Bluebeard – Origins of the Fairy Tales from around the World' contains seven different versions of the story of bluebeard. It includes an in-depth introduction to the fairy tale genre itself, as well as the folkloric provenance of the 'Bluebeard' story. It encompasses folk tales such as 'La Barbe Bleue' by Charles Perrault, 'Fitcher's Bird' by the Brothers Grimm, Joseph Jacob's 'Mr. Fox', the Indian legend of 'The Brahman Girl who Married a Tiger' and the tale of Prince Agib from 'Arabian Nights'. What is a fairy tale? The 'Origins of Fairy Tales from around the World' series helps to answer this question, by showcasing the amazing breath and diversity involved in classic fairy tales. It focuses on the unusual phenomenon that the same tales, with only minor variations, appear again and again in different cultures – across time and geographical space. Traditionally told as short stories for children, and for adults too, these popular fairy tales will be sure to delight both young and old. Beautifully illustrated, these story books combine the best story-telling, with the best art-work, in order that the two may be fully appreciated.

Discover the original macabre stories of your most beloved classics in this collection of disturbingly dark fairy tales. ‘Story-telling is one of the most ancient and universal of arts.’ – Laura F. Kready, A Study of Fairy Tales, 1916 ‘The instruments of darkness tell us truths.’ – William Shakespeare, Macbeth, 1623 This twisted treasury presents over forty of the world’s most wicked fairy tales, including the original versions of stories you thought you knew, such as ‘Cinderella’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, and ‘Snow White’. Relish in the morbid darkness of these early classics, alongside many other tales you haven't heard before. From renowned storytellers of the fairy tale genre, this collection sources works from the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, and many more. Dark Fairy Tales is woven with themes of lost innocence, beastly bonds, and haunted hearts, aiming to inspire, caution, and illuminate valuable aspects of the human experience. Be warned, for these stories are not for the faint of heart and happy endings cannot be guaranteed.

The classic fairy tale of Blue Beard illustrated by Walter Crane. Crane's work in children's books in cooperation with the publisher Edmund Evans earned him worldwide fame in the latter 19th century.

Maria Tatar analyses the many forms the tale of Bluebeard's wife has taken over time, showing how artists have taken the Bluebeard theme and revived it with their own signature twists.

This edition of the ‘Grimm’s Fairy Tales – Illustrated by Charles Folkard’ was originally published in 1911, and contains fifty-six of the Brothers Grimm’s classic stories. The narratives include the famed tales of ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Tom Thumb’, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘Hansel and Gretel’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘The Frog Prince’, and many more. They are all beautifully illustrated by Charles Folkard – in both colour, and black and white. Folkard (1878 – 1963) was a celebrated British illustrator, known for creating ‘Teddy Tail’, a popular cartoon character who rain in the Daily Mail newspapers for decades. He is also renowned for his illustrations for Arabian Nights, Aesop’s Fables, Pinocchio – and of course – the Brothers Grimm. The Brothers Grimm are perhaps the best known folklorists of all time. Die Brüder Grimm; Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, lexicographers and authors – who together specialized in collecting and publishing folklore during the nineteenth century. The popularity of their collected tales has endured well; they have been translated into more than 100 languages, and remain in print in the present day. This is a text to be appreciated by young and old alike; extraordinary for its literary as well as artistic significance. Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration from the 1880s to the 1930s. Our collection showcases classic fairy tales, children’s stories, and the work of some of the most celebrated artists, illustrators and authors.

In this German version of Bluebeard, the wicked wizard Fitcher kills two sisters for disobeying him and opening a forbidden room in his house, but he is outwitted by their younger sister.