Edited by Andrew Lang
by Unknown · from The Green Fairy Book
Adapted Version
Hello, dear friend! I have a special book for you. This book is for you to read.
This book is for Stella. It is a special book. I hope she likes it very much. I hope she smiles when she reads it.
You are my friend. This is a new fairy tale book. It has many good stories inside. You will love these stories. They are fun to read. These stories come from many other lands. People in many places tell them. Children in all places love these tales. They are very old stories. Each story is a little fun trip. You can go on a trip with each story.
Fairy tales are very, very old. People long, long ago told them. They believed in magic then. Witches could turn people into frogs. Creatures could talk and play. This was a long, long time ago. Grandmas told these stories to their children. Grandpas told them too. Then those children grew up. They told their own children. So the stories lived on for many years. They are older than books. Very old books have stories. They tell of magic. They tell of brave boys and kind girls. It is fun to read them. You can read them now. They are still good.
Fairy tales are fun. They also teach us good things. Be kind to little friends. Be brave and good. Always try your best. This is a good lesson for all people. Some grown-ups say stories are not true. They say witches are not real. But you know it is pretend. You know it is just fun. Monsters are not real now. Do not be afraid of the stories. They are just for play. They are good to read. They make you happy.
Some stories are for little ones. Some stories are for bigger kids. All of them are good to read. You can pick your best-loved story. Many kind people helped with this book. They found the old stories from far away. They drew pretty pictures for you to see. They made this book for you to enjoy. They worked hard for you. We thank them all very much. We are happy for their help.
I hope you love these stories. Share them with your friends. Tell them the tales. Goodbye for now. Have fun reading.
Original Story
Edited by Andrew Lang
To
Stella Margaret Alleyne
the
Green Fairy Book
is dedicated
To The Friendly Reader
This is the third, and probably the last, of the Fairy Books of many colours. First there was the Blue Fairy Book; then, children, you asked for more, and we made up the Red Fairy Book; and, when you wanted more still, the Green Fairy Book was put together. The stories in all the books are borrowed from many countries; some are French, some German, some Russian, some Italian, some Scottish, some English, one Chinese. However much these nations differ about trifles, they all agree in liking fairy tales. The reason, no doubt, is that men were much like children in their minds long ago, long, long ago, and so before they took to writing newspapers, and sermons, and novels, and long poems, they told each other stories, such as you read in the fairy books. They believed that witches could turn people into beasts, that beasts could speak, that magic rings could make their owners invisible, and all the other wonders in the stories. Then, as the world became grown-up, the fairy tales which were not written down would have been quite forgotten but that the old grannies remembered them, and told them to the little grandchildren: and when they, in their turn, became grannies, they remembered them, and told them also. In this way these tales are older than reading and writing, far older than printing. The oldest fairy tales ever written down were written down in Egypt, about Joseph’s time, nearly three thousand five hundred years ago. Other fairy stories Homer knew, in Greece, nearly three thousand years ago, and he made them all up into a poem, the Odyssey, which I hope you will read some day. Here you will find the witch who turns men into swine, and the man who bores out the big foolish giant’s eye, and the cap of darkness, and the shoes of swiftness, that were worn later by Jack the Giant-Killer. These fairy tales are the oldest stories in the world, and as they were first made by men who were childlike for their own amusement, so they amuse children still, and also grown-up people who have not forgotten how they once were children.
Some of the stories were made, no doubt, not only to amuse, but to teach goodness. You see, in the tales, how the boy who is kind to beasts, and polite, and generous, and brave, always comes best through his trials, and no doubt these tales were meant to make their hearers kind, unselfish, courteous, and courageous. This is the moral of them. But, after all, we think more as we read them of the diversion than of the lesson. There are grown-up people now who say that the stories are not good for children, because they are not true, because there are no witches, nor talking beasts, and because people are killed in them, especially wicked giants. But probably you who read the tales know very well how much is true and how much is only make-believe, and I never yet heard of a child who killed a very tall man merely because Jack killed the giants, or who was unkind to his stepmother, if he had one, because, in fairy tales, the stepmother is often disagreeable. If there are frightful monsters in fairy tales, they do not frighten you now, because that kind of monster is no longer going about the world, whatever he may have done long, long ago. He has been turned into stone, and you may see his remains in museums. Therefore, I am not afraid that you will be afraid of the magicians and dragons; besides, you see that a really brave boy or girl was always their master, even in the height of their power.
Some of the tales here, like The Half-Chick, are for very little children; others for older ones. The longest tales, like Heart of Ice, were not invented when the others were, but were written in French, by clever men and women, such as Madame d’Aulnoy, and the Count de Caylus, about two hundred years ago. There are not many people now, perhaps there are none, who can write really good fairy tales, because they do not believe enough in their own stories, and because they want to be wittier than it has pleased Heaven to make them.
So here we give you the last of the old stories, for the present, and hope you will like them, and feel grateful to the Brothers Grimm, who took them down from the telling of old women, and to M. Sebillot and M. Charles Marelles, who have lent us some tales from their own French people, and to Mr. Ford, who drew the pictures, and to the ladies, Miss Blackley, Miss Alma Alleyne, Miss Eleanor Sellar, Miss May Sellar, Miss Wright, and Mrs. Lang, who translated many of the tales out of French, German, and other languages.
If we have a book for you next year, it shall not be a fairy book. What it is to be is a secret, but we hope that it will not be dull. So good-bye, and when you have read a fairy book, lend it to other children who have none, or tell them the stories in your own way, which is a very pleasant mode of passing the time.
CONTENTS
Story DNA
Moral
Fairy tales, while entertaining, also subtly teach children virtues like kindness, generosity, and courage.
Plot Summary
Andrew Lang introduces the Green Fairy Book, the third in his popular series, explaining that its stories are drawn from diverse cultures and ancient oral traditions. He defends fairy tales against critics who question their truthfulness or suitability for children, arguing that they foster imagination and subtly teach virtues. Lang credits the many individuals who contributed to the collection and encourages readers to enjoy and share these timeless tales, concluding with a hint that future books will explore different genres.
Themes
Emotional Arc
nostalgia to appreciation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Andrew Lang was a prominent Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and folklorist. His 'coloured' fairy books were instrumental in popularizing folk and fairy tales for English-speaking children in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This introduction reflects the contemporary discussions around children's literature and the value of traditional stories.
Plot Beats (13)
- The author dedicates the Green Fairy Book to Stella Margaret Alleyne.
- The author addresses the 'Friendly Reader', introducing the Green Fairy Book as the third and possibly final fairy book in the series.
- He explains that the stories are gathered from many countries and cultures, highlighting their universal appeal.
- The author posits that fairy tales originated in ancient times when people were more childlike and believed in magic.
- He notes that these tales were preserved through oral tradition, passed down by 'old grannies' before the advent of writing and printing.
- The author mentions ancient examples of fairy tale elements in works like Homer's Odyssey.
- He discusses the moral aspect of fairy tales, suggesting they teach virtues like kindness and bravery, even if amusement is the primary draw.
- The author defends fairy tales against modern critics, arguing that children understand the difference between make-believe and reality and are not unduly frightened or influenced negatively.
- He categorizes some tales as suitable for very young children and others for older ones, noting that some longer tales were written more recently by specific authors.
- The author laments the difficulty of writing good new fairy tales in the present day.
- He expresses gratitude to the various contributors, translators, and illustrators who made the collection possible.
- The author announces that the next book, if there is one, will not be a fairy book.
- He bids the reader goodbye, encouraging them to share the stories with other children.
Characters
Andrew Lang
Not explicitly described, but inferred to be a scholarly, Victorian-era gentleman of average height and build, likely with a well-maintained appearance befitting an editor and author.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but inferred to wear typical Victorian-era scholarly attire: a dark wool suit, perhaps a waistcoat, and a starched white shirt with a tie or cravat.
Wants: To provide children with a collection of diverse and entertaining fairy tales, preserving traditional stories, and perhaps subtly imparting moral lessons.
Flaw: A slight conservatism regarding what constitutes a 'good' fairy tale writer (believing modern writers can't match the old ones), and a potential underestimation of children's ability to discern truth from fiction.
As an editor, his 'arc' within this specific text is to present the 'last' of his fairy books, reflecting a culmination of his work in this series.
Kind, dedicated, appreciative, scholarly, thoughtful, and somewhat traditional in his views on children's literature.
Stella Margaret Alleyne
Not explicitly described, but inferred to be a young girl, likely of European descent, as the book is dedicated to her.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but inferred to wear simple, perhaps slightly formal, children's clothing of the late Victorian era, such as a cotton or linen dress with a sash.
Wants: To enjoy the stories presented in the book.
Flaw: Not applicable, as she is a dedicatee, not an active character.
Not applicable.
Inferred to be a beloved child, likely imaginative and fond of fairy tales, given the dedication.
Locations
The Caliph's Palace, Baghdad
An opulent Abbasid-era palace in Baghdad, likely featuring intricate geometric tile mosaics, muqarnas vaults, and possibly a central riad-style courtyard with a fountain. The air would be rich with the scent of exotic spices and flowers.
Mood: Regal, luxurious, initially secure, later filled with intrigue and a sense of impending doom.
The Caliph and his Vizier discover the magic powder and the mysterious scroll, leading to their transformation into storks.
The Ruined Castle of the Owl Princess
A desolate, crumbling castle, likely situated in a rocky, barren landscape. The ruins suggest a past grandeur now overtaken by decay, with broken battlements and overgrown courtyards. The atmosphere is one of sorrow and enchantment.
Mood: Eerie, melancholic, magical, isolated.
The Caliph and Vizier, in their stork forms, encounter the Owl Princess and learn of the sorcerer's curse.
The Sorcerer's Hidden Dwelling
A dark, secret chamber, likely deep within a mountain or a hidden part of a larger structure. It would be filled with arcane objects, bubbling cauldrons, and strange symbols, reflecting the sorcerer's dark magic. The air would be heavy and oppressive.
Mood: Sinister, magical, claustrophobic, dangerous.
The Caliph, Vizier, and Owl Princess confront the sorcerer and trick him into revealing the magic word, breaking the curse.