Andrew Lang (1844â1912) in collaboration with his wife Leonora Blanche Alleyne (1851-1933) published The Blue Fairy Book in 1889 and it was to become the first of a series of twenty five collections of fantastical tales from around the world, ending with âThe Strange Story Bookâ published in 1923.
In this first collection we find many of the traditional favourites from the âFairy Taleâ world, including amongst others âGoldilocksâ, âSleeping Beautyâ, âAli Baba and the Forty Thievesâ, Tom Thumb" âRumpelstiltskinâ and âJack the Giant Killerâ. While many of these have some vestige of the narrative we may be accustomed to through many sanitised adaptations, there are many surprises!
The telling of these stories in the âBlue Fairy Bookâ are by no means the cosy bedtime stories we might expect. You will search in vain for the three friendly bears in âGoldilocksâ, or the accommodating dwarves inâ Snow-whiteâ. There is no attempt to soften the edges or the expunge the blood thirsty fates that befall may of the unfortunate characters.
Head Stories Audio presents " The Blue Fairy Book", narrated by Simon Hester. With original music.