Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang was born in Scotland and lived from 1844 to 1912. He wrote poems, stories and novels, as well as articles, translations and works on history, and he also helped other writers with their work; but he is best known for his collections of tales from around the world. These were called his Fairy Books. Each one was named after a different colour, such as Blue, Orange and Lilac. His first book of tales was the Blue Fairy Book, published in 1889, and his last one—number 12, the Lilac Fairy Book—was published in 1910.

When he was a boy, Lang loved to listen to fairy tales and legends, and he learnt by heart all the fairy names in A Midsummer Night's Dream, a play by Shakespeare. His grandfather had been a friend of Sir Walter Scott—a famous Scottish writer—and Lang loved to read Scott's stories and learn the names of all his ghosts.

Many of the fairy tales that Lang collected had to be translated into English, and Lang's wife used to help him do this. In fact, he said that she did most of the work! Some of these tales were from very famous writers, like Charles Perrault, Hans Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. Others are from countries like India and Africa.

Lang was a good friend of other writers such as H. Rider Haggard, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle (who wrote the Sherlock Holmes series), and Edith Nesbit.

Works by Andrew Lang

Some famous stories retold by Lang and his wife are Cinderella, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltzkin, Hansel and Gretel, Puss in Boots, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood.

Below is a list of the stories found in Lang's Fairy Books. The book colour of each title is given in brackets.

  • Adventures of a Jackal, The [Orange]
  • Adventures of an Indian Brave [Orange]
  • Adventures of Covan the Brown-haired, The [Orange]
  • Adventures of the Jachal's Eldest Son, The [Orange]
  • Adventures of the Younger Son of the Jackal, The [Orange]
  • Aladdin And The Wonderful Lamp [Blue]
  • Allerleirauh; or, the Many-furred Creature [Green]
  • Alphege, or the Green Monkey [Yellow]
  • Andras Baive [Orange]
  • Asmund and Signy [Brown]
  • Ball-Carrier and the Bad One [Brown]
  • Battle of the Birds, The [Lilac]
  • Beauty And The Beast [Blue]
  • Believing Husbands, The [Lilac]
  • Billy Goat and the King, The [Olive]
  • Bird of Truth, The [Orange]
  • Bird 'Grip', The [Pink]
  • Biter Bit, The [Green]
  • Black Bull Of Norroway, The [Blue]
  • Black Thief and Knight of the Glen, The [Red]
  • Blue Beard [Blue]
  • Blockhead Hans [Yellow]
  • Blue Bird, The [Green]
  • Blue Mountains, The [Yellow]
  • Blue Parrot, The [Olive]
  • Bobino [Grey]
  • Bones of Djulung, The [Lilac]
  • Boy and the Wolves, or the Broken Promise, The [Yellow]
  • Boy who could keep a Secret, The [Crimson]
  • Boys with the Golden Stars, The [Violet]
  • Boy Who Found Fear At Last, The [Olive]
  • Brave Little Tailor, The [Blue]
  • Bronze Ring, The [Blue]
  • Brother and Sister [Red]
  • Brown Bear of Norway, The [Lilac]
  • Brownie of the Lake, The [Lilac]
  • Bunyip, The [Brown]
  • Bushy Bride [Red]
  • Cannetella [Grey]
  • Castle of Kerglas, The [Lilac]
  • Cat and the Mouse in Partnership, The [Yellow]
  • Catherine and her Destiny [Pink]
  • Cat's Elopement, The [Pink]
  • Child who came from an Egg, The [Violet]
  • Cinderella; Or, The Little Glass Slipper [Blue]
  • Clever Cat, The [Orange]
  • Clever Maria [Crimson]
  • Clever Weaver, The [Olive]
  • Colony of Cats, The [Crimson]
  • Comb and the Collar, The [Olive]
  • Cottager and his Cat, The [Crimson]
  • Crab and the Monkey, The [Crimson]
  • Crow, The [Yellow]
  • Crystal Coffin, The [Green]
  • Cunning Hare, The [Brown]
  • Cunning Shoemaker, The [Pink]
  • Dapplegrim [Red]
  • Dead Wife, The [Yellow]
  • Death of Abu Nowas and of his Wife, The [Crimson]
  • Death of Koschei the Deathless, The [Red]
  • Death of the Sun-hero, The [Yellow]
  • Diamond Cut Diamond [Olive]
  • [Dick Whittington — see The History of Whittington] [Blue]
  • Dirty Shepherdess, The [Green]
  • Dog and the Sparrow, The [Grey]
  • Don Giovanni de la Fortuna [Pink]
  • Donkey Cabbage, The [Yellow]
  • Donkey Skin [Grey]
  • Dorani [Olive]
  • Dragon and his Grandmother, The [Yellow]
  • Dragon of the North, The [Yellow]
  • Drakestail [Red]
  • East Of The Sun And West Of The Moon [Blue]
  • Eisenkopf [Crimson]
  • Elf Maiden, The [Brown]
  • [Emperor's New Clothes — see The story of Emperor's New Clothes] [Yellow]
  • Enchanted Canary, The [Red]
  • Enchanted Deer, The [Lilac]
  • Enchanted Head, The [Brown]
  • Enchanted Knife, The [Violet]
  • Enchanted Pig, The [Red]
  • Enchanted Ring, The [Green]
  • Enchanted Snake, The [Green]
  • Enchanted Watch, The [Green]
  • Enchanted Wreath, The [Orange]
  • Envious Neighbour, The [Violet]
  • Esben and the Witch [Pink]
  • Escape of the Mouse, The [Lilac]
  • Fairer-than-a-Fairy [Yellow]
  • Fairy Gifts [Green]
  • Fairy Nurse, The [Lilac]
  • Fairy of the Dawn, The [Violet]
  • Fairy's Blunder, A [Grey]
  • False Prince and the True, The [Lilac]
  • Farmer Weatherbeard [Red]
  • Fate of the Turtle, The [Olive]
  • Father Grumbler [Brown]
  • Felicia And The Pot Of Pinks [Blue]
  • Finest Liar in the World, The [Violet]
  • Fir-Tree, The [Pink]
  • Fish Story, A [Lilac]
  • Five Wise Words of the Guru, The [Olive]
  • Flower Queen's Daughter, The [Yellow]
  • Flying Ship, The [Yellow]
  • Flying Trunk, The [Pink]
  • Foolish Weaver, The [Orange]
  • Fortunatus and his Purse [Grey]
  • Fortune and the Wood-Cutter [Brown]
  • Forty Thieves, The [Blue] Cf. Ali Baba
  • Four Gifts, The [Lilac]
  • Fox and the Lapp, The [Brown]
  • Fox and the Wolf, The [Orange]
  • French Puck, A [Lilac]
  • Frog, The [Violet]
  • Frog and the Lion Fairy, The [Orange]
  • Geirlug The King's Daughter [Olive]
  • Giants and the Herd-boy, The [Yellow]
  • Gifts of the Magician, The [Crimson]
  • Girl Fish, The [Orange]
  • Girl who pretended to be a Boy, The [Violet]
  • Glass Axe, The [Yellow]
  • Glass Mountain, The [Yellow]
  • Goat-faced Girl, The [Grey]
  • Goat's Ears of the Emperor Trojan, The [Violet]
  • Goblin and the Grocer, The [Pink]
  • Goblin Pony, The [Grey]
  • Gold-bearded Man, The [Crimson]
  • Golden Blackbird, The [Green]
  • Golden Branch, The [Red]
  • Golden Crab, The [Yellow]
  • Golden Goose, The [Red]
  • Golden-Headed Fish, The [Olive]
  • Golden Lads, The [Green]
  • Golden Lion, The [Pink]
  • Golden Mermaid, The [Green]
  • [Goldilocks — see Story Of Pretty Goldilocks, The] [Blue]
  • Goldsmith's Fortune, The [Orange]
  • Goose-Girl, The [Blue]
  • Graciosa and Percinet [Red]
  • Grasp All, Lose All [Olive]
  • Grateful Beasts, The [Yellow]
  • Grateful Prince, The [Violet]
  • Green Knight, The [Olive]
  • Groac'h of the Isle of Lok, The [Lilac]
  • Habogi [Brown]
  • Hairy Man, The [Crimson]
  • Half-Chick, The [Green]
  • Hansel And Grettel [Blue]
  • Hans, the Mermaid's Son [Pink]
  • Hazel-nut Child, The [Yellow]
  • Headless Dwarfs, The [Violet]
  • Heart of a Monkey, The [Lilac]
  • Heart of Ice [Green]
  • Hermod and Hadvor [Yellow]
  • Herr Lazarus and the Draken [Grey]
  • He Wins Who Waits [Olive]
  • History of Dwarf Long Nose, The [Violet]
  • History Of Jack The Giant-Killer, The [Blue]
  • History Of Whittington, The [Blue]
  • Hoodie-Crow, The [Lilac]
  • Horse Gullfaxi and the Sword Gunnfoder, The [Crimson]
  • House in the Wood, The [Pink]
  • How a Fish swam in the Air and a Hare in the Water [Violet]
  • How Ball-Carrier finished his Task [Brown]
  • How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves [Lilac]
  • How Geirald the Coward was Punished [Brown]
  • How Ian Direach got the Blue Falcon [Orange]
  • How Isuro the Rabbit tricked Gudu [Orange]
  • How Six Men travelled through the Wide World [Yellow]
  • How Some Wild Animals became Tame Ones [Brown]
  • How the Beggar Boy turned into Count Piro [Crimson]
  • How the Dragon was Tricked [Pink]
  • How the Hermit helped to win the King's Daughter [Pink]
  • How the Little Brother set Free his Big Brothers [Brown]
  • How the Stalos were Tricked [Orange]
  • How the wicked Tanuki was punished [Crimson]
  • How to find out a True Friend [Crimson]
  • How to tell a True Princess [Yellow]
  • Husband of the Rat's Daughter, The [Brown]
  • Ian, the Soldier's Son [Orange]
  • I know what I have learned [Pink]
  • Impossible Enchantment, An [Grey]
  • In the Land of Souls [Yellow]
  • Invisible Prince, The [Yellow]
  • Iron Stove, The [Yellow]
  • Jackal and the Spring The Bear, The [Grey]
  • Jackal or Tiger? [Olive]
  • Jackal, the Dove, and the Panther, The [Pink]
  • Jack and the Beanstalk [Red]
  • Jack my Hedgehog [Green]
  • [Jack The Giant-Killer — see History Of Jack The Giant-Killer] [Blue]
  • Janni and the Draken [Grey]
  • Jesper who herded the Hares [Violet]
  • Jogi's Punishment, The [Lilac]
  • Jorinde and Joringel [Green]
  • Kari Woodengown [Red]
  • King Kojata [Green]
  • King Lindorm [Pink]
  • King who would have a Beautiful Wife, The [Pink]
  • Kisa the Cat [Brown]
  • Knights of the Fish, The [Brown]
  • Kupti and Imani [Olive]
  • Lady of the Fountain, The [Lilac]
  • Language of Beasts, The [Crimson]
  • Laughing Eye and Weeping Eye, or the Limping Fox [Grey]
  • Lion and the Cat, The [Brown]
  • Little Good Mouse, The [Red]
  • Little Gray Man, The [Grey]
  • Little Green Frog, The [Yellow]
  • Little Hare, The [Pink]
  • Little Lasse [Lilac]
  • Little One-eye, Little Two-eyes, and Little Three-eyes [Green]
  • Little Red Riding-Hood [Blue]
  • Little Soldier, The [Green]
  • Little Thumb [Blue]
  • Little Wildrose [Crimson]
  • Long-Bow Story, A [Olive]
  • Long, Broad, and Quickeye [Grey]
  • Lost Paradise, A [Lilac]
  • Lovely Ilonka [Crimson]
  • Lucky Luck [Crimson]
  • Lute Player, The [Violet]
  • Madschun [Olive]
  • Magic Book, The [Orange]
  • Magician's Horse, The [Grey]
  • Magic Kettle, The [Crimson]
  • Magic Mirror, The [Orange]
  • Magic Ring, The [Yellow]
  • Magic Swan, The [Green]
  • Maiden Bright-eye [Pink]
  • Maiden with the Wooden Helmet, The [Violet]
  • Man without a Heart, The [Pink]
  • Marvellous Musician, The [Red]
  • Master and Pupil [Pink]
  • Master Cat; Or, Puss In Boots, The [Blue]
  • Master-Maid, The [Blue]
  • Master Thief, The [Red]
  • Mermaid and the Boy, The [Brown]
  • Merry Wives, The [Pink]
  • Mink and the Wolf, The [Orange]
  • Minnikin [Red]
  • Mogarzea and his Son [Violet]
  • Mohammed with the Magic Finger [Grey]
  • Monkey and the Jelly-fish, The [Violet]
  • Mother Holle [Red]
  • 'Moti' [Lilac]
  • Motikatika [Crimson]
  • Nettle Spinner, The [Red]
  • Niels and the Giants [Crimson]
  • Nightingale, The [Yellow]
  • Nine Pea-hens and the Golden Apples, The [Violet]
  • Nixy, The [Yellow]
  • Norka, The [Red]
  • Nunda, Eater of People, The [Violet]
  • Ogre, The [Grey]
  • One-Handed Girl, The [Lilac]
  • Owl and the Eagle, The [Orange]
  • Paperarello [Crimson]
  • Partnership of the Thief and the Liar, The [Grey]
  • Peter Bull [Pink]
  • Pinkel the Thief [Orange]
  • Pivi and Kabo [Brown]
  • Prince and the Dragon, The [Crimson]
  • Prince and the Princess in the Forest, The [Olive]
  • Prince and the Three Fates, The [Brown]
  • Prince Darling [Blue]
  • Prince Hyacinth And The Dear Little Princess [Blue]
  • Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine [Green]
  • Prince Fickle and Fair Helena [Green]
  • Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla [Green]
  • Princess On The Glass Hill, The [Blue]
  • Prince Ring [Yellow]
  • Princess Bella-Flor, The [Orange]
  • Princess in the Chest, The [Pink]
  • Princess Mayblossom, The [Red]
  • Princess Minon-Minette [Pink]
  • Princess Rosette [Red]
  • Princess who was hidden Underground, The [Violet]
  • Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida [Green]
  • Prince who wanted to see the World, The [Violet]
  • Prince who would seek Immortality, The [Crimson]
  • Prunella [Grey]
  • Puddocky [Green]
  • Punishment of the Fairy Gangana, The [Olive]
  • [Puss in Boots — see The Master Cat] [Blue]
  • Rapunzel [Red]
  • Raspberry Worm, The [Lilac]
  • Ratcatcher, The [Red]
  • Red Etin, The [Blue]
  • Rich Brother and the Poor Brother, The [Lilac]
  • Riddle, The [Green]
  • Ring of the Waterfalls, The [Lilac]
  • Rogue and the Herdsman, The [Crimson]
  • Rosanella [Green]
  • Rover of the Plain, The [Orange]
  • Rubezahl [Brown]
  • Rumpelstiltzkin [Blue]
  • Sacred Milk of Koumongoe, The [Brown]
  • Samba the Coward [Olive]
  • Satin Surgeon, The [Olive]
  • Schippeitaro [Violet]
  • Sea Ring's Gift, The [Lilac]
  • Seven Foals, The [Red]
  • Seven-headed Serpent, The [Yellow]
  • Shepherd Paul [Crimson]
  • Shifty Lad, The [Lilac]
  • Shirt-Collar, The [Pink]
  • Silent Princess, The [Olive]
  • Simpleton, The [Grey]
  • Sister of the Sun, The [Brown]
  • Six Hungry Beasts, The [Crimson]
  • Six Sillies, The [Red]
  • Six Swans, The [Yellow]
  • Slaying of the Tanuki, The [Pink]
  • Sleeping Beauty In The Wood, The [Blue]
  • Snake Prince, The [Olive]
  • Snow-daughter and the Fire-son, The [Yellow]
  • Snowdrop [Red]
  • Snowflake [Pink]
  • Snow Man, The [Pink]
  • Snow-queen, The [Pink]
  • Snow-White And Rose-Red [Blue]
  • Snuff-box, The [Green]
  • Soria Moria Castle [Red]
  • Sparrow with the Slit Tongue, The [Pink]
  • Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle [Green]
  • Sprig of Rosemary, The [Pink]
  • Stan Bolovan [Violet]
  • Steadfast Tin-soldier, The [Yellow]
  • Steel Cane, The [Olive]
  • Stone-cutter, The [Crimson]
  • Stones of Plouhinec, The [Lilac]
  • Story about a Darning-needle, A [Yellow]
  • Story of a Clever Tailor, The [Green]
  • Story of a Gazelle, The [Violet]
  • Story of a Very Bad Boy, The [Lilac]
  • Story of Bensurdatu, The [Grey]
  • Story of Big Klaus and Little Klaus, The [Yellow]
  • Story of Caliph Stork, The [Green]
  • Story of Ciccu, The [Pink]
  • Story of Dschemil and Dachemila, The [Grey]
  • Story of Halfman, The [Violet]
  • Story of Hassebu, The [Violet]
  • Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarfs, The [Green]
  • Story of King Frost, The [Yellow]
  • Story of Little King Loc, The [Olive]
  • Story of Manus, The [Orange]
  • Story Of Pretty Goldilocks, The [Blue]
  • Story Of Prince Ahmed And The Fairy Paribanou, The [Blue]
  • Story of Sigurd, The [Red]
  • Story of the Emperor's New Clothes [Yellow]
  • Story of the Fair Circassians, The [Grey]
  • Story of the Fisherman and his Wife, The [Green]
  • Story of the Hero Makoma, The [Orange]
  • Story of the King who would be Stronger then Fate [Brown]
  • Story of the King who would see Paradise [Orange]
  • Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles, The [Grey]
  • Story of the Seven Simons, The [Crimson]
  • Story of the Sham Prince, or the Ambitious Tailor, The [Crimson]
  • Story of the Three Bears, The [Green]
  • Story of the Three Sons of Hali, The [Grey]
  • Story of the Yara, The [Brown]
  • Story of three Wonderful Beggars, The [Violet]
  • Story of Wali Dad the Simple-hearted [Brown]
  • Story of Zoulvisia, The [Olive]
  • Strange Adventures of Little Maia, The [Olive]
  • Street Musicians, The [Grey]
  • Strong Prince, The [Crimson]
  • Sunchild The Daughter of Buk Ettemsuch, The [Grey]
  • Swineherd, The [Yellow]
  • Sylvain and Jocosa [Green]
  • Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey [Brown]
  • Tale Of A Youth Who Set Out To Learn What Fear Was, The [Blue]
  • Tale of the Tontlawald , A [Violet]
  • Terrible Head, The [Blue]
  • Thanksgiving of the Wazir, The [Olive]
  • [Three bears — see Story of the Three Bears] [Green]
  • Three Brothers, The [Pink]
  • Three Brothers, The [Yellow]
  • Three Crowns, The [Lilac]
  • Three Dogs, The [Green]
  • Three Dwarfs, The [Red]
  • Three Little Pigs, The [Green]
  • Three Musicians, The [Green]
  • Three Princes and their Beasts, The [Violet]
  • Three Princesses of Whiteland, The [Red]
  • Three Robes, The [Crimson]
  • Three Snake-leaves, The [Green]
  • Three Treasures of the Giants, The [Orange]
  • Thumbelina [Yellow]
  • Tiidu the Piper [Crimson]
  • Tinder-box, The [Yellow]
  • Toads And Diamonds [See Perrault — Diamonds and Toads] [Blue]
  • [Tom Thumb — see Little Thumb] [Blue]
  • To your Good Health! [Crimson]
  • Treasure Seeker, The [Crimson]
  • Tritill, Litill, and the Birds [Crimson]
  • Troll's Daughter, The [Pink]
  • True History of Little Goldenhood, The [Red]
  • Trusty John [Blue]
  • Turtle and his Bride, The [Brown]
  • Twelve Brothers, The [Red]
  • Twelve Dancing Princesses, The [Red]
  • Twelve Huntsmen, The [Green]
  • Twin Brothers, The [Grey]
  • Two Brothers, The [Pink]
  • Two Caskets, The [Orange]
  • Two Frogs, The [Violet]
  • Two in a Sack [Violet]
  • Udea and her Seven Brothers [Grey]
  • Ugly Duckling (Andersen), The [Orange]
  • Underground Workers, The [Violet]
  • Unlooked for Prince, The [Grey]
  • Uraschimataro and the Turtle [Pink]
  • Virgililus the Sorcerer [Violet]
  • Voice of Death, The [Red]
  • Voyage To Lilliput, A [Blue]
  • War of the Wolf and the Fox, The [Green]
  • Water-Lily. The Gold-Spinners, The [Blue]
  • Water of Life, The [Pink]
  • What came of picking Flowers [Grey]
  • What the Rose did to the Cypress [Brown]
  • Which was the Foolishest? [Brown]
  • White Cat, The [Blue]
  • White Doe, The [Orange]
  • White Dove, The [Pink]
  • White Duck, The [Yellow]
  • White Slipper, The [Orange]
  • White Snake, The [Green]
  • White Wolf, The [Grey]
  • Why The Sea Is Salt [Blue]
  • Wicked Wolverine, The [Brown]
  • Winning of Olwen, The [Lilac]
  • Witch, The [Yellow]
  • Witch and her Servants, The [Yellow]
  • Witch in the Stone Boat, The [Yellow]
  • Wizard King, The [Yellow]
  • Wonderful Birch, The [Red]
  • Wonderful Sheep, The [Blue]
  • Wonderful Tune, The [Lilac]
  • Wounded Lion, The [Pink]
  • Yellow Dwarf, The [Blue]
  • Young Man who would have his Eyes opened, The [Violet]