Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

33887

Title

Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Edited and selected by W. B. Yeats, this collection preserves the mystical voice of the Irish peasantry through tales of fairies, giants, ghosts, and witches. Blending humor, pathos, and ancient superstition, it offers a vivid glimpse into a world where magic permeates daily life, appealing to readers of folklore and Celtic history.

Summary up to 500 words

Compiled and edited by W. B. Yeats, *Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry* offers a profound exploration of the spiritual and cultural landscape of Ireland, preserving legends that bridge the gap between a vanished pagan world and the modern age. Yeasts contrasts the 'humorised' accounts of earlier collectors like Croker, who viewed the peasantry through a lens of caricature, with the deeper pathos found in authentic peasant stories. He argues that while English fairies departed to become religious figures, the Irish fairies remained, continuing to plague the surly and gift the kindly. The collection is divided into sections covering trooping fairies, solitary entities like the Lepracaun and Banshee, ghosts, witches, giants, and historical figures. The text highlights the transition from pagan gods to fairies and giants, noting how the Tuath-De-Danann shrank into folklore while heroes grew into giants. Yeats emphasizes that the Celt views life through symbols of birth, love, and death, possessing a visionary nature that allows them to see ghosts and fairies without needing to be 'scratched' by skepticism. The book captures the enduring nature of the Irish spirit through anecdotes of storytellers like Paddy Flynn, whose tales vary by locality yet share a core simplicity and musicality. It serves as both a literary record and a cultural bridge, preserving legends of giants like Mahon MacMahon who abducted boys for seven years, and tales of witchcraft trials where innocent women were wrongly condemned. Through these stories, the anthology preserves the innermost heart of the Celt, cushioned by dreams and fairy-songs, offering a glimpse into a world where every incident of life has remained unchanged for centuries.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• Fiction