The Brown Fairy Book

This collection of Fairy stories by Andrew Lang features tales from very far afield, including Iceland, Egypt and North America. Lang tells the stories in a simple yet engaging way and it is interesting to see how stories from places very far apart can be very similar.

Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known for his work as a collector of folk and fairy tales. Lang was educated at the University of St. Andrews and Balliol College, Oxford, where he later held a fellowship. His interest in myth and folklore led him to produce a series of fairy tale collections, which were compiled in what is known as Lang's 'Fairy Books' series, each named after a different color. Among these, 'The Brown Fairy Book' (1904), contained stories from a variety of cultures and captured the imagination of both children and adults with its enchanting narratives. Lang's literary style in these collections was notable for its clear and accessible prose, which conveyed the tales without diminishing their magical qualities. His work was integral to the recognition and preservation of cultural folklore at a time when oral storytelling traditions were waning under the advance of industrialization. Lang also made significant contributions to the scholarship of his time, particularly in the field of Homeric studies and on the relationship between myth, religion, and literature. He was versatile in his literary output, contributing to multiple genres including poetry, criticism, history, and anthropology, all the while maintaining a captivating storytelling voice that has kept his work beloved by generations.