion.
The Story of the Three Wonderful Beggars is similar to The King Who Would be Stronger than Fate from Brown Fairy. Stories like these show the consequences of evil plots and the lack of control we have over our circumstances. This is yet another tale in this collection featuring a Serpent King.
The Three Princes and Their Beasts is similar to a Grimm tale. I enjoy the presence of all the faithful beasts and how the middle brother, not the youngest, is the one to save his brothers.
Halfman is similar to Tom Thumb, but it has a strange ending. Halfman and his wife simply accept that the ogress will keep their son, whereas in most tales I would expect them to fight for him. But maybe the tale is about accepting the consequences of our choices with grace. I am amused by how the story only says there is half of the hero and does not specify which half.
Stand Bolovan, aside from The Brave Little Tailor, is my favorite "underdog" tale. This one is especially endearing because Stan does everything for his hungry children (versus the tailor who seeks adventure and fortune) and because dragons are involved and turn out to be (rather adorably) a bit dim-witted and cowardly. The story is also whimsical with the narrator mentioning that each child is smaller than the others but none are larger than the others.
The History of Dwarf Long Nose is a unique, highly entertaining tale. One of the things I love most is how the hero becomes a master cook, an unusual feature of fairy tales. I'm not sure if the tale is cautioning against being rude and ridiculing others. It probably is, although I think Jem was rather justified in insulting the ill-mannered fairy. In any case, Jem does learn humility and compassion.
I don't enjoy the cat killings in Schippeitaro, but I do appreciate that a dog saves the day.
Jesper Who Herded the Hares is an absolutely hilarious tale with a moral about politeness.
The Envious Neighbor is a tragic representation of how jealousy never leads to anything good.
How a Fish Swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water is a humorous tale about a husband outsmarting his wife to keep her from blabbing. Some readers today might view this story as misogynistic, but as with other tales such as The Fisherman and His Wife, this one says nothing about women in general but about one woman in particular.
The Underground Workers is a wise, enchanting story about the value of work in our lives and the harm that excessive wealth can do.
The plot of The Fairy of the Dawn is not the highlight of this story. The descriptions are what make it stand out. I particularly love the parts that say the prince travels as quickly as a curse, as desire, etc.
The Prince Who Wanted to See the World is somewhat lackluster but still charming and yet another example of a woman saving a man.
The Enchanted Knife is very short but a rather amusing and entertaining tale of trickery.
Few tales are as mysterious and magical as A Tale of the Tontlawald with its huge black cat, old man with a beard, and large stone that provides for everyone, not to mention Kisika's box that summons the sea. Some parts of the tale are a bit brutal, but overall it is an uplifting story, although it is hard to understand that the heroine is better off in the "regular" world instead of the Tontlawald.
Virgilius the Sorcerer is also a rather brutal tale, but it is a rare story with a sorcerer as the hero, and I enjoy reading about his various acts of magic.
The Nunda, Eater of People is probably my least favorite in the collection. I enjoy when the hero is soaring through the air while holding onto the great bird and how the least favorite son is finally loved and appreciated. But some of the pacing is odd, such as when the story mentions that the hunting party eats rice. That seems like an irrelevant detail. Also, the slaying of the Nunda is very anticlimactic since he is asleep--although I never enjoy beasts being slain anyway.
I am always a bit reluctant to the read The Story of a Gazelle because the ending is so heartbreaking, but it does contain a valuable lesson about the importance of gratitude. While most of us probably aren't as heartless as the gazelle's master, we could all probably make more of an effort to thank those who have blessed us.
Mogarzea and His Son is a bit strange, but I appreciate the part when Mogarzea describes his life without his soul: "without being able to take pleasure in any thing, without having a moment's happiness, or even once enjoying a laugh." I am sure we have all had days when we feel like this. I also like how Mogarzea basically adopts the hero and helps him find his bride.
The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy is exciting and gratifying with the heroine showing her mettle, but the gender change is odd and does not add to the story at all.
The Best Part of the aptly named Grateful Prince is the hero's attitude. In contrast to his selfish father, he cannot bear the thought that a peasant girl has suffered in his stead. Otherwise, the plot of the story is not overly interesting.
***
2014:
Every story in this collection is a delight. My favorites:
A Tale of the Tontlawald
Stan Bolovan
The Lute Player
The Underground Workers
The Maiden With the Wooden Helmet
Story of the Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened
June 22, 2018
Some were enjoyable most were repetitive.
November 2, 2022
This was fun. I enjoy fairy tales, and these are all from other countries and stories I have not come across before.
A good variety of quests, princesses, brave young men and sneaky paranormals trying to trick the unsuspecting.
This was an interesting, fun read.
A good variety of quests, princesses, brave young men and sneaky paranormals trying to trick the unsuspecting.
This was an interesting, fun read.
February 21, 2016
[2.5]
This is a collection of short fairytale/fable/mythical tales set in apparently different places of apparently different types of characters.
[edit: I just read the Foreword which I didn't before and it mentions influences of places such as Slavic, Japanese and Portugal
Aaand I just read the Preface which mentions the author is simply the collector of the stories not then writer. I still stand by my opinions of the book overall]
There was a few stories of the bunch that did hold my interest and I still remember:
+ A Tale of Tontawald (I would have loved to hear a more sinister and explored version of this..it reminded me a little of elements from Uprooted by Naomi Novik)
+ The Lute Player (I enjoyed this but it also frustrated me. Mainly enjoyed it bc for once a girl goes out on an adventure to do the saving but the other elements kinda pissed me off)
+ Stan Bolovlan (well I thought it was funny that the dragon was so easily tricked.. And that an old lady was his mother)
+ The Two Frogs (bc it was an absurd and short short story)
+ Dwarf Long Nose
Pros:
+ It began quite nicely
+ There were some original and new elements to the fairytale tropes
+ The stories were quick, easy to digest
+ The book illustrations were quite charming
Cons:
+ There were quite a few stories which followed along the same plotlines which meant I could skim past and know EXACTLY WHAT FUCKING HAPPENED IM SO PSYCHIC WHOO -_-
+ Trope heavy, follows along the same rules of most old school fairytale sensibilities but not in a positive way
+ There was no context or coherence to the sequence of events which happened in many stories. It was too simply written, yet tried to over complicate with nonsensical logic.
+ No actual characters. Like no personality. Just labeled puppeteering. Oh and also not actual recognisable difference to the "different" settings of stories, except for the slapped on name tags given. Possibly because the surroundings weren't properly described in some stories.
+ LACK OF LOGIC TO THE ACTIONS OF THE CHARACTERS. Fine be misogynistic to fit into the time these stories were the norm etc.. Follow the tropes. But PLEASE. Give some credit to the puppets. We're nae that stupid ye ken.
+ While the illustrations were charming the stories matching them made me skim fast past them so I couldn't really appreciate them
+ Those more original ideas fell into the trope and soul sucking crap story trap and were never given a good airing.
+ I take it back I was never fine with the misogyny. I don't care what time period it was set it. WE ARE NOT OBJECTS TO BE MARRIED OFF AND WON AS PRIZES.
I think my outrage is probably a bit over the top. I just really was looking forward to some consistency and good weird.
This was bang you head on the wall weird slash boring.
So I went back and added an edit at the beginning bc I finally read the foreword n preface n I can see that these are old fashioned stories which have some sort of history of passing down. But I feel that though they revised the story to appeal to a more current (well if you can call 1972 current) audience it just still was stale and old.
The thing is.. I am gonna keep this book. Because some of the shit is entertainingly bad.
Would I recommend it? Yes for a pretty shelf bookend. Otherwise do whatever the hell you like with it.
This is a collection of short fairytale/fable/mythical tales set in apparently different places of apparently different types of characters.
[edit: I just read the Foreword which I didn't before and it mentions influences of places such as Slavic, Japanese and Portugal
Aaand I just read the Preface which mentions the author is simply the collector of the stories not then writer. I still stand by my opinions of the book overall]
There was a few stories of the bunch that did hold my interest and I still remember:
+ A Tale of Tontawald (I would have loved to hear a more sinister and explored version of this..it reminded me a little of elements from Uprooted by Naomi Novik)
+ The Lute Player (I enjoyed this but it also frustrated me. Mainly enjoyed it bc for once a girl goes out on an adventure to do the saving but the other elements kinda pissed me off)
+ Stan Bolovlan (well I thought it was funny that the dragon was so easily tricked.. And that an old lady was his mother)
+ The Two Frogs (bc it was an absurd and short short story)
+ Dwarf Long Nose
Pros:
+ It began quite nicely
+ There were some original and new elements to the fairytale tropes
+ The stories were quick, easy to digest
+ The book illustrations were quite charming
Cons:
+ There were quite a few stories which followed along the same plotlines which meant I could skim past and know EXACTLY WHAT FUCKING HAPPENED IM SO PSYCHIC WHOO -_-
+ Trope heavy, follows along the same rules of most old school fairytale sensibilities but not in a positive way
+ There was no context or coherence to the sequence of events which happened in many stories. It was too simply written, yet tried to over complicate with nonsensical logic.
+ No actual characters. Like no personality. Just labeled puppeteering. Oh and also not actual recognisable difference to the "different" settings of stories, except for the slapped on name tags given. Possibly because the surroundings weren't properly described in some stories.
+ LACK OF LOGIC TO THE ACTIONS OF THE CHARACTERS. Fine be misogynistic to fit into the time these stories were the norm etc.. Follow the tropes. But PLEASE. Give some credit to the puppets. We're nae that stupid ye ken.
+ While the illustrations were charming the stories matching them made me skim fast past them so I couldn't really appreciate them
+ Those more original ideas fell into the trope and soul sucking crap story trap and were never given a good airing.
+ I take it back I was never fine with the misogyny. I don't care what time period it was set it. WE ARE NOT OBJECTS TO BE MARRIED OFF AND WON AS PRIZES.
I think my outrage is probably a bit over the top. I just really was looking forward to some consistency and good weird.
This was bang you head on the wall weird slash boring.
So I went back and added an edit at the beginning bc I finally read the foreword n preface n I can see that these are old fashioned stories which have some sort of history of passing down. But I feel that though they revised the story to appeal to a more current (well if you can call 1972 current) audience it just still was stale and old.
The thing is.. I am gonna keep this book. Because some of the shit is entertainingly bad.
Would I recommend it? Yes for a pretty shelf bookend. Otherwise do whatever the hell you like with it.
December 22, 2010
This was the first anthology by Andrew Lang I read, and after doing so I was hooked. I marvelled at how uniquely told all of the tales within this collection are, some are known and others much more obscure. I find this more of an adult fascination that arose in me for the need that was hardly taken care of in children's fantasy literature, which Lang takes care of. I realize that some of the stories are much more gruesomely told even more so, than Grimm's depiction of other similar tales. I loved the artwork and I now wish to read through all of the collection of his anthology I now own, hunting for my favorite illustration and blow it up, and put it in my room. Somehow, I noticed it was quite easier for me to get drawn in and read the Violet Fairy Book without having to work at it, than it was for me to really get into the Red and I wonder if that had anything to do with when the works were written? Because I know Lang compiled the Red as his second collection, which came following the Blue, and within a span of time later on, did the Violet.
May 31, 2012
True rating: 4.5 stars.
As usual with Lang's Fairy Books, this was a very enjoyable collection of fairy tales from around the world. Most here will be unfamiliar to a reader (as they come from Japan, Serbia, Africa, Lithuania, etc.), but the plots, characters, and themes are those of fairy tales everywhere. Each is interesting and entertaining, though my favorite might have been "The Girl Who Pretended to Be a Boy". Oh, and as anyone knows who has looked into one of these Dover reprints, H.J. Ford’s original illustrations are plentiful and superb. Fairy tales the way they should be written and presented.
As usual with Lang's Fairy Books, this was a very enjoyable collection of fairy tales from around the world. Most here will be unfamiliar to a reader (as they come from Japan, Serbia, Africa, Lithuania, etc.), but the plots, characters, and themes are those of fairy tales everywhere. Each is interesting and entertaining, though my favorite might have been "The Girl Who Pretended to Be a Boy". Oh, and as anyone knows who has looked into one of these Dover reprints, H.J. Ford’s original illustrations are plentiful and superb. Fairy tales the way they should be written and presented.
June 12, 2012
This is a wonderful collection of fairy and folk tales from around the world. Professor Lurie is quite a story teller in the flesh. I was privileged and had a blast when I took one of her courses in at Cornell - "An Analysis of Children's Literature." She was spell binding during class discussions and even more so when she read folk and fairy tales out loud. I still remember her course as if it were yesterday.
December 12, 2015
This one, I think, has more weak tales than the earlier ones, especially since many of them are other kinds of folk tales. Some are very good; I particularly mention ""The Nine Pea-hens and the Golden Apples," "Jesper who Herded Hares," and "The Frog."
February 24, 2009
Loved that these fairy tales came from many diverse areas of the world. As usual....loved the book and the series.
June 25, 2009
One of the best told bunch of Fairytales I've ever gotten my hands on.
February 18, 2022
The tone of some of these tales was delightful. And the implied morals were also interesting. But there was an instance of abuse that seemed like it was condoned.
November 20, 2012
I loved this book of fairy tales.....my favorite one being the girl who pretended to be a boy....I'm an avid fairy tale reader and would live to read the 11 others :)
December 30, 2012
This is definitely my favorite of all of Lang's Fairy Books. Out of it, my favorite story is of Stan Bolovan, who outsmarted a dragon in a series of most ingenious tasks.
June 18, 2013
Reading this book was so much fun, each story was like taking a mini vacation.
(My favorite story was The History of Dwarf Long Nose.)
(My favorite story was The History of Dwarf Long Nose.)
July 28, 2013
Wish I had all the colours! A great collection of Fairy tales. Would read it again.
March 8, 2017
A yet another collection of fairy tales collected by Andrew Lang. My copy is quite old, and has the occasional full colour, full page illustration which I especially enjoy.
April 13, 2016
The further into this series of fairy books I get, the less familiar the stories become. This one had quite a few I didn't know and I find them quite fascinating.
November 1, 2017
For quick reads, there's nothing which satisfies more than Andrew Lang's fairy-folk tale collections.
August 21, 2021
3.5 stars
I actually really enjoyed most of the stories in this one, and I think this is in my top 2 of all the collections in this series that I've read so far, putting it just behind The Blue Fairy Book. I was going to give this 3.75 stars but I still feel I like The Blue Fairy Book better and I rated that 3.5 stars. I think in part I have some nostalgia attached to that one since it was the first of these books I read when I was younger, and one I've reread several times. I have a vivid memory of sitting in the airport one time reading it on my Kindle while we waited for our rental car when I was about 11 or 12. I have actually read this one before, but I couldn't remember if I had or hadn't.
Favorites:
A Tale of the Tontlawald
The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy
Good:
The Finest Liar in the World
The Nine Pea-Hens and the Golden Apples
The Lute Player
The Grateful Prince
The Child Who Came from an Egg
Stan Bolovan
The Story of a Gazelle
How a Fish Swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water
The Envious Neighbor
The Fairy of the Dawn- This one was quite a long one and there were random mythology references that didn't really make sense in context.
The Enchanted Knife
Jesper Who Herded the Hares
The History of Dwarf Long Nose
The Monkey and the Jelly-Fish
The Headless Dwarfs
The Boys with the Golden Stars
The Frog
The Story of Halfman
Okay:
The Story of the Three Wonderful Beggars
Schippeitaro- The version of the story here is actually from a translated German version despite being Japanese in origin, and as a result some aspects have been altered, which I wasn't a fan of.
The Three Princes and Their Beasts
The Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan- This is just a variant of one of the King Midas stories from Greek mythology, so nothing really new here.
The Two Frogs
Two in a Sack
The Underground Workers
The Nunda, Eater of People
The Story of Hassebu
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened
The Princess Who was Hidden Underground
The Prince who Wanted to See the World
Virgilius the Sorcerer
Mogarzea and his Son
I actually really enjoyed most of the stories in this one, and I think this is in my top 2 of all the collections in this series that I've read so far, putting it just behind The Blue Fairy Book. I was going to give this 3.75 stars but I still feel I like The Blue Fairy Book better and I rated that 3.5 stars. I think in part I have some nostalgia attached to that one since it was the first of these books I read when I was younger, and one I've reread several times. I have a vivid memory of sitting in the airport one time reading it on my Kindle while we waited for our rental car when I was about 11 or 12. I have actually read this one before, but I couldn't remember if I had or hadn't.
Favorites:
A Tale of the Tontlawald
The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy
Good:
The Finest Liar in the World
The Nine Pea-Hens and the Golden Apples
The Lute Player
The Grateful Prince
The Child Who Came from an Egg
Stan Bolovan
The Story of a Gazelle
How a Fish Swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water
The Envious Neighbor
The Fairy of the Dawn- This one was quite a long one and there were random mythology references that didn't really make sense in context.
The Enchanted Knife
Jesper Who Herded the Hares
The History of Dwarf Long Nose
The Monkey and the Jelly-Fish
The Headless Dwarfs
The Boys with the Golden Stars
The Frog
The Story of Halfman
Okay:
The Story of the Three Wonderful Beggars
Schippeitaro- The version of the story here is actually from a translated German version despite being Japanese in origin, and as a result some aspects have been altered, which I wasn't a fan of.
The Three Princes and Their Beasts
The Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan- This is just a variant of one of the King Midas stories from Greek mythology, so nothing really new here.
The Two Frogs
Two in a Sack
The Underground Workers
The Nunda, Eater of People
The Story of Hassebu
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened
The Princess Who was Hidden Underground
The Prince who Wanted to See the World
Virgilius the Sorcerer
Mogarzea and his Son
April 22, 2019
I first encountered the Lang collection, often called the Colored Fairy Books because of their titles (Blue, Olive, Crimson, etc.) when I was in elementary school. I enjoyed them because they were so different from the sanitized, prissy princess, modern versions, and I'm happy to see them now available (for very cheap) in Kindle format.
We forget that fairy tales were not originally for children and were not created as vehicles for which to market toys and Happy Meals to toddlers. They were oral entertainment, grisly and cutting social or political commentary more often than not.
For one of the more interesting aspects of fairy tale history, look up "préciosité." The Brothers Grimm are credited with collecting and publishing fairly tales; however,les précieuse is a little-known step in how a group of French noble-women affected the shape of the modern fairy tale and elevated the art of storytelling.
Like any old literature, it's best to read Lang's collections in the context of their times and understand that our 21st century (professed) sensibilities might get a little tweaked from some of the language and prejudices in older literature. Anyone looking for the sweet, slick, happily-ever-after versions where nothing violent or rude ever happens will likely not like this (or any of the older) collections.
We forget that fairy tales were not originally for children and were not created as vehicles for which to market toys and Happy Meals to toddlers. They were oral entertainment, grisly and cutting social or political commentary more often than not.
For one of the more interesting aspects of fairy tale history, look up "préciosité." The Brothers Grimm are credited with collecting and publishing fairly tales; however,les précieuse is a little-known step in how a group of French noble-women affected the shape of the modern fairy tale and elevated the art of storytelling.
Like any old literature, it's best to read Lang's collections in the context of their times and understand that our 21st century (professed) sensibilities might get a little tweaked from some of the language and prejudices in older literature. Anyone looking for the sweet, slick, happily-ever-after versions where nothing violent or rude ever happens will likely not like this (or any of the older) collections.
August 28, 2022
Andrew Lang was a prolific scholar, folklorist, and story-teller. A Scotsman who, if he doesn't equal his countrymen and contemporary George MacDonald in originality certainly equals or exceeds him in production. Lang's colorful fairy books (numbering twelve in all) and his numerous other fairy tale collections (mostly compilations, with some originals) have delighted readers since the late 19th century, and, I'm sure, will be read forever. There's simply no other fairy tale writer who was as learned or as cosmopolitan as Lang; his achievements in preserving and disseminating folk- and fairy tales will stand until the Lord returns.
This violet collection had tales that were imaginative and frightening, thought-provoking and charming. I read one or two tales aloud to my 3-year old daughter each evening. Some captivated her while others confused her. I can say that the most memorable tales in her mind involved a talking gazelle in Africa, a man named Stan Bolivan who magically gained many sons, and an enchanted sack that produced two boys who would prepare an oak table covered with "refreshing drinks." I am excited to read her and my son all of these books one day. Along with the German Romantics, MacDonald, Lewis Carroll, and C. S. Lewis, fairy tales can "baptize the imagination" and help us to rediscover childhood openness, wonder, and faith.
This violet collection had tales that were imaginative and frightening, thought-provoking and charming. I read one or two tales aloud to my 3-year old daughter each evening. Some captivated her while others confused her. I can say that the most memorable tales in her mind involved a talking gazelle in Africa, a man named Stan Bolivan who magically gained many sons, and an enchanted sack that produced two boys who would prepare an oak table covered with "refreshing drinks." I am excited to read her and my son all of these books one day. Along with the German Romantics, MacDonald, Lewis Carroll, and C. S. Lewis, fairy tales can "baptize the imagination" and help us to rediscover childhood openness, wonder, and faith.
January 26, 2022
Like its predecessor, The Grey Fairy Book, this is a collection of stories that, for me, is overall neither very good nor very bad. I found the quality to be quite consistent here, whereas the other had a couple of definite peaks and troughs. Some stories included very interesting ideas, such as 'The Story of Three Wonderful Beggars' and 'The History of Dwarf Long Nose', but they always got too weird to be actually enjoyable. 'The Two Frogs' was a short, engaging and memorable little fable, while (in a similar vein!) 'The Frog' I found interesting as a version of 'The White Cat' and 'Puddocky' from previous Fairy Books; those two stories are more like each other than this latest version, which makes rather less fantastical use of the dogs and the thread (as well as a few other differences not worth mentioning).
August 13, 2025
“The Violet Fairy Book” is just a wild ride. Andrew Lang knew what he was doing, for real. This book scoops up fairy tales from all over the globe—some are wild, some are straight-up bonkers, but all of them have that weird, sparkly magic you want in a fairy tale. Every time you think you know where a story’s going, boom, it flips the script with some bizarre tradition from halfway across the planet. Keeps you on your toes.
Note, the language is kinda old-school—think grandpa reading by candlelight vibes—but honestly, that’s half the fun.
Note, the language is kinda old-school—think grandpa reading by candlelight vibes—but honestly, that’s half the fun.
April 19, 2019
I had the pleasure of reading this for my History of the English Language Linguistics class. There are some good stories here but some--as you might expect--are representative of repressive historical cultures where women are prizes to be won and whose nature, whenever they have self-determination, are burdens to be borne. In any case, I did enjoy more than half despite the flaws. They are, after all, stories from the past, so what more can we glean than the way of that world.
December 11, 2023
The fairy tales in here were all unknown to me before I started reading. Andrew Lang and his translators have really gone for the deep cuts here. Most of these fairy tales are Eastern European, and many follow similar motifs, such as emperors and sons going on quests. Most of the fairy tales in here blend into one another, with very few standing out. The only notable fairy tale in this book is “The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy,” because of the gender-bender aspect.
April 29, 2021
I've now read half of Lang's fairy-tale collection, and in spite of the way events and themes repeat throughout I'm not bored. I like seeing motifs repeat across different stories, from different places.
April 3, 2022
"Once upon a time what should happen DID happen; and if it had not happened this tale would never have been told."
A collection of fairy tales from around the world. Delightful to say the least. Some stories would be familiar some would not be.
A collection of fairy tales from around the world. Delightful to say the least. Some stories would be familiar some would not be.
October 31, 2025
The Violet Fairy Book (The Rainbow Fairy Books #7) by Andrew Lang – If you have actually heard of the Enchanted Knife before this collection, I am very impressed with your fairy tale knowledge! This one will probably be full of new stories for you! Happy Reading!
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