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
Coat O' Clay	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Coat O’ Clay: mortality, decay, and the levelling power of death.	1892
The Wee Bannock (2)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Wee Bannock: scarcity, cunning, pursuit, and comic escape.	1892
Catskin (2)	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Catskin: hidden nobility, endurance, disguise, and reward through perseverance.	1892
The King Of England And His Three Sons	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The King Of England And His Three Sons: quests, testing, and merit proven through deeds.	1892
Scrapefoot	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Scrapefoot: greed, suspicion, and comic punishment through misadventure.	1892
The Lambton Worm	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Lambton Worm: monstrous curse, heroic duty, and tragic consequences.	1892
The Wee, Wee Mannie	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Wee, Wee Mannie: trickery, debt, and freeing oneself from supernatural claims.	1892
The Old Witch	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Old Witch: danger, cunning, and escape from malevolent magic.	1892
The Little Bull-Calf	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Little Bull-Calf: transformation, loyalty, and hidden enchantment redeemed.	1892
The King 'O The Cats	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The King ’O The Cats: uncanny revelation, secrecy, and feline otherworldliness.	1892
News!	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	News!: rumour, misunderstanding, and the comic spread of nonsense.	1892
Rushen Coatie	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Rushen Coatie: kindness, resilience, magical aid, and rightful recognition.	1892
King John And The Abbot Of Canterbury	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	King John And The Abbot Of Canterbury: riddling wit outsmarts royal power.	1892
Three Feathers	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Three Feathers: humility, luck, and unexpected success of the overlooked.	1892
The Princess Of Canterbury	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Princess Of Canterbury: disguise, cleverness, and constancy rewarded.	1892
Stupid's Cries	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Stupid’s Cries: foolish innocence, misunderstanding, and accidental comic trouble.	1892
Tamlane	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Tamlane: love, courage, and rescue from fairy enchantment.	1892
Hereafterthis	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Hereafterthis: death’s certainty, naming, and fate’s grim humour.	1892
A Pottle O' Brains	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	A Pottle O’ Brains: foolishness, gullibility, and comic domestic misunderstanding.	1892
Gobborn Seer	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Gobborn Seer: clever craftsmanship, riddles, and wisdom defeating pride.	1892
The Buried Moon	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Buried Moon: light imprisoned, darkness unleashed, hope restored.	1892
The Hedley Kow	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	The Hedley Kow: illusion, mischief, and disappointment through false appearances.	1892
Johnny Gloke	More English Fairy Tales	Joseph Jacobs	England	Johnny Gloke: innocence, fear, and absurd misunderstanding of danger.	1892
The Three Daughters Of The King Of The East, And The Son Of A King In Erin	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Three Daughters Of The King Of The East, And The Son Of A King In Erin: international quest, princesses, romance, magical trials, noble hero, abduction, travel, combat, fidelity, reward	1890
Cuculin	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Cuculin: youthful heroism, combat, honour, prodigious strength, fame, training, single combat, destiny, warrior code, sacrifice	1890
Fin Maccumhail, The Seven Brothers, And The King Of France	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Fin Maccumhail, The Seven Brothers, And The King Of France: exile, brotherhood, foreign court, service, adventure, royal conflict, loyalty, prowess, recognition, reward	1890
Gilla Na Grakin And Fin Maccumhail	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Gilla Na Grakin And Fin Maccumhail: strange challenger, shape-shifting, pursuit, cunning, endurance, otherworldly power, rivalry, wit, heroic testing, mastery	1890
The Son Of The King Of Erin, And The Giant Of Loch Lein	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Son Of The King Of Erin, And The Giant Of Loch Lein: giant-slaying, princely quest, rescue, danger, strength, courage, wilderness, combat, honour, reward	1890
The Shee An Gannon And The Gruagach Gaire (2)	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Shee An Gannon And The Gruagach Gaire: trickster rivalry, wit, magical contests, pursuit, disguise, boasting, folkloric humour, cunning survival, enchantment, victory	1890
Kil Arthur	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Kil Arthur: monstrous threat, local hero, combat, liberation, bravery, reputation, violence, justice, communal safety, legendary fame	1890
The Weaver's Son And The Giant Of The White Hill	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Weaver’s Son And The Giant Of The White Hill: low-born hero, giant adversary, craft and courage, ascent, cleverness, combat, social rise, perseverance, magical help, triumph	1890
The Three Daughters Of King O'Hara	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Three Daughters Of King O’Hara: sisterhood, abduction, rescue quest, enchantment, perseverance, family loyalty, trials, marriage, wonder, justice	1890
Shaking-Head	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Shaking-Head: grotesque adversary, enchantment, heroism, combat, persistence, danger, marvel, fear, overcoming curses, adventure	1890
Fin Maccumhail And The Knight Of The Full Axe	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Fin Maccumhail And The Knight Of The Full Axe: martial challenge, single combat, honour, endurance, reputation, tests of strength, rivalry, bravery, heroic leadership, victory	1890
Fin Maccumhail And The Son Of The King Of Alba	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Fin Maccumhail And The Son Of The King Of Alba: cross-border adventure, princely ally, friendship, tests, warfare, honour, rescue, loyalty, heroic quest, noble lineage	1890
Fin Maccumhail And The Fenians Of Erin In The Castle Of Fear Dubh	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Fin Maccumhail And The Fenians Of Erin In The Castle Of Fear Dubh: haunted stronghold, courage, supernatural menace, warrior fellowship, vigilance, ordeal, darkness, combat, leadership, triumph over evil	1890
Birth Of Fin Maccumhail And Origin Of The Fenians Of Erin	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Birth Of Fin Maccumhail And Origin Of The Fenians Of Erin: heroic birth, destiny, warrior brotherhood, lineage, prophecy, childhood peril, training, kingship, loyalty, mythic origins	1890
Fair, Brown, And Trembling (1)	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Fair, Brown, And Trembling: persecuted heroine, disguise, beauty, church courtship, jealousy, lost shoe, recognition, marriage, kindness rewarded, Cinderella motif	1890
The Thirteenth Son Of The King Of Erin	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Thirteenth Son Of The King Of Erin: fated child, exclusion, destiny, exile, magical aid, quest, family tension, prophecy, transformation, eventual restoration	1890
Oisin In Tir Na N-Og	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Oisin In Tir Na N-Og: otherworld journey, eternal youth, love, exile, passage of time, loss, return, mortality, fairy land, melancholy	1890
The Fisherman's Son And The Gruagach Of Tricks	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The Fisherman’s Son And The Gruagach Of Tricks: humble hero, deception, cleverness, magical opponent, apprenticeship, trials, resourcefulness, revenge, transformation, triumph	1890
Black, Brown, And Gray	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	Black, Brown, And Gray: enchanted animals, transformation, quest, loyalty, hidden identity, marriage, trials, magic, justice, perseverance	1890
The King Of Erin And The Queen Of The Lonesome Island	Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland	Jeremiah Curtin	Ireland	The King Of Erin And The Queen Of The Lonesome Island: sea voyage, isolation, enchanted queen, kingship, longing, reunion, marvels, testing, romance, sovereignty	1890
Theseus (5)	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Greece	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880
Theories As To The Origin Of Man	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Greece	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880
Zeus (Jupiter)	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Greece	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880
Penates	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Italy	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880
Manes	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Italy	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880
Silvanus	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Italy	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880
Hymen	Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome	E.M. Berens	Greece	Greek and Roman Gods, Legendary Creatures, Mythical Heroes, and Minor Deities	1880

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