English Fairy Tales and Legends

Step into the legendary world of English folklore with this enchanting collection of 12 classic fairy tales, featuring everything from fearsome dragons to the heroic deeds of Robin Hood.

Folk tales and legends are woven deeply into England’s cultural heritage, and in this beautifully curated volume, folklorist Rosalind Kerven revives some of the nation’s most treasured traditional stories for a new generation. Filled with giants, fairies, dragons, and Arthurian romance, these tales offer a rich introduction to the many forms of English storytelling and their enduring place in both oral and written tradition.

Each story is rooted in a real English landscape, connecting myth to place—The Dragon Castle from Northumberland, The Girl Snatched by Fairies from County Durham, The Princess and the Fool from Kent, and The Dark Moon from Lincolnshire, among others—bringing local legend vividly to life.

Accompanying notes explore the origins, history, and evolution of every tale, along with brief summaries of related folklore, offering deeper insight into England’s magical narrative past.