The Science of Fairy Tales: An Inquiry into Fairy Mythology - Paperback

by Edwin Sidney Hartland (Author)

This early work is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. The chief object of this volume is to exhibit, in a manner acceptable to readers who are not specialists, the application of the principles and methods which guide investigations into popular traditions to a few of the most remarkable stories embodying the Fairy superstitions of the Celtic and Teutonic peoples. This is a fascinating investigation by an industrious and scrupulous author that is thoroughly recommended reading for all those interested in the popular mythology and folklore of Europe. Contents: The Art of Story-telling; Savage Ideas; Fairy Births and Human Midwives; Changlings; Robberies from Fairyland; The Supernatural Laps of Time in Fairyland; Swan-Maidens; Conclusion. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.