a less whimsical illustration that encapsulates the fun of searching an archive of over 15

The Archive...

Have a wander through the Fireside folktale archive below, and see what you stumble into. Use the filters to narrow the world down, or fling the doors wide and browse by country, region, theme, collector, or whatever takes your fancy, then let the table do the rest. A few clicks can carry you from storm-tossed coasts to mountain villages, from clever tricksters to quiet miracles, and you will often find that the story you meant to read is not the one that chooses you.

Archive under construction...

Structured Filters

Use these drop down lists to choose one or more filters to select groups of tales to investigate in more detail

Other than my own versions of tales (as indicated), the stories in this archive are in the public domain

Stories in this view:

3988

Title	Book	Author / Collector	Country	Subject	Year
Siege Of Jaen	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	Siege Of Jaen: siege, warfare, courage, defence, strategy, honour, conflict, endurance, battle, history	1901
Death Of Reduan	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	Death Of Reduan: death, heroism, battle, honour, mourning, loss, valour, memory, tragedy, warfare	1901
The Aged Lover	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Aged Lover: ageing, love, longing, desire, regret, memory, melancholy, fidelity, dignity, time	1901
Fickleness Rebuked	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	Fickleness Rebuked: fickleness, rebuke, love, betrayal, moral judgement, constancy, disappointment, reproach, changeability, regret	1901
The Galley Slave Of Dragut	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Galley Slave Of Dragut: slavery, captivity, suffering, endurance, sea, oppression, resilience, hardship, fate, survival	1901
The Captive's Lament	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Captive’s Lament: captivity, lament, sorrow, longing, exile, confinement, loss, memory, yearning, grief	1901
Strike Sail	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	Strike Sail: sea voyage, command, danger, departure, duty, maritime life, urgency, fate, courage, travel	1901
The Captive's Escape	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Captive’s Escape: escape, captivity, freedom, danger, courage, ingenuity, pursuit, hope, endurance, liberation	1901
The Spaniard Of Oran	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Spaniard Of Oran: frontier, warfare, identity, valour, conflict, honour, Spain, exile, courage, reputation	1901
The Bull-Fight Of Gazul	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Bull-Fight Of Gazul: bullfight, Gazul, courage, prowess, honour, spectacle, rivalry, pride, skill, acclaim	1901
The Zegri's Bride	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Zegri’s Bride: wedding, lineage, honour, family, love, alliance, jealousy, celebration, nobility, rivalry	1901
The Bridal Of Andalla	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Bridal Of Andalla: wedding, love, union, ceremony, beauty, joy, honour, family, courtship, celebration	1901
Zara's Ear-Rings	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	Zara’s Ear-Rings: adornment, beauty, courtship, gift, love, identity, elegance, symbolism, admiration, status	1901
The Lamentation For Celin	Moorish Literature	René Basset, PH.D.	Spain	The Lamentation For Celin: lamentation, grief, love, loss, mourning, memory, sorrow, separation, elegy, longing	1901
How Cormac Mac Art Went To Faery	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	How Cormac Mac Art Went To Faery: kingship, otherworld quest, testing, wisdom, supernatural gifts, music, truth, temptation, honour, Faery	1895
The Vision Of Macconglinney	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Vision Of Macconglinney: gluttony, satire, vision, excess, monastic humour, temptation, parody, appetite, imagination, comic learning	1895
The Black Horse	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Black Horse: supernatural animal, enchantment, journey, mystery, danger, loyalty, transformation, omen, escape, wonder	1895
The Fate Of The Children Of Lir	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Fate Of The Children Of Lir: transformation, exile, sorrow, enchantment, endurance, family, loss, time, Christian redemption, lament	1895
The Greek Princess And The Young Gardener	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Greece	The Greek Princess And The Young Gardener: love across ranks, beauty, humility, longing, trial, loyalty, disguise, fortune, romance, reward	1895
The Legend Of Knockgrafton (1)	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Legend Of Knockgrafton: fairies, music, kindness, reward, envy, deformity, transformation, imitation, punishment, folklore	1895
Morraha (1)	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	Morraha: exile, sea journey, transformation, love, enchantment, loyalty, trials, otherworld, perseverance, destiny	1895
How Fin Went To The Kingdom Of The Big Men	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	How Fin Went To The Kingdom Of The Big Men: giant realm, bravery, adventure, strength, cunning, peril, heroism, strange lands, combat, triumph	1895
The Farmer Of Liddesdale	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Farmer Of Liddesdale: rural folklore, bargain, supernatural encounter, shrewdness, fear, luck, moral testing, livelihood, uncanny, retribution	1895
Dream Of Owen O'Mulready	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	Dream Of Owen O’Mulready: otherworld journey, prophetic dream, enchantment, time distortion, desire, temptation, return, wonder, mortality, Faery	1895
Paddy O'Kelly And The Weasel	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	Paddy O’Kelly And The Weasel: animal cunning, mischief, rustic life, trickster humour, deception, pursuit, survival, revenge, absurdity, wit	1895
Jack The Cunning Thief	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	Jack The Cunning Thief: trickery, theft, disguise, wit, social inversion, daring, deception, cleverness, survival, comic adventure	1895
The Tail	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Tail: absurd humour, deception, boastfulness, trickery, comic reversal, rural life, embarrassment, exaggeration, ridicule, wit	1895
The Russet Dog	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Russet Dog: faithful animal, quest, companionship, magic helper, peril, loyalty, rescue, wonder, transformation, heroism	1895
The Story Of The Macandrew Family	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Story Of The Macandrew Family: family fortunes, inheritance, mischance, perseverance, kinship, hardship, identity, loyalty, destiny, change	1895
The Ridere Of Riddles	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	The Ridere Of Riddles: riddling contest, wisdom, courtship, wit, testing, secrecy, intelligence, challenge, verbal skill, triumph	1895
Elidore	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Elidore: child encounter, hidden world, golden realm, innocence, secrecy, loss, marvel, transition, Faery, memory	1895
Smallhead And The King's Sons	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Wales	Smallhead And The King’s Sons: underestimated hero, quest, brothers, courage, resourcefulness, injustice, triumph, transformation, perseverance, reward	1895
Powel, Prince Of Dyfed	More Celtic Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	Ireland	Powel, Prince Of Dyfed: sovereignty, marriage, honour, magic, rivalry, deception, exchange, loyalty, kingship, Welsh otherworld	1895
Sir Gammer Vans	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Sir Gammer Vans: absurd exaggeration, nonsense, and comic storytelling bravado.	1892
My Own Self	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	My Own Self: self-interest, loneliness, and the folly of selfishness.	1892
The Wise Men Of Gotham (2)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Wise Men Of Gotham: folly, satire, and wisdom hidden in nonsense.	1892
The Black Bull Of Norroway (4)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Black Bull Of Norroway: enchanted love, trials, and perseverance through loss.	1892
The Pedlar Of Swaffham	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Pedlar Of Swaffham: destiny, dreams, and reward for faithful trust.	1892
The Stars In The Sky	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Stars In The Sky: impossible tasks, boasting, and comic foolishness.	1892
The Three Wishes (2)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Three Wishes: wasted chances, foolish desire, and comic regret.	1892
Habetrot And Scantlie Mab	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Habetrot And Scantlie Mab: spinning, industry, magical help, and fortunate marriage.	1892
Yallery Brown	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Yallery Brown: greed, ingratitude, and the cost of broken promises.	1892
The Blinded Giant	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Blinded Giant: cunning survival against brute monstrous strength.	1892
Tattercoats (2)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Tattercoats: neglect, dignity, transformation, and recognition of true worth.	1892
The Hobyahs	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Hobyahs: ignored warnings, predatory menace, and sudden comeuppance.	1892
The Pied Piper Of Franchville	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Pied Piper Of Franchville: vengeance, betrayal, and punishment for broken bargains.	1892
The Golden Ball (2)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Golden Ball: enchantment, promise, and transformation through fidelity.	1892
Tom Hickathrift	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Tom Hickathrift: humble strength, wit, and triumph over monstrous threats.	1892
A Son Of Adam	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	A Son Of Adam: clever bargaining, justice, and outwitting supernatural adversaries.	1892
The Three Cows	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Three Cows: unity preserves strength, division invites destruction.	1892

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