Collected by Joseph Jacobs
This collection of Celtic tales is most noteworthy for its inclusion of many tales that are (at least in our day and age) “for adults only.” Or, at least for those over 13 or so. For this, we owe him a great debt of gratitude, as these tales give glimpses into the life of the Celtic peoples, most often in relationship to the incoming Christian religion. This sort of glimpse into a more living history is rare and informs in ways that simple statements about the outcomes of battles, who ruled whom and when and so forth cannot do. I can’t recommend reading these and other such tales to highly – they are treasures.
There are, though, several stories you may happily share with children: “Jack the Cunning Thief,” “The Greek Princess and the Young Gardener,” “The Russet Dog” and many others. For these tales, this book will find a place as stories at bedtime and in lessons – many are relatively unknown and quite wonderful, too.
For children ages 7 and up when wisely selected by an adult; for adolescents and adults on their own.