Celtic Fairy Tales and Legends

From mermaids to dragons, 16 ancient Celtic fairy tales retold with their histories

The Celtic cultures of the British Isles - 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, Celtic Fairy Tales and Legends by Rosalind Kerven, the best Celtic fairy tales are revived 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 materials, analyses of themes, and examples of similar legends from all over Europe.