The Red Fairy Book Preface

The Red Fairy Book Tale 11 - The Wonderful Birch

In which a poor girl, tormented by a wicked witch and aided by a magical birch tree growing from her mother’s grave, attends a royal feast in splendid disguise and attracts the attention of a prince, while the witch’s daughter meets with misfortune. Through trials and enchantments involving transformation and cleverness, the tale unfolds to reveal justice and happiness prevailing in a world of wonder and magic.

The Red Fairy Book Tale 10 - The Norka

In which a simple-minded youngest prince bravely confronts a mysterious and formidable beast called the Norka, descending into an enchanted underworld where he encounters wondrous palaces and bewitching maidens. Through cleverness and valour, he weaves his way back to the surface, navigating trials and intrigues that intertwine the realms of fairy magic and earthly affairs.

The Red Fairy Book Tale 9 - The Enchanted Pig

In which three princesses, left alone in their father’s palace during his absence at war, succumb to curiosity and open a forbidden book that foretells their futures, most notably the youngest’s marriage to a pig from the North. The tale then follows the youngest princess’s trials as she embraces her strange fate, embarking on a wondrous and arduous journey to seek her enchanted husband and ultimately understand the magic that binds them.

The Red Fairy Book Tale 8 - Princess Rosette

In which a beloved princess named Rosette is confined to a tower by her grieving parents to prevent a dark prophecy involving her brothers, and upon their untimely passing, her brothers seek a suitor worthy of her heart—the mysterious King of the Peacocks. Their quest leads to misadventures and deception, while Rosette herself faces peril and kindness before the truth and happiness are restored in a well-deserved celebration.

The Red Fairy Book Tale 7 - Brother and Sister

In which a brother and sister, escaping the cruelty of their stepmother, find refuge in a forest where magical streams transform the brother into a little roebuck, and they create a humble life together that is both tender and fraught with challenges. Their fortunes change when a king discovers them, and the story unfolds with the unveiling of dark enchantments and the triumph of truth and love.