The King with Horse's Ears and Other Irish Folktales

Folktales of the World

by Batt Burns, Igor Oleynikov (Illustrator)

Storytelling is one of Ireland’s oldest and grandest traditions, and these vivid tales of far-off days will introduce young readers to the country’s irresistible folklore. Here are brave warriors with superhuman skills, monster dogs with blazing eyes, fairy folk and leprechauns, and the magical land of Tir na nÓg. Author Batt Burns grew up with these beloved characters and legends, and he captures all their enchanting language and flights of fancy. Exquisite art by Igor Oleynikov enhances every tale.

 



Contents include:

·        The King with Horse’s Ears

·        The Greedy Barber

·        Oisín in the Land of the Ever Young

·        Back from the Fairies

·        Paying the Rent

·        A Clever Leprechaun

·        The Lost Island of Lonesome Seals

·        And many more!

 

Genres: Childrens, Irish Literature, Folk Tales, Picture Books, Fiction, Magic, Ireland

96 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2009

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third entry in Sterling's Folktales of the World series, following upon The Hungry Clothes and Other Jewish Folktales and The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales , this collection of thirteen Irish tales is retold by Batt Burns, a practicing seanachie (storyteller) with roots in Ireland's County Kerry. The stories range from traditional and well-known fairy tales and myths to legends passed on to Burns by the storytellers of his childhood, and written down here for the first time. Here the reader will encounter:

Back from the Fairies, in which Larry and Kate O'Shea are finally granted their dearest wish, and blessed with a beautiful son. All seems lost when he is stolen by the fairies, but with the good advice of a fairy woman, the young couple regains their beloved child. An excellent example of the "fairy changeling" type tale, this story has clear Kerry roots, with its mention of Macgillycuddy's Reeks and Saint Crohane (a sixth-century monk said to have lived in the Castlecove area).

The King With Horse's Ears, in which King Labhraidh Loingseach learns to accept his unusual ears, when his many (and extreme) measures to keep his secret prove futile. Billed as a tale about "learning to laugh at oneself," it struck me that the King's sense of humor comes a little late for the many barbers he had executed...

Fionn mac Cumhail and the Fianna of Ireland, which gives a short overview of the life of one of Ireland's greatest folk heroes, from the creation of the Fianna by Cormac mac Airt, the death of Fionn's father, and his youth in hiding, to his leadership of the Fianna, the birth of his son Oisin, and the battles of Ventry and Gabhra. As always, I particularly enjoyed the story of the Salmon of Knowledge, and the fact that Fionn must suck on his thumb, in order to use his new power.

The Greedy Barber, a legend about Daniel O'Connell, a historical figure known as 'the Liberator' for his work on behalf of Catholic Emancipation in 19th century Ireland. One of many stories about O'Connell's "Solomon-like" wisdom, it is the tale of Paddy the Bog, who turns to the great man for help, when he feels he has been cheated by the local barber.

The Charm Setter, in which a young couple is horrified to learn that the misfortune which has been plaguing them is the result of a neighbor's malicious incantations. Perhaps it is owing to what I know of the various historical witch crazes, but I found myself thinking of the many thousands of women victimized by stories such as this over the years, and was unable to read with any sympathy.

A Famous Thief, in which Ireland's most famous thief, the Gadai Dubh ("The Black Thief"), takes on an apprentice who proves even more ingenious than himself. I was unfamiliar with this figure before reading Burns' collection, but enjoyed the story immensely, and found myself wanting to know more about the Gadai Dubh - who he really was, where he came from, and how he came to be THE thief.

Oisin in the Land of the Ever Young, in which Fionn mac Cumhail's son, Oisin, journeys with Niamh of the Golden Hair to the magical land of Tir na nOg.

Just One Choice, in which Antrim farmer Jackie O'Gorman must balance the needs of his deaf daughter and mute mother with the desire of his own heart, when the seals of the Giant's Causeway grant him one wish. This tale of an inspired choice plays out against the classic fairy-tale trope of wish-granting, which usually doesn't turn out quite so well...

Paying the Rent, in which a poor farmer finds that he simply cannot pay the rent, and appeals to his brother in America for help. When the promised aid arrives, only to be lost through incredible circumstances, Crohan and his neighbors all work together to save the day. Firmly grounded in the realities of Irish history - the Great Famine, the greedy landlords, and the all-important remittance from family members abroad - this tale is original to this collection, and based upon stories Burns heard as a young boy.

The Boy and the Pooka, in which a young boy has an unforgettable encounter with a Pooka, in the shape of a giant black dog; and, in accepting aid from the supernatural creature, helps to free him from his curse.

A Strange Night, in which Diarmaid, Conan and Oscar - three great warriors of the Fianna - pass an incredible night with Time himself, and his beautiful daughter Youth. This tale, in which the world is represented by the ram, "which only Time can weaken and conquer," can be found in many sources of Irish mythology.

A Clever Leprechaun, in which Brohgawn, the best shoemaker of all the leprechauns, outwits the salmon poacher who attempts to extort his fortune from him.

And finally, The Lost Island of Seals, in which the residents of a small island find themselves cursed when they disturb the local fairy fort, and are only freed when the next set of residents repair the damage.


I enjoyed The King With Horse's Ears immensely, finding it an entertaining and informative collection of tales. The brief introduction to each tale, together with the pronunciation notes, glossary and source information, make this a useful tool for young folklorists who want to know more. I was pleased, moreover, to find such local flavor in Burns' retellings, many of which were set in or near his own home county, Kerry.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains 13 Irish folktales and legends, including Finn Mac Cumhail, Oisin, pookas, leprechauns and selkies. Each well-written tale has an introduction, and footnotes provide pronunciation guides for Irish words and names. The appealing illustrations look like oil paintings. The book concludes with a glossary and a source note for each tale.

[Maggie Panning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading this wonderful collection of Irish folktales to my six-year-old son as a part of our homeschool studies. I have chosen to have his introduction to world geography/culture come from reading folktales, eating food and listening to music that come from the countries/regions of choice. Our first has been Ireland and thanks to lovely story collections like this one what I thought would be one month on Ireland and then on to the next has turned into three months thus far of Irish tales, music and food and we aren't ready to be done yet as Irish culture is rich with fantastical tales. I highly recommend this book. Although it should be noted that it might be too scary and violent for some young children.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories are told well, and told lyrically, but many of them require a substantial background in Irish folklore. As a storyteller, there were only two that I could comfortably tell to future audiences without needing to research further on the characters in the stories. "Just One Choice" was my favorite. Many of the others I really liked but were a bit too melancholy for me to retell to my elementary students like "The Lost Island of Lonesome Seals."

[Jbondandrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good collection of stories, some that I have not read before.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly standard but well-done. Includes notes on origins of the stories which I always appreciate.

[Angela Belassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed reading this with my daughter, with lessons to be learned from the stories. We will enjoy visiting some of the places featured in the book and learning more about the legends.

[Carissa M · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King with Horse's Ears has a total of thirteen enchanting folktales. Out of the thirteen my three favorites are "The King with Horse's Ears", "Fionn Mac Cumhail and the Fianna of Ireland", and "The Boy and the Pooka". "The King with Horse's Ears" was one of my favorites because the story of the King and his embarrassment of being born with horse ears where he would go to the extent of killing barbers so they would not tell his dark secret to the people. I love how at the end the widowed mothers love for her child touches the King and he allows for the barber and his mother to live as long as they do not share his secret. At the end it is not the boy who tells his secret but the tree who does. The King is angry at first but learns that it does not matter that he was born with Horse ears and laughs with his people.
"Fionn Mac Cumhail and the Fianna of Ireland' was sort of confusing at the beginning where it talks about Cormac wanting many men to protect him but they must have qualifications to be considered worthy. And switches to an old man and a young Fionn cooking a special fish. Fionn is not to burn the fish and must let the old man take the first bite of the magical fish. Fionn notices that the fish is starting to blister and tries to pop the blister before the old man woke up. Fionn ends up burning his thumb and sucking his thumb. Which allows him to gain the knowledge from the Salmon from the river. The old man wakes up and does not blame Fionn for going against his word. Fionn meets a beautiful maiden when hunting and bears a child with her. His son and Fionn end up fighting in a battle, Fionn and the Fianna of Ireland won the first battle but lose the second. Fionn goes into hiding in fear that the King, Cairbreh, was going to kill him. It is said that Fionn still lives on in other forms of great heroes. I love how this tale ends, other Kings believed that the Fianna was selfish yet Fionn proved to be the opposite and was one of the great leaders of the Fianna of Ireland.
"The Boy and the Pooka" is one of those tales where parents try to scare their children into behaving. Conor is the main character and loved by everyone in town, on a shopping expedition for his grandmother some steals his bike forcing him to walk the long four miles home in the dark. Conor runs into the Black Pooka, and is frozen in fear. His Uncle Tom luckily finds him and swings his walking stick madly at the large dark dog. The Pooka speaks and tells of his past and why he is in the form of a Black Pooka. He would forever remain in that form until someone accepts his offer of help. Conor asks the Black Pooka to find his bike and the Pooka brings it to him, Conor and his Uncle, freeing the Black Pooka and showing him kindess. Kerry Valley became a much happier place afterwards. "The Boy and the Pooka" is probably my favorite out of all the stories told because it teaches a valuable lesson not to judge a book by it's cover.
"The King with Horse's Ears and Other Irish Folktales" is full of great folktales translated by Batt Burns and illustrated by Igor Oleynikov. Some of the names since they are Irish are hard to pronounce and the wording can be confusing, the book also provides a helpful introduction and glossary in the back of the book if the reader does not understand certain words. Great stories and lessons for children!

[Ancestral Gaidheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why did I read it? I've always enjoyed fairy and folk tales and this collection appeared several times in recommendations on various book sites.

What's it about? It is a collection of tales remembered from the fireside telling by the author's grandfather. An eclectic collection of magical creatures, and characters from old Irish myths illustrated rather sparsely by Igor Oleynikov.

Contents: “Back from the Fairies”; “The King with the Horse's Ears”; “Fionn Mac Cumhail and the Fianna of Ireland” “The Greedy Barber”; “The Charm Setter”; “A Famous Thief”; “Oisin in the Land of the Ever Young”; “Just One Choice”; “Paying the Rent”; “The Boy and the Pooka”; “A Strange Night”; “A Clever Leprechaun”; “The Lost Land of Lonesome Seals”; Glossary; and Sources.

What did I like? The author's style of writing lends itself to recital to others, and, frequently, it is easy to imagine each tale being told by the fireside of a grandparent's home. There is a mix of tales here, nothing too scary for wee children, though not all have an easily discernible moral. The language is simple enough, and there are pronunciation guides provided as footnotes, presumably based in the speech of the county of Kerry. The book also provides a glossary of terms and further reading, especially handy for the adult narrator whose listeners are bound to ask many a question.

The illustrations are sparse, but delightful. Each tale was a delight.

What didn't I like? Some of the stories ended rather abruptly, and in nearly every story a little more description of characters and places would not have gone astray.

Would I recommend it? Yes. To any parent who wants to introduce folklore, particularly of Ireland, to their progeny.

[Treasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous collection of Irish folktales! Batt Burns, a professional seanachie, writes the stories in such a way that I could almost hear him telling them to me as I read them. The selection of stories is wonderful, ranging from old, traditional Irish tales to ones that Burns himself has made up. The stories don't shy away from bad things happening, which is extremely refreshing.

Burns also does a wonderful job of giving source information for each story at the back of the book and suggesting other books for similar stories. There is also a glossary at the back, which defines terms and Irish words the reader might not be familiar with. And he gives help with the pronunciation of the Gaelic words, which is just splendid! Now I can actually attempt to say the names of the Irish heroes and places correctly.

The illustrations are also delightful. (I especially love the picture of the Pooka.) While Burns's stories would be perfectly fine without them, the illustrations are fun and will make the book more attractive to children.

I have read (or skimmed) many collections of Irish stories. So far, this is one my favorites. I have found few collections where I wanted to read every single story as I did in the case of this book. In this rather slim book (under 100 pages), Burns manages to convey the amazing tradition of storytelling in Ireland in a way that makes me hope the tradition of the seanachie never ends.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is well-done collection of thirteen Irish folktales. Burns begins with an introduction detailing his personal ties to storytelling, and the rich oral storytelling tradition of his home country of Ireland. He includes some information on his research and the origins of the tales he chose at the end of the introduction, but the bulk of that information is contained in the source notes in the back of the book, which are informative but still each concisely written. There is also a glossary at the back that includes Gaelic words and descriptions of items specific to Irish folktales.

The tales themselves are lyrically told, but tightly written at no more than 4 to 5 pages, making them suitable for second grade and up. The themes represented in these tales are generally fantastical and not too frightening, also making them suitable for elementary school children. Each tale begins with an author's note, usually detailing both the origins of the tale's characters and a bit of a synopsis. Noteable tales that would translate well to storytelling would be "Back From The Fairies", a changeling story, and the title tale, "The King With Horse's Ears".

[Mariah Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun collection of Irish folklore contains several re-tellings of ancient Irish tales, as well as, traces of Irish medieval artwork --which I'm a big fan of. The tales range from ancient medieval stories, to stories that originate from the brutal English occupation of Ireland during the 19th century. The author starts the book with a brief introduction about his childhood in Ireland during a time of dying Irish, "Customs, folklore, traditions, farming methods...[and] the Gaelic language", and the deep impression his childhood had on his love for storytelling. The stories are engaging and entertaining, although probably better equipped to entertain the minds of slightly more mature readers. Teachers would have to provide a lot of historical context and background to read this aloud. I would recommend this for a Middle School+ audience. My personal favorites were, "The Famous Thief" and, "The King with Horse's Ears". Great book!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An outstanding collection of Irish folktales, some of which I've read before as picture books, including the title story. My favorites are the scary "The Boy and the Pooka," the eerie "The Lost Island of Lonesome Seals," and the sad, haunting "Oisin in the Land of the Young." Igor Oleynikov's illustrations are perfect for the tales--I love the picture of the king with his horse's ears. I'd love to hear these read aloud by someone with an Irish accent. I must read more books in this series. Highly recommended for the Irish and non-Irish alike!

[Katie Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was especially interesting to me because I am fascinated by Irish culture. I love Irish accents and music, and I have always wanted to visit Ireland. This book was just a fun read to me. I also think it would be great to use in a mid-level English class when learning about folktales. Since I am going to teach mid-level English, I really enjoyed getting to read and think of ways I could use this in my classroom!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories I really enjoyed, but others condensed portions of the action so thoroughly that the stories were hard to follow and boring. (Which is too bad, because I know the original stories are not boring!) Still, it is a helpful addition for kids who think that all Irish stories involve leprechauns. (They don't.)

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually met the author. He was a delightful Irish chap who had lovely tales to tell.

[Tom Normile · Rating 5 out of 5]

My six year olds keep asking me to read them stories from this book. The LOVE the title story.


I am Irish so maybe I am a bit biased

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though a children's book it is a great read.