The Red Fairy Book

 

 

 

THE

RED FAIRY BOOK

 

 

WORKS BY ANDREW LANG.

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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.

London: LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO.

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 16^th 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.

A. L.

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