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Folk-lore and legends: English

The old English Folklore Tales are fast dying out. The simplicity of character necessary for the retaining of old memories and beliefs is being lost, more rapidly in England, perhaps, than in any other part of the world. Our folk are giving up the old myths for new ones. Before remorseless “progress,” and the struggle for existence, the poetry of life is being quickly blotted out. In editing this volume I have endeavoured to select some of the best specimens of our Folklore. With regard to the nursery tales, I have taken pains to give them as they are in the earliest editions I could find. I must say, however, that, while I have taken every care to alter only as much as was absolutely necessary in these tales, some excision and slight alteration has at times been required. - Summary by Charles John Tibbits (5 hr 19 min)

Chapters

Introductory Note

A Dissertation on Fairies Part 1

A Dissertation on Fairies Part 2

Nelly the Knocker

The Three Fools

Some Merry Tales of the Wise Men of Gotham

The Tulip Fairies

The History of Jack and the Giants

The Fairies’ Cup

The White Lady

A Pleasant and Delightful History of Thomas Hickathrift

The Spectre Coach

The Baker’s Daughter

The Fairy Children

The History of Jack and the Beanstalk

Johnny Reed’s Cat

Lame Molly

The Brown man of the Moors

How the Cobbler cheated the Devil

The Tavistock Witch

The Worm of Lambton

The Old Woman and the Crooked Sixpence

The Yorkshire Boggart

The Duergar

The Barn Elves

Legends of King Arthur

Silky