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Author
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Comment
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aka
Greensleeves
Registered User
(11/20/03 11:35 am)
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Books on English fairy lore?
Can anybody recommed a good survey of English/British fairy folklore (Will o' the Wisp, Jack O'Lantern, Tom Thumb, hobgoblins, the Hedley Kow, billy blinds, Robin Goodfellow, the Little People, etc) ?
I have Diane Purkiss's Troublesome Things, but I'm looking
for something less critical (and certainly less Freudian). I'm less
interested in 'why we need to believe in fairies' (as the jacket
copy reviewer says), and more interested in who these figures were,
what they were known for, why they were feared/appealed to.
Primarily I would like something nonfiction, but if you have a superb collection of their stories to recommend, that would make me happy, too.
Thank you!
Stephanie
in the prairie
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tlchang37
Registered User
(11/20/03 12:15 pm)
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Books on English fairy lore?
It's not a 'survey', but "Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia", by Carol Rose covers pretty much all of the topics you mentioned.
It apparently was originally published under the title "Spirits, Fairies, Gnomes and Goblins: An Encyclopedia of Little People". W.W. Norton & Company is the publisher. My copy is from 1996 (with the first mentioned title).
It *is* an encyclopedia - lots of entries with very readable descriptions and references. Might be a good starting place.
Tara
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Helen
Registered User
(11/20/03 2:36 pm)
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Briggs ...
You might also want to take a look at the works of Katherine Briggs, specifically _The Fairies in Tradition and Literature_. It's one of the classics of the field. Similarly to Rose, Briggs also published _An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures_. Both are well worth examining.
Best,
Helen
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Richard
Parks
Registered User
(11/20/03 2:42 pm)
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Re: Briggs ...
I'll second the recommendation of Briggs' ENCYLOPEDIA OF FAIRIES. It gives a fair bit of background on each type listed, and it lists a _lot_. Also A FIELD GUIDE TO THE LITTLE PEOPLE by Nancy Arrowsmith and George Moorse. Not quite as comprehensive, but packs a lot of information.
http://home.teclink.net/~brp1 |
Heidi
Anne Heiner
ezOP
(11/20/03 7:31 pm)
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Re: Briggs ...
And the Briggs is now in print and affordable--it wasn't a few years ago--at just over $10.00 in paperback from Amazon.
www.amazon.com/exec/obido...lalufairyt
Heidi
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Terri
Unregistered User
(11/21/03 3:45 am)
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English fairy lore
The books of Katherine Briggs are indeed the very best place to obtain information on British fairy lore. She was (and remains) the leading expert in this field, and her books are both informative and charming.
Three old, classic books that are worth tracking down if you want to go deeper into this subject:
Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley. This book looks at fairy lore across Europe, including the British Isles.
British Goblins by Wirt Sikes.
The Fairy Tradition in England by Lewis Spence.
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janeyolen
Registered User
(11/21/03 6:14 am)
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Re: English fairy lore
The Keightly is on line, complete with hokey music, if you don't want to buy it.
Jane
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AlisonPegg
Registered User
(11/21/03 1:08 pm)
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Re: English fairy lore
Do I detect a touch of cynicism there???? Hokey music indeed!! Can't say I found the hokey music. Where was that exactly?
Alison
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aka
Greensleeves
Registered User
(12/10/03 1:10 pm)
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Thanks!
I just wanted to thank everyone for their recommendations. I put in a hefty order at a couple used bookstores last week, and I've been watching my new little library trickle in....
The Briggs Encyclopedia arrived yesterday, and all I can
say is, "Wow!"
Thanks again.
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