The Green Fairy Book

Edited by
Andrew Lang

To
Stella Margaret Alleyne
the
Green Fairy Book
is dedicated



To The Friendly Reader



This is the third, and probably the last, of the Fairy Books of
many colours. First there was the Blue Fairy Book; then,
children, you asked for more, and we made up the Red Fairy Book;
and, when you wanted more still, the Green Fairy Book was put
together. The stories in all the books are borrowed from many
countries; some are French, some German, some Russian, some
Italian, some Scottish, some English, one Chinese. However much
these nations differ about trifles, they all agree in liking
fairy tales. The reason, no doubt, is that men were much like
children in their minds long ago, long, long ago, and so before
they took to writing newspapers, and sermons, and novels, and
long poems, they told each other stories, such as you read in the
fairy books. They believed that witches could turn people into