WithaforewordbyNeilGaiman,thiscomprehensive,entertainingandauthenticcollectionofEnglishfolktalesisperfectforfansofMadelineMiller,PhilipPullmanandtheBrothersGrimm.ThisisagoldentreasuryofoveronehundredEnglishfolktalescapturedintheformtheywerefirstcollectedinpastcenturies.Readtheseclassictalesastheywouldhavebeentoldwhenstorytellingwasalivingart-whentheaudiencebelievedinboggartsandhobgoblins,localwitchesandwill-o’-the-wisps,ghostsandgiants,cunningfoxesandroyalfrogs.Find“JacktheGiantkiller“,“TomTitTot“andotherquintessentiallyEnglishfavourites,alongsideinterestingborrowings,suchasanEnglishversionoftheGrimms’“LittleSnowWhite“-aswellasbedtimefrighteners,including“CaptainMurderer“,astoldtoCharlesDickensbyhischildhoodnurse.NeilPhiliphasprovidedafullintroductionandsourcenotesoneachstorythatillustrateeachtale’sjourneyfrommouthtopage,andwhathashappenedtothemontheway.ThesetalesrankamongthefinestEnglishshortstoriesofalltimeintheirrichnessofmetaphorandplotandtheirgreatverbaldashanddaring.
