Folk Tales
Favorite African Folktales (2002) Nelson Mandela
This is a small but excellent collection of old and new African folktales.
In addition to the stories, the book tells where each tale is from, a little something about the creatures within, and the name of the translator or author of the story, and sometimes a bit about them as well.
All the stories were good, but there were some that I particularly liked.
I loved the story Asmodeus and the Bottler of Djinns. There are plenty of tales about how a demon or devil ends up outsmarted and stuck in a bottle, but there aren't many stories about how the devil gets back out again.
There are other stories that are familiar, with characters and plots that I've read before, but it's always fascinating to see how the same tale is different from culture to culture.
My favorite tale, however, may be the second tale of the book,The Cat Who Came Indoors, which started out familiar but had me laughing at the end. And to a cat person, the tale also seems about right.
I also love the little creature that lives beside, and looks towards, the page numbers throughout this book. I'm not exactly sure what kind of animal it is, but with its fingers, long tail, and beak, I'm sure that it has many interesting stories.
This really is a very good collection, and my only caveat is that, like many collections, not all tales are necessarily appropriate for younger children.
Legends of the Celts (1989) Frank Delaney
Celtic legends and folklore that has been "translated" into modern prose. Part of me thinks that in a way this is like making a book of the Cliff Notes to Shakespeare, but the other part of me wants to enjoy the story without getting lost in trying to decipher centuries old prose and terms. So all in all I think it is a good thing, and I did enjoy the book. These are of course very shortened versions of the tales, but you do get the flavor and idea of the story, and much more easily than in reading a more "direct" translation. In other words, I recommend this book if you want to know the stories and don't mind them shortened with some detail left out. In a way, now that think about it, this book is the opposite of most trends regarding folklore and folktales: instead of taking a short and simple story and stretching it into a 500 page book (well, 500 pages with huge margins and large typeface) he does somewhat the opposite. Both concepts are equally valid I think, as long as you know what you are getting in advance.
Legends of the Celts (1989)
Chinese Fairy Tales and Fantasies (1979) Moss Roberts
Chinese Folk and Fairy Tales with original illustrations. These were wonderful, with many tales I had not before read, and fantastic illustrations. All the books in the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library I read were fantastic, and this was no exception. Here is an excerpt, a short tale I really liked:
Jade Leaves
In the land of Sung there was a man who fashioned jade into wild mulberry leaves for his lord. The leaves, which took three years to complete, were so perfectly proportioned in stalk and stem, so magnificently realized in the minutest detail, that they could not be told apart when mixed among living leaves. The state supported this craftsman for his skill.
Lieh Tzu objected, "What if heaven and earth needed three years to create a leaf? There wouldn't be many trees. Surely the sage counts on the fruitfulness of nature rather than the ingenuity of man."
This is an excellent collection, and again, there is a difference in tone and setting and everything else that comes across as slightly odd or foreign to someone raised in Western European tales.
Chinese Fairy Tales and Fantasies (1979)
The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault
Translated by Neil Philip and Nicoletta Simborowski, Illustrated by Sally Holmes
Eleven Fairy tales, most of which I had read previously, although the versions are rather different not whitewashed and sanitized like most modern fairy tales. The illustrations are wonderful, even though most parents might not want to read these tales to their children. Not that I of course think there is a thing wrong with them, and I think the reality in these tales is far better than what is seen on TV on in the movies, but it might be a bit much for very young children.
The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault
Mythology (1942) Edith Hamilton
If you'd like to learn about those Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses and Heroes, pick up this book. Edith Hamilton was tremendous, and her synopses are wonderful. Especially if you prefer not to plow through Hesiod's Theogeny or Ovid's Metamorphoses.
Mythology
Italian Folktales (1956) Italo Calvino
Michael gave me this for Christmas--an excellent gift! This is absolutely fantastic, especially following The World's Great Folktales, which weren't really. There are many tales here that I had not read before, and that were not even familiar. The stories are sorted by region, and it's interesting to see how different regions relate with the same theme. (Much the same way different culture relate the same theme, actually.) There are also a good number of tales with overt religious themes, which is unsurprisingly, considering that this is, after all, Italy. Although many of the tales do have "happy endings" there are many that do not, and some that are were quite surprising.
Those Stubborn Souls, the Biellese
A farmer was on his way down to Biella one day. The weather was so stormy that it was next to impossible to get over the roads. But the farmer had important business and pushed onward in the face of the driving rain.
He met an old man, who said to him, "A good day to you! Where are you going, my good man, in such haste?"
"To Biella," answered the farmer without slowing down.
"You might at least say. 'God willing.'"
The farmer stopped, looked the old man in the eye and snapped, "God willing, I'm on my way to Biella. But even if God isn't willing, I still have to go there all the same."
Now the old man happened to be the Lord. "In that case you'll go to Biella in seven years."
Suddenly the farmer changed into a frog and jumped into the swamp.
Seven years went by. The farmer came out of the swamp, turned back into a man, clapped his hat on his head, and continued on his way to market.
After a short distance he met the old man again. "And where are you going, my good man?"
"To Biella."
"You might say, 'God willing.'"
"If God wills it, fine. If not I know the consequence and can now go into the swamp unassisted."
Nor for the life of him would he say one word more.
Although there are some tales that are okay, most of the tales in this collection I would classify as good or great. The retelling is good, and I think you can sense the regional differences that make Italian tales different from Russian tales or Chinese tales etc.
Italian Folktales (1956)
Japanese Tales (1987) Royall Tyler
This is a fantastic book of tales told in the manner folktales were told in the West up until Victorian times--by adults for adults.
They are somewhat scatological (but they've got nothing on television or movies), which reinforces my belief that the American puritanical ideals of sheltering the public from human nature and functions is both foolish and modern.
The names of the Tales are also fantastic: Two Buckets of Marital Bliss, Very Kind of Him No Doubt, A Toad to Reckon With.
Absolutely wonderful titles and stories, if you are at all interested in folktales, this is definitely a book you will want to add to your collection.
Japanese Tales (1987)
Myths and Legends of Japan (1913) F. Hadland Davis
Although I prefer Royall Tyler’s Japanese Tales (1987), this Dover collection is still well worth having if you like folk tales. There is a discussion and history of the Gods of Japan, as well as a section on Buddha legends, both of which were unfamiliar to me.
There was also a collection of fox legends, which immediately made me think of Erin, who loves fox stories.
Demoniacal Possession is frequently said to be due to the evil influences of foxes. This form of possession is known as kitsune-tsuki. The sufferer is usually a woman of the poorer classes, one who is highly sensitive and open to believe in all manner of superstitions. The question of demoniacal possession is still and unsolved problem, and the studies of Dr. Baelz, of the Imperial University of Japan, seem to point to the fact that animal possession in human beings is a very real and terrible truth after all. He remarks that a fox usually enters a woman either through the breast or between the finger-nails, and that the fox lives a separate life of its own, frequently speaking in a voice totally different from the human.
He also wrote about the importance of art in Japan, and the book contains several reproductions of Japanese prints, although only in black and white.
On a certain occasion a number of peasants were much annoyed by the destruction of their gardens caused by some wild animal. Eventually they discovered that they intruder was a great black horse, and on giving chase it suddenly disappeared into a temple. When they entered the building they found Kanasoka’s painting of a black steed steaming with its recent exertion! The great artist at once painted in a rope tethering the animal to a post, and from that day to this the peasants’ gardens have remained unmolested.
I particularly enjoyed his comments on Japanese Gardens:
One thing that strikes us about Japanese gardens that we do not find in England is the wonderful economy displayed in their schemes. Suburbia often makes the excuse that their pocket-handkerchief of a garden is too small to be made beautiful. Too small to be made beautiful? Why, the Japanese can make a wonderful little garden in a space no bigger than a soup-plate!
Although I like this collection, like Royall Tyler’s Japanese Tales, I would not recommend this book for young children, although for different reasons. Written in 1913 it has a somewhat pedantic style—reminding me in parts more a lecture than a book of stories. But this is still an excellent collection, and well worth reading if you love folk tales.
Myths and Legends of Japan (1913)
The Boy Who Drew Cats (1993) Arthur A. Levine. Paintings by Frederic Clement
I first read this tale when I was in elementary school. It was one of the stories in my reading book (it was 4th, 5th or 6th grade, I can’t remember for certain), and for some reason, this tale stuck with me. Several years ago, Erin found me a copy of the story in a small collection of Japanese folktales, and it was just as I had remembered. (For this, I am eternally grateful to Erin.)
A couple of years ago it came up when I was talking with Jim at the Bookshelf, and he remembered the tale, and said he had read a beautifully illustrated version, he’d see if he could order it. A couple of months later the book came in, and he said that he was disappointed that the illustrations were not what he remembered, and I was thoroughly disappointed and didn't buy the book. After all, I still had the tale in the collection Erin found.
However, I came across a used copy, and from the cover artwork, this was obviously not the book Jim had ordered, so I took a chance, and ordered the book it was used, but marked as in excellent condition. Then I just crossed by fingers and waited.
I have to say that I both love and dislike this version of the book. The paintings are wonderful I really love the artwork. Simply beautiful. However, the tale--as short as it is--deviates from the original in small buy significant ways, and I did not particularly care for the deviations. In this version, the boy is far less independent, and far less of a trouble-maker than in the tale I remembered. In this book the boy who loved to draw, drew cats at the request of the young priest in the temple, but in the other version of the tale, the boy loves to draw cats, and gets in trouble because he cannot help himself, and draws cats everywhere.
This, I think, has serious repercussions for the story. In the original tale, when the boy goes to the haunted temple, he sees the blank screens and paints cats upon them because he cannot help himself--it is what he loves to do. In this version of the story the boy seems much less likely to do this. It is, after all, vandalism in a temple where he would like to become an acolyte.
The original version is also far more bloody, and it was such detail that stuck in my mind all those years.
The artwork, however, makes the book well worth the purchase. So I'll just look through the book, enjoying the pictures, and tell myself the original story in my head, and at the end of the book, imagine the vivid details that stayed with me for so many years, that were unfortunately left out of this version.
(The story, with the ending I remember, can be found here)
Greatest Jewish Stories (2001) David Patterson
This is a collection of Jewish tales from both religious and secular sources. It starts with the retelling of tales with which we are familiar--Genesis, Moses, King David, and them moves onto other religious sources and then onto folk tales--including modern folk takes. Very good, and one of the few sources I have seen for such.
Greatest Jewish Stories (2001)
Norwegian Folktales (1982) Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe
Norwegian Folk and Fairy tales with illustrations from the original collection. Wonderful with lots of tales that I had not before read. I noticed that there are quite a lot of trolls in this collection--more than I had come across before, so I am curious as to whether the Norwegians have a special affinity for trolls, or if this was something just common to the stories.
The Norse Myths (1981) Kevin Crossley-Holland
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. Most of the tales were ones with which I was unfamiliar, which made them enjoyable to read, but the retelling was also quite good. The language was made accessible, which is not something that is always common I've noticed. There were tales and themes that were familiar, and some of it reminded me of different series by different authors (which means that the myths may have been the inspiration for the stories or the foundation for the world created. But I could be wrong. The tales that were unfamiliar were quite interesting, especially those where Loki is one of the main characters. Loki is really a much more complex character than one would give a trickster figure credit for, although his change in character is quite substantial, moving from one's typical idea of a trickster:
(This follows Loki changing into a mare and dallying with the stallion of a giant building the wall of Asgard, to keep the giant from winning a bet.)
A number of months passed before Loki the Shape Changer was seen in Asgard again. And when he returned, ambling over Bifrost and blowing a raspberry at Hemidall as he passed Himinbjorg, he had a colt in tow. This horse was rather unusual in that he had eight legs. He was gray and Loki called him Sleipnir.
When Odin saw Sleipnir, he admired the colt greatly.
"Take him!" said Loki. 'I bore him and he'll bear you. You'll find he can outpace Golden and Joyous, Shining and Swift...(etc) No horse will ever be able to keep up with him.'
Odin thanked Loki warmly, and welcomed him back to Asgard.
'On this horse you can go wherever you want,' said Loki. 'He'll gallop over the sea and through the air. What other horse could bear its rider down the long road to the land of the dead, and then bear him back to Asgard again?'
Odin thanked Loki a second time and looked at the Sly One very thoughtfully.
...to a creature that deliberately sets out to cause harm and destruction to all those about him:
(This occurs after Loki is told that the only thing on the planet that had sworn not to harm the god Balder is mistletoe, so he goes and creates a weapon from mistletoe. The gods have made sport of Balder's invincibility, and are now throwing items at Balder to see them bounce off without harming him. Loki is speaking to Hod, the blind brother of Balder.)
'Take this twig then,' said Loki, and he put the sharpened mistletoe between Hod's hands. 'I'll show you where he's standing. I'll stand behind you and guide your hand.'
Loki's eyes were on fire now. His whole body was on fire. His face was ravaged by wolfish evil and hunger.
Hod grasped the mistletoe and lifted his right arm. Guided by Loki, he aimed the dart at his brother Balder.
The mistletoe flew through the hall and it struck Balder. It pierced him and passed right through him. The god fell on his face. He was dead.
This is, for me, one of the most fascinating parts of the story, Loki's change from jokester to devil. But the other stories, even those not involving Loki, are also well told and interesting, well worth reading in and of themselves. But it's also nice now catch the references to these stories in other works of fiction, especially fantasy. Some of these themes are used in Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionovar Tapestry, as well as Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Not that you need this knowledge to enjoy the books (obviously, since I hadn't read these myths before!) but the knowledge adds further depth and nuance I think. I will say that I wasn't overly enamored of the tales that were simple recitations of history or knowledge, such as The Lay of Loddfafnir though I supposed that they would be different when recited than when read. Something that surprised me was the fact that Odin hanging on Yggdrasill was a recitation more than it was a tale, because this is a theme that I have read on several other occasions, and I guess I expected it to be filled out instead of the bare bones of an idea, although I supposed that is what has made is irresistible to authors. There is so much detail missing, or not given, so much left unsaid, that the simple recitation leaves you wanting to know much more than you are told. I am curious as to whether there was an oral tradition that fleshed out this tale more, that we simply did not receive.
In other words, this is a very good collection and well worth reading.
The Norse Myths (1981)
Saga of the Volsungs (2000) Trans. Jesse L. Byock
I found this book more frustrating than gratifying (but I have to admit in a way that bothers me about some folktale collections as well) in that we have a fantastic story, but no one has not bothered to do anything other than lay down a bare translation. The language is stiff, and the prose wasn't very engaging, despite being a good tale.
I suppose that it could be translated thus, because it's a literal translation, Perhaps the original style was in that manner, and they want to remain true to the original, but I think they are doing a disservice to the tale itself.
I like to imagine that these tales originally came from the oral tradition (Yeah, I skipped the introduction that would have told me this. So sue me.), and so imagine the tales being told around a fire, with the storyteller, perhaps standing and pacing around, relating the tale with the relishes that would best suit his (or her) community. Certain details would go better with certain crowds, and so details would be added as the storyteller saw fit.
For a crowd of young boys, the tale would emphasize glorious battle, and perhaps if the storyteller had seen battle himself, vivid detail in the death scenes and the lists of casualties.
If the tale was being told to girls, the storyteller would emphasize the romantic tragedy of the story, how Sigurd and Brynhild found and then lost each other.
But regardless of the audience, there would be detail.
And detail is what this book left me wanting. It was as if the translator received the bare bones of a story, but never bothered to flesh it in, to add the detail that makes stories so exciting, entrancing. Here's an example:
After this Brynhild went out and sat under her chamber wall. She lamented grievously, declaring everything, both land and power, hateful to her, since she did not have Sigurd. And Gunnar came to her again. Then Brynhild said: "You shall lose both power and wealth, life and me, and I shall journey home to my kin and remain there in sorrow unless you kill Sigurd and his son. Do not raise the wolf cub.
I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction, as if the tale had been related by someone without an ounce of passion.
Saga of the Volsungs (2000)
Russian Fairy Tales (1945) Aleksandr Afanasev
Translated by Norbert Guterman, Illustrated by Alexander Alexeieff
Fantastic collection of Russian Folk and Fairy tales. Some that I had read before, some that were similar to other tales from other areas, which is not surprising, consider that so many themes appear repeatedly across cultures. I was fascinated by the similar beginnings and endings and other themes that ran through the tales "Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening" was one theme that appeared repeatedly, and many tales frequently ended with the assertion that the story teller was there for the big final celebration, although the wording was somewhat unusual. All in all, highly enjoyable and highly recommended.
Best-loved Folktales of the World (1982) Joanna Cole
This is a wonderful collection, and it includes many tales I had never heard before. I have re-read this collection multiple times, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in folk tales.
If I'm feeling blue, this is one of the books that I reach for it to get lost from the world.
Best-loved Folktales of the World (19xx)
The World's Great Folktales (1994) James R. Foster
This collection is apparently a compendia of two separate collections The World's Great Folktales and Folktales of Wit and Humor (1953 and 1955) The tales are arranged not by nation of origin, but by theme. I'm still not sure how I feel about this, but we'll see. This is a much rougher collection than most I have. The tales are not as polished, which isn't bad, it's just different. What has struck me most, and is something about which I am still not sure, is the one chapter on tales about women. The feminist in me is terribly offended, and the reader in me can't decide if the feminist part is over-reacting or right on. I think I'm coming to the conclusion that these may be folklore, but I'm not sure we are far enough away from these beliefs for them to be amusing and quaint. There is still a bit too much sting to make them entirely enjoyable.
The World's Great Folktales (1994)
The World of Myth, an Anthology (1991) David Adams Leeming
Mythologies from all different cultures. I am only a few pages into this, but it is interesting so far. It starts out looking at the creation myths of different cultures, many of which have surprisingly similar themes.
The World of Myth, an Anthology (1991)
Favorite Folktales from around the World (1986) Jane Yolen
I picked this up in Cincinnati, but since I'm only reading a story or two a night before I fall asleep, it's not going very quickly. This is a very good collection, with a lovely collection of tales, some of which I had read before, but some that I have not. Although some are acceptable for children, some because they mention of sex, might not be, so I wouldn't get this book for a very young child, unless you were planning on reading it to them, and skipping the stories they might not understand. It would, I believe, be perfectly acceptable for a pre-teen or teenager who understands the concept of sex however. I mean, they're not sexy stories, they just might not make any sense to young kids.
I really liked the fact that although I have read collections of Russian and Chinese folktales, there were still stories with which I was unfamiliar. And of course it's always a pleasure to read a good story again, so it is not a bad thing when there are tales I already know, it is just that it is always a joy to come across a new tale.
I love the African Tale Talk which this collection contains. It may be one of my favorites, just because it always strikes me as really funny. I also enjoyed this tale, which I've read other versions of before, but this short version is one of my favorites.
The Old Man and His Grandson
There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at the table he could hardly hold the spoon, and spilled the broth upon the tablecloth or let it run out of his mouth. His son and his son's wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not enough of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes full of tears. Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it fell to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said nothing and only sighed. Then they bought him a wooden bowl for a few halfpence, out of which he had to eat.
They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground. "What are you doing?" asked the father. "I am making a little trough," answered the child, "for Father and Mother to eat out of when I am big."
The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry. Then they took the grandfather to the table, and henceforth always let him eat with them, and likewise said nothing if he did spill a little of anything.
I sometimes think about this story when I hear people complaining about their elderly parents or grandparents, and wonder what they will be like when they reach that age. If they will remember.
Favorite Folktales from around the World (1986)
Fearless Girls, Wise Women & Beloved Sisters (1998) Kathleen Ragan
This is collection of stories from myth and folklore about and starring women. It's an interesting idea, and the stories she collects are good--many I had never read before, but her notes following each story are really irritating. When I first saw the notes, I was quite interested, thinking that they would be notes on the different cultures, or even historical notes about women at the time the tale was collected. But no, every note is simply a little "women are great!" blurb showing how the woman in the story was a strong character and preserved against adversity. After every single story we get the same thing, just different names.
To say that I find this irritating would be a bit of an understatement. These are fantastic stories that stand on their own. They don't need feminist apologetics to explain the characters or anything else. The notes, as I said, could have been a fantastic addition to each story, telling us a little something about the different cultures from which the stories come, but instead they give the entire a book an overtone of feminist propaganda. This has really ruined much of the book for me. And it's not that I'm anti-feminist, I simply don't need the obvious virtues of story characters extolled after each and every story.
There are, however, some very good tales. My Jon's Soul from Iceland was very amusing. The Huntress, an Innuit story, was fascinating because it was quite different from any other stories I've read before. I also really liked the following story:
How Pulap Acquired the Art of Navigation (Ulithi Atol, Micronesia)
There was a bird, a kulung or golden plover living on the island of Ponape. He was very big and a legaselep, or man-eating spirit.
After eating all the people on Ponape he went to Truk and ate all the people on Truk too. After eating all the people on Truk he went to Wolul and did the same thing there--he killed all the people. He left Wolul and tried to reach Pulap but was unable to get there and reached Pulusuk instead. The reason that he did not get to Pulap was that Palulop was there and caused the island not to be seen by the bird. He tried and tried to get to the island but did not succeed. From Pulusuk he tried again to find Pulap. He returned. Then he again tried hut could not find it.
Once while he [the plover] was flying to Pulusuk, Palulop said to his daughter “You must prepare some food for the legaselep and take it to the end o£ the island of Pulap and leave it there. Wait for the legaselep and when he comes give him the food.” Palulop made felsu, or magic, for the legaselep so he could find the island of Pulap. The legaselep came and he saw the island as well as the girl near the food. She saw the legaselep and said to him, "Here is your food, and he looked at the food and said, I am not satisfied with this food.” She told him to try it and see what happened. He ate the food but after putting it in his mouth, other food took its place. As he ate, the food was replenished. He ate like that and was satisfied with the food, but the food was still there. He said to the girl "I am very satisfied with this food and I thank you very much. But I will teach you something. I will teach you he art of navigation" He started teaching the girl how to be a navigator.
After she knew what navigation was she asked tile legaselep "How can I see the islands?” and the legaselep told the girl, "Yon must climb that coconut tree, then look over and see all these islands!' She climbed the tree and while she was nearing the top of the tree, the tree went up a little bit more. She climbed again and the coconut tree got still taller. She was very high up and looked at all the islands. The girl knew, by calculating from the tree, the direction of this island and that, and she climbed down from the tree. The plover said to her “Now I know that you know all these things, so I will leave you.” The girl said, “No, you must stay and I will collect some food for you.” So she made a lot of baskets and filled them with food. She hung the baskets on the bird and the plover flew toward Truk, but he did not succeed in reaching the island because he was tired and fell into the water and drowned.
That is why the people of Pulap are the lords of navigation.
So all in all, the stories are very good, but the notes are a major annoyance. I've given up on this book for awhile. Perhaps I'll come back to it later, and remember not to read the notes at the end.
Fearless Girls, Wise Women & Beloved Sisters (1998)
Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
Editors of The Year's Best in Fantasy and Horror as well as several anthologies based upon Folk and Fairy tales. Seeing as how I am particular to folk and fairy tales, I enjoyed these, although I think I prefer stories that read like folktales, rather than reading a folktale rewritten for modern readers.
Anthologies : Snow White, Blood Red; White Rose, Black Thorn; Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears, The Green Man : Tales from the Mythic Forest (2002) The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm (2004)
Fantasy based upon Irish history and folklore. I really enjoy her books and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys folktales and mythology, as here stories borrow from those elements, with the exception of 1916, which is historical fiction set in Ireland in 1916 during the Easter Rising.
The Elementals (1993), Bard: The Odyssey of the Irish (1984), 1916 (1998), Lion of Ireland (1981), Red Branch (1989), Finn MacCool (1994)
One of the writers involved in the Thieves World series. Much of what I have is her reinterpretations of folktales.
Wodan's Children: The Wolf and the Raven, The White Raven
Fionn MacCumhal : Master of Earth and Water, The Shield Between the Worlds, Sword of Fire and Shadow (with Adrienne Martine-Barnes)
Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow
Editors of The Year's Best in Fantasy and Horror as well as several anthologies based upon Folk and Fairy tales.
Anthologies: Snow White, Blood Red; White Rose, Black Thorn; Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears, The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest (2002) The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm (2004)
Although the Brothers' Grimm are cleaned up, there is still a discussion in the introduction of the original stories, including the real reason the witch got mad at Rapunzel. I love folktales, so I really liked this anthology.
The Outspoken Princess and the Gentle Knight and The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm
