Nowadays, we can enjoy the complete fairy tales of the translated Arabian Nights in their unexpurgated, sensual glory; of the brothers Grimm, translated from German; of Charles Perrault, from the French; or of Hans Christian Andersen, from the Danish; and the like from many other languages and cultures.
But the books, beloved by generations, that brought many of these tales to the bedside of English-speaking children, were the series of Fairy Books edited by the grand master of folk literature, Andrew Lang. Beginning in 1889, and still available in facsimile with their original illustrations, these books contain many Arabian, German, French, and Danish favorites, as well as folk tales from the British Isles, Spain, Italy, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, all of Asia, and Africa–cultures upon cultures, fables and romantic legends and tall tales of every description.
Lovers of fantasy and tales of magic will find these quaint yet timeless tales irresistible. The stories amuse, horrify, tease, teach morals and practical lessons, and scintillate with their romantic dash and their wild, bizarre, and sometimes grotesque fancies.
Each successive book is a collection of still rarer and more exotic treasures. Collected from the works of other writers and translators, their titles (or rather, colors) are: The Blue Fairy Book, The Brown Fairy Book, The Crimson Fairy Book, The Green Fairy Book, The Grey Fairy Book, The Lilac Fairy Book, The Olive Fairy Book, The Orange Fairy Book, The Pink Fairy Book, The Red Fairy Book, The Violet Fairy Book, and The Yellow Fairy Book (I kid you not). Not that the fairies change colors, only the books do.
Lang also edited a book called The Arabian Nights Entertainments.
In my opinion, the whole set belongs in the library of every English-speaking child, and every story should be read to them until they can read it for themselves!
