Myth-Folklore Unit: Celtic Fairy Tales

Overview. Joseph Jacobs published his first volume of Celtic Fairy Tales in 1892, followed by More Celtic Fairy Tales in 1895. Both books draw on a wide range of Celtic sources (primarily Irish, Scottish, and Welsh, but also Cornish!), and they feature many different story genres. In this reading unit, you will find tales of fairies and of leprechauns, like The Brewery of Eggshells and The Field of Boliauns, along with ghost stories like The Horned Women or the story of Andrew Coffey. There is the tragic tale of Beth Gellert, and also humorous stories like Munachar and Manachar or the story of King O'Toole and Saint Kavin. You will also find fairy tale adventure stories like The Shee An Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire (i.e. the Gannon Fairy and the Laughing Goblin) or the story of Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree, which is a sort of Celtic Snow White tale.

Language. Jacobs tells the fairy tales in modern literary prose, so it is not difficult reading.

Story Length. These stories are all single-page stories.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on a single page: Celtic Fairy Tales.

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Free audiobook available!

READING A:

1. Connla and the Fairy Maiden
2. The Field of Boliauns
3. The Horned Women
4. The Shepherd of Myddvai
5. The Sprightly Tailor
6. Munachar and Manachar
7. Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree

READING B:

1. King O'Toole and his Goose
2. The Shee An Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire
3. Beth Gellert
4. The Tale of Ivan
5. Andrew Coffey
6. Brewery of Eggshells