Andrew Lang's Fairy Books - Back to main book index
Andrew Lang's
Fairy Books
The Series of 12 Books

Andrew Lang's Fairy Books are a series of twelve collections of fairy tales, published between 1889 and 1910. In all, 437 tales from a broad range of cultures and countries are presented.

Andrew Lang (1844 - 1912) was a Scots poet, novelist, and literary critic. Although he did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, the extent of his sources, who had collected them originally - with the notable exception of Madame d'Aulnoy - made the collections immensely influential. Lang gave many of the tales their first appearance in English. As acknowledged in the prefaces, although Lang himself made most of the selections, his wife and other translators did a large portion of the translating and retelling of the actual stories.

According to Anita Silvey, "The irony of Lang's life and work is that although he wrote for a profession-literary criticism; fiction; poems; books and articles on anthropology, mythology, history, and travel ... he is best recognized for the works he did not write."

Blue Fairy Book (1889)

1. The Bronze Ring
2. Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess
3. East of the Sun and West of the Moon
4. The Yellow Dwarf
5. Little Red Riding Hood
6. The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
7. Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper
8. Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
9. The Tale of a Youth Who Set Out to Learn What Fear Was
10. Rumpelstiltskin
11. Beauty and the Beast
12. The Master Maid
13. Why the Sea Is Salt
14. The Master Cat or Puss in Boots
15. Felicia and the Pot of Pinks
16. The White Cat
17. The Water-lily. The Gold-spinners
18. The Terrible Head
19. The Story of Pretty Goldilocks
20. The History of Whittington
21. The Wonderful Sheep
22. Little Thumb
23. The Forty Thieves
24. Hansel and Gretel
25. Snow-White and Rose-Red
26. The Goose-girl
27. Toads and Diamonds
28. Prince Darling
29. Blue Beard
30. Trusty John
31. The Brave Little Tailor
32. A Voyage to Lilliput
33. The Princess on the Glass Hill
34. The Story of Prince Ahmed and the Fairy Paribanou
35. The History of Jack the Giant-killer
36. The Black Bull of Norroway
37. The Red Etin

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Red Fairy Book (1890)

1. The Twelve Dancing Princesses
2. The Princess Mayblossom
3. Soria Moria Castle
4. The Death of Koschei the Deathless
5. The Black Thief and Knight of the Glen
6. The Master Thief
7. Brother and Sister
8. Princess Rosette
9. The Enchanted Pig
10. The Norka
11. The Wonderful Birch
12. Jack and the Beanstalk
13. The Little Good Mouse
14. Graciosa and Percinet
15. The Three Princesses of Whiteland
16. The Voice of Death
17. The Six Sillies
18. Kari Woodengown
19. Drakestail
20. The Ratcatcher
21. The True History of Little Goldenhood
22. The Golden Branch
23. The Three Dwarfs
24. Dapplegrim
25. The Enchanted Canary
26. The Twelve Brothers
27. Rapunzel
28. The Nettle Spinner
29. Farmer Weatherbeard
30. Mother Holle
31. Minnikin
32. Bushy Bride
33. Snowdrop
34. The Golden Goose
35. The Seven Foals
36. The Marvellous Musician
37. The Story of Sigurd

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Green Fairy Book (1892)

1. The Blue Bird
2. The Half-Chick
3. The Story of Caliph Stork
4. The Enchanted Watch
5. Rosanella
6. Sylvain and Jocosa
7. Fairy Gifts
8. Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla
9. Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine
10. The Three Little Pigs
11. Heart of Ice
12. The Enchanted Ring
13. The Snuff-box
14. The Golden Blackbird
15. The Little Soldier
16. The Magic Swan
17. The Dirty Shepherdess
18. The Enchanted Snake
19. The Biter Bit
20. King Kojata
21. Prince Fickle and Fair Helena
22. Puddocky
23. The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarfs
24. The Story of the Three Bears
25. Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida
26. Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes
27. Jorinde and Joringel
28. Allerleirauh; or, the Many-furred Creature
29. The Twelve Huntsmen
30. Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle
31. The Crystal Coffin
32. The Three Snake-leaves
33. The Riddle
34. Jack my Hedgehog
35. The Golden Lads
36. The White Snake
37. The Story of a Clever Tailor
38. The Golden Mermaid
39. The War of the Wolf and the Fox
40. The Story of the Fisherman and his Wife
41. The Three Musicians
42. The Three Dogs

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Yellow Fairy Book (1894)

1. The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership
2. The Six Swans
3. The Dragon of the North
4. Story of the Emperor's New Clothes
5. The Golden Crab
6. The Iron Stove
7. The Dragon and his Grandmother
8. The Donkey Cabbage
9. The Little Green Frog
10. The Seven-headed Serpent
11. The Grateful Beasts
12. The Giants and the Herd-boy
13. The Invisible Prince
14. The Crow
15. How Six Men Travelled Through the Wide World
16. The Wizard King
17. The Nixy
18. The Glass Mountain
19. Alphege, or the Green Monkey
20. Fairer-than-a-Fairy
21. The Three Brothers
22. The Boy and the Wolves, or the Broken Promise
23. The Glass Axe
24. The Dead Wife
25. In the Land of Souls
26. The White Duck
27. The Witch and Her Servants
28. The Magic Ring
29. The Flower Queen's Daughter
30. The Flying Ship
31. The Snow-daughter and the Fire-son
32. The Story of King Frost
33. The Death of the Sun-hero
34. The Witch
35. The Hazel-nut Child
36. The Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus
37. Prince Ring
38. The Swineherd
39. How to tell a True Princess
40. The Blue Mountains
41. The Tinder-box
42. The Witch in the Stone Boat
43. Thumbelina
44. The Nightingale
45. Hermod and Hadvor
46. The Steadfast Tin-soldier
47. Blockhead Hans
48. A Story about a Darning-needle

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Pink Fairy Book (1897)

1. The Cat's Elopement
2. How the Dragon was Tricked
3. The Goblin and the Grocer
4. The House in the Wood
5. Urashimataro and the Turtle
6. The Slaying of the Tanuki
7. The Flying Trunk
8. The Snow Man
9. The Shirt-Collar
10. The Princess in the Chest
11. The Three Brothers
12. The Snow-queen
13. The Fir-Tree
14. Hans, the Mermaid's Son
15. Peter Bull
16. The Bird 'Grip'
17. Snowflake
18. I know what I have learned
19. The Cunning Shoemaker
20. The King who would have a Beautiful Wife
21. Catherine and her Destiny
22. How the Hermit helped to win the King's Daughter
23. The Water of Life
24. The Wounded Lion
25. The Man without a Heart
26. The Two Brothers
27. Master and Pupil
28. The Golden Lion
29. The Sprig of Rosemary
30. The White Dove
31. The Troll's Daughter
32. Esben and the Witch
33. Princess Minon-Minette
34. Maiden Bright-eye
35. The Merry Wives
36. King Lindworm
37. The Jackal, the Dove, and the Panther
38. The Little Hare
39. The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue
40. The Story of Ciccu
41. Don Giovanni de la Fortuna

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Grey Fairy Book (1900)

1. Donkey Skin
2. The Goblin Pony
3. An Impossible Enchantment
4. The Story of Dschemil and Dachemila
5. Janni and the Draken
6. The Partnership of the Thief and the Liar
7. Fortunatus and his Purse
8. The Goat-faced Girl
9. What came of picking Flowers
10. The Story of Bensurdatu
11. The Magician's Horse
12. The Little Gray Man
13. Herr Lazarus and the Draken
14. The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles
15. Udea and her Seven Brothers
16. The White Wolf
17. Mohammed with the Magic Finger
18. Bobino
19. The Dog and the Sparrow
20. The Story of the Three Sons of Hali
21. The Story of the Fair Circassians
22. The Jackal and the Spring
23. The Bear
24. The Sunchild
25. The Daughter of Buk Ettemsuch
26. Laughing Eye and Weeping Eye, or the Limping Fox
27. The Unlooked for Prince
28. The Simpleton
29. The Street Musicians
30. The Twin Brothers
31. Cannetella
32. The Ogre
33. A Fairy's Blunder
34. Long, Broad, and Quickeye
35. Prunella

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Violet Fairy Book (1901)

1. A Tale Of the Tontlawald
2. The Finest Liar in the World
3. The Story of Three Wonderful Beggars
4. Schippeitaro
5. The Three Princes and their Beasts
6. The Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan
7. The Nine Pea-hens and the Golden Apples
8. The Lute Player
9. The Grateful Prince
10. The Child who came from an Egg
11. Stan Bolovan
12. The Two Frogs
13. The Story of a Gazelle
14. How a Fish swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water
15. Two in a Sack
16. The Envious Neighbour
17. The Fairy of the Dawn
18. The Enchanted Knife
19. Jesper Who Herded the Hares
20. The Underground Workers
21. The History of Dwarf Long Nose
22. The Nunda, Eater of People
23. The Story of Hassebu
24. The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
25. The Monkey and the Jelly-fish
26. The Headless Dwarfs
27. The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened
28. The Boys with the Golden Stars
29. The Frog
30. The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground
31. The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy
32. The Story of Halfman
33. The Prince Who Wanted to See the World
34. Virgilius the Sorcerer
35. Mogarzea and his Son

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Crimson Fairy Book (1903)

1. Lovely Ilonka
2. Lucky Luck
3. The Hairy Man
4. To Your Good Health!
5. The Story of the Seven Simons
6. The Language of Beasts
7. The Boy Who Could Keep a Secret
8. The Prince and the Dragon
9. Little Wildrose
10. Tiidu the Piper
11. Paperarello
12. The Gifts of the Magician
13. The Strong Prince
14. The Treasure Seeker
15. The Cottager and his Cat
16. The Prince Who Would Seek Immortality
17. The Stone-cutter
18. The Gold-bearded Man
19. Tritill, Litill, and the Birds
20. The Three Robes
21. The Six Hungry Beasts
22. How the Beggar Boy turned into Count Piro
23. The Rogue and the Herdsman
24. Eisenkopf
25. The Death of Abu Nowas and of his Wife
26. Motikatika
27. Niels and the Giants
28. Shepherd Paul
29. How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished
30. The Crab and the Monkey
31. The Horse Gullfaxi and the Sword Gunnfoder
32. The Story of the Sham Prince, or the Ambitious Tailor
33. The Colony of Cats
34. How to find out a True Friend
35. Clever Maria
36. The Magic Kettle

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Brown Fairy Book (1904)

1. What the Rose did to the Cypress
2. Ball-Carrier and the Bad One
3. How Ball-Carrier finished his Task
4. The Bunyip
5. Father Grumbler
6. The Story of the Yara
7. The Cunning Hare
8. The Turtle and his Bride
9. How Geirald the Coward was Punished
10. Habogi
11. How the Little Brother set Free his Big Brothers
12. The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe
13. The Wicked Wolverine
14. The Husband of the Rat's Daughter
15. The Mermaid and the Boy
16. Pivi and Kabo
17. The Elf Maiden
18. How Some Wild Animals became Tame Ones
19. Fortune and the Wood-Cutter
20. The Enchanted Head
21. The Sister of the Sun
22. The Prince and the Three Fates
23. The Fox and the Lapp
24. Kisa the Cat
25. The Lion and the Cat
26. Which was the Foolishest?
27. Asmund and Signy
28. Rubezahl
29. Story of the King who would be Stronger than Fate
30. Story of Wali Dad the Simple-hearted
31. Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey
32. The Knights of the Fish

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Orange Fairy Book (1906)

1. The Story of the Hero Makoma
2. The Magic Mirror
3. Story of the King Who Would See Paradise
4. How Isuro the Rabbit Tricked Gudu
5. Ian, the Soldier's Son
6. The Fox and the Wolf
7. How Ian Direach Got the Blue Falcon
8. The Ugly Duckling
9. The Two Caskets
10. The Goldsmith's Fortune
11. The Enchanted Wreath
12. The Foolish Weaver
13. The Clever Cat
14. The Story of Manus
15. Pinkel the Thief
16. The Adventures of a Jackal
17. The Adventures of the Jackal's Eldest Son
18. The Adventures of the Younger Son of the Jackal
19. The Three Treasures of the Giants
20. The Rover of the Plain
21. The White Doe
22. The Girl-Fish
23. The Owl and the Eagle
24. The Frog and the Lion Fairy
25. The Adventures of Covan the Brown-Haired
26. The Princess Bella-Flor
27. The Bird of Truth
28. The Mink and the Wolf
29. Adventures of an Indian Brave
30. How the Stalos Were Tricked
31. Andras Baive
32. The White Slipper
33. The Magic Book

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Olive Fairy Book (1907)

1. Madschun
2. The Blue Parrot
3. Geirlug The King's Daughter
4. The Story of Little King Loc
5. A Long-Bow Story
6. Jackal or Tiger?
7. The Comb and the Collar
8. The Thanksgiving of the Wazir
9. Samba the Coward
10. Kupti and Imani
11. The Strange Adventures of Little Maia
12. Diamond Cut Diamond
13. The Green Knight
14. The Five Wise Words of the Guru
15. The Golden-Headed Fish
16. Dorani
17. The Satin Surgeon
18. The Billy Goat and the King
19. The Story of Zoulvisia
20. Grasp All, Lose All
21. The Fate of the Turtle
22. The Snake Prince
23. The Prince and the Princess in the Forest
24. The Clever Weaver
25. The Boy Who Found Fear At Last
26. He Wins Who Waits
27. The Steel Cane
28. The Punishment of the Fairy Gangana
29. The Silent Princess

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Lilac Fairy Book (1910)

1. The Shifty Lad
2. The False Prince and the True
3. The Jogi's Punishment
4. The Heart of a Monkey
5. The Fairy Nurse
6. A Lost Paradise
7. How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves
8. The King of the Waterfalls
9. A French Puck
10. The Three Crowns
11. The Story of a Very Bad Boy
12. The Brown Bear of Norway
13. Little Lasse
14. 'Moti'
15. The Enchanted Deer
16. A Fish Story
17. The Wonderful Tune
18. The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother
19. The One-Handed Girl
20. The Bones of Djulung
21. The Sea King's Gift
22. The Raspberry Worm
23. The Stones of Plouhinec
24. The Castle of Kerglas
25. The Battle of the Birds
26. The Lady of the Fountain
27. The Four Gifts
28. The Groac'h of the Isle of Lok
29. The Escape of the Mouse
30. The Believing Husbands
31. The Hoodie-Crow
32. The Brownie of the Lake
33. The Winning of Olwen

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