Tales for the Telling

The Irish are renowned tellers of tales and these twelve enchanting stories of ancient magic, daring deeds, dashing heroes and mythical creatures sparkle with the wit, nonsense and naughtiness of Edna O'Brien's beautifully crafted storytelling. Tales for the Telling features traditional Irish folk and fairy tales, including 'The Magic Apples' 'The Swan Bride', 'Paddy the Piper' and 'Two Giants.' In 'Two Giants', Irish giant Finn, no longer in the first flush of youth, is challenged to do battle against Scottish giant McConigle, who aims to take over Finn's territory. The titanic clash is averted when Finn's clever wife, Oonagh manages to fool McConigle into thinking that Finn is twice the size he really is, and three times as strong. McConigle then has second thoughts about tackling Finn. This story illustrates the way that O'Brien's retelling of tales from her native land will delight and enthrall the whole family either as bed-time reading or as a rainy day treat. O'Brien's giants, leprechauns, princesses and sorcerers are all brought beautifully to life by celebrated illustrator Michael Foreman, whose vigorous, colourful art heightens the drama of the stories while also adding to the magic and charm of this outstanding collection. AGES: 8 plus AUTHOR: Edna O'Brien is an Irish playwright, short story writer, novelist and poet. She is the author of The Country Girls, The Light of Evening, Casualties of Peace and Byron in Love, among many other works. She was described by Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland, as 'one of the great creative writers of her generation' and she has won numerous awards including the James Joyce Ulysses Medal, the Irish PEN Award and the prestigious Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. Born in County Clare, O'Brien now lives in London.