The Red Fairy Book (1890)
edited by Andrew Lang
653851The Red Fairy Book1890Andrew Lang

THE

RED FAIRY BOOK

WORKS BY ANDREW LANG.




CUSTOM AND MYTH: Studies of Early Usage and Belief. With 15 Illustrations. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d.

BOOKS AND BOOKMEN. With 2 Coloured Plates and 17 Illustrations. Crown 8vo. 6s. 6d.

GRASS OF PARNASSUS. A Volume of Selected Verses. Fcp. 8vo. 6s.

LETTERS ON LITERATURE. Crown 8vo. 4s. 6d.

OLD FRIENDS: Essays in Epistolary Parody. 6s. 6d.

BALLADS OF BOOKS. Edited by Andrew Lang. Fcp. 8vo. 6s.

THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK. Edited by Andrew Lang. With numerous Illustrations by H. J. Ford and G. P. Jacomb Hood. Crown 8vo. 6s.

THE RED FAIRY BOOK. Edited by Andrew Lang. With numerous Illustrations by H. J. Ford and Lancelot Speed. Crown 8vo. 6s.


THE TWELVE PRINCESSES QUIT THE CASTLE BY THE SECRET STAIRCASE.

THE

RED FAIRY BOOK

EDITED BY

ANDREW LANG


WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS BY H. J. FORD
AND LANCELOT SPEED



LONDON

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

AND NEW YORK: 15 EAST 16th STREET

1890


TO

MASTER BILLY TREMAYNE MILES

A PROFOUND STUDENT

YET

AN AMIABLE CRITIC


PREFACE


In a second gleaning of the fields of Fairy Land we cannot expect to find a second Perrault. But there are good stories enough left, and it is hoped that some in the Red Fairy Book may have the attraction of being less familiar than many of the old friends. The tales have been translated, or, in the case of those from Madame d’Aulnoy’s long stories, adapted, by Mrs. Hunt from the Norse, by Miss Minnie Wright from Madame d’Aulnoy, by Mrs. Lang and Miss Bruce from other French sources, by Miss May Sellar, Miss Farquharson, and Miss Blackley from the German, while the story of ‘Sigurd’ is condensed by the Editor from Mr. William Morris’s prose version of the ‘Volsunga Saga.’ The Editor has to thank his friend, M. Charles Marelles, for permission to reproduce his versions of the ‘Pied Piper,’ of ‘Drakestail,’ and of ‘Little Golden Hood’ from the French, and M. Henri Carnoy for the same privilege in regard to ‘The Six Sillies’ from La Tradition.

Lady Frances Balfour has kindly copied an old version of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk,’ and Messrs. Smith and Elder have permitted the publication of two of Mr. Ralston’s versions from the Russian.

CONTENTS


  PAGE
The Twelve Dancing Princesses 1
The Princess Mayblossom 13
Soria Moria Castle 30
The Death of Koschei the Deathless 42
The Black Thief and Knight of the Glen 54
The Master Thief 67
Brother and Sister 82
Princess Rosette 89
The Enchanted Pig 104
The Norka 116
The Wonderful Birch 123
Jack and the Beanstalk 133
The Little Good Mouse 146
Graciosa and Percinet 158
The Three Princesses of Whiteland 175
The Voice of Death 182
The Six Sillies 186
Kari Woodengown 189
Drakestail 202
The Ratcatcher 208
The True History of Little Goldenhood 215
The Golden Branch 220
The Three Dwarfs 238
Dapplegrim 246
The Enchanted Canary 257
The Twelve Brothers 274
Rapunzel 282
The Nettle Spinner 286
Farmer Weatherbeard 294
Mother Holle 303
Minnikin 307
Bushy Bride 322
Snowdrop 329
The Golden Goose 340
The Seven Foals 346
The Marvellous Musician 354
The Story of Sigurd 357

PLATES


The Twelve Princesses quit the Castle by the secret staircase
} Frontispiece
Father Lawrence, conceiving himself to be addressed by an Angel, falls on his knees before him
To face page 76
Drakestail, with his friends stowed away in his gizzard, demands speech of the King
204
The sleeping King, guided by his attendants, cuts the finger of the beautiful Maiden
328



This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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