Fairy of the Dawn

“The Fairy of the Dawn.” The Violet Fairy Book, Lang, Andrew, New York, London, Bombay: Longmans, Green and Co, 1906, pp. 165-198.

Tale Summary An emperor with a vast kingdom has three sons. One day, the youngest son, Petru, asks why the emperor has a right eye that laughs and a left eye that weeps. He gets an angry reply but notices that the crying eye cries less. Therefore, he asks over...

Dragon of the North

“The Dragon of the North.” The Yellow Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London, New York, Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906, pp. 9-20.

Tale Summary With help from a good magician, an evil witch, and a magic ring, the Youth of the tale is able to kill the dragon and marry the princess. However, the evil witch soon seeks revenge for the wrong the Youth did to her by stealing her magic ring...

Ink Illustration of a queen kneeling in the forest eating a bud at the base of a tree.

“The Princess in the Chest.” The Pink Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1897, pp. 57-72.

Tale Summary Although it is modified for children, this version of The Princess in the Chest closely follows the typical narrative arc of this tale type. The tale begins with a king and queen who cannot have children. Instructed by a wise woman, the queen has a daughter, but the...

Titled "The dragon and the mirror". Vibrant Illustration of a dragon looking into a mirror. Behind the mirror is a woman in gown and a tree. In the background is a castle and knight on a horse.

“The Knights of the Fish.” The Brown Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1914, pp. 343-350.

Tale Summary An apathetic, talking fish befriends a hungry cobbler who allows the cobbler to eat him and bury part of his flesh in a garden. The garden grows larger and spits out two twin babies that eventually become men. They decide to leave home one day after being tired...

Donkey skin

“Donkey Skin.” The Grey Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1905, pp. 1-16.

Tale Summary The King has a donkey that at night pours gold out of its ears. Before the Queen dies, she says that the king should remarry a woman more beautiful than she is. The King wants to marry his adopted daughter, but she doesn’t want to. So she runs...

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