Celtic Fairy Tales and Legends

by Rosalind Kerven (Author)

Series: Batsford Fairy Tales
Format: Hardback 224 pages, 30 illustrations
Publisher: Batsford Ltd
Imprint: Batsford Ltd
ISBN: 9781849948500
Published: 1 Feb 2024
Classifications: Myth & legend told as fiction, European history, Folklore, myths & legends
Weight: 508g
Dimensions: 144 x 200 x 25 (mm)

From mermaids to dragons, 16 ancient Celtic fairy tales retold with their histories The Celtic cultures of the British Isles and Ireland, Scotland and Wales – have produced some of the richest traditional tales in Europe. Three words best sum up their themes and flavour: adventure, enchantment and romance. In this book, Rosalind Kerven has revived the best Celtic fairy tales for a new generation.

The stories are sourced from old folk tale collections from all three regions, alongside selected medieval Welsh and Irish texts. • Visit mysterious Otherworlds inside the hills and below the sea – including a land where only the truth is ever spoken. Meet iconic characters such as the first great Welsh poet, Taliesin, and the mighty Irish hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill.

• Cheer on bold Scots lasses such as Mallie Whuppy, as she outwits a fearsome giant, and Kate Crackernuts, who rescues a prince from bewitchment. Encounter witches, fairies, a bogle, talking animals and strange underwater beings. Each story is retold from the medieval texts and oral storytelling traditions of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with fascinating background notes and a long list of sources and further reading included.

The background notes feature a list of source material, analyses of themes, and examples of similar legends from all over Europe.