It is almost impossible to envision what childhood would be like without the enchanting world of fairyland. Princess Rosanella, The Three Bears, giants and dwarfs, monster and magician, fairies and ogres—these are the companions who thrill young boys and girls of all alnds and all times, as Andrew Lang's phenomenally successful collections of stories have proved. From the day that they were first printed, the Lang fairy tale books of many colors have entertained thousands of boys and girls, as they have also brought pleasure to the many parents who have read these unforgettable classics to their children.

In this Green Fairy Book, the third in the series, Lang has assembled stories from Spanish tradition, Chinese tradition, a few of the most entertaining creations penned by the Comte de Caylus, stories by Sebillot, Fenelon, Kletke, and Mme. d'Aulony, and, of course some of the best-loved tales from the Brothers Grimm. Here are The Blue Bird, Sylvain and Jocosa, Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla, The Three Little Pigs, The Half-Chick, and many other favorites that have become an indispensable part of our cultural heritage. 

All, in all, this collection contains 42 stories, all narrated in the clear, lively prose for which Lang was famous. Not only are Lang's generally conceded to be the best English version of standard stories, his collections are the richest and widest in range. His position as one of England's foremost folklorists as well as his first-rate literary abilities makes his collections unmatchable in the English language.

From the Dover reprint cover