Ten traditional tales of Irish heroes, kings, soldiers, magicians, poets, and madmen.
… “Irish Fairy Tales” by James Stephens doesn't have any leprechauns, but that is hardly a let down. No, these stories are steeped in the very depths of Irish folklore, from the same sources that Yeats immersed himself in, going right back to the recoded beginnings.
That means historical and spiritual fairy tales of ancient Tara; those heard, adapted and written by the monks and priests of Ireland as Christianity came to the land and proceeded to convert the indigenous pagans to the new creed.
The author clearly knew and revered his subject, yet is bold and gifted enough to retell these stories in his own way. There is more poetry, wit and wisdom in this collection than you could ever hope to find in any book.
—Perry Whitford, Goodreads
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James Stephens (9 February 1880 – 26 December 1950) was an Irish novelist and poet.
Stephens produced many retellings of Irish myths. His writings are marked by a rare combination of humour and lyricism (
Deirdre and
Irish Fairy Tales are often especially praised). He also wrote several original novels (
The Crock of Gold,
Demi-Gods) based loosely on Irish wonder tales.
The Crock of Gold in particular has achieved enduring popularity and has often been reprinted.
During the last decade of his life, Stephens found a new audience through a series of broadcasts on the BBC.
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This book is illustrated with 16 full-page color images and a number of line drawings by the incomparable Arthur Rackham, the Grand Master of “The Golden Age of Illustration”.
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This collection was first published in 1920.
This ebook is in the public domain where copyright is “Life+70” or less, and in the USA.
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