***AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR*** Illustrated by John D. Batten. Stories selected by Jennifer Chandler, The Folklore Society. The captivating Irish stories collected in this new edition include both comic tales such as 'Paddy O'Kelly and the Weasel', and tales of heroes from ancient literature such as 'How Cormac Mac Art went to Faery'. By turns funny, fantastical and mysterious, the stories are matched in liveliness by the original illustrations of John D. Batten. It would be hard to find a better introduction for children to the special magic of Celtic storytelling.The stories in this book are taken from Joseph Jacob's classic two-volume collection n'Celtic Fairy Tales' (1891-2) and' More Celtic Fairy Tales' (1894) Fairy Tales include: Connla and the Fairy Maiden Guleesh The Field of Boliauns The Horned Women Hudden and Dudden and Donald O'Neary The Story of Deirdre Munachar and Manachar King O'Toole and his Goose Jack and his Comrades The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire Jack and his Master Andrew Coffey AUTHOR Joseph Jacobs (1854 -1916) was born in Sydney, Australia, sixth surviving son of John Jacobs, a publican who had emigrated from London c.1837, and his wife Sara. Jacobs was educated at Sydney Grammar School and at the University of Sydney, where he won a scholarship for classics, mathematics and chemistry. He did not complete his studies in Sydney, but left for England at the age of 18 and entered St John's College, Cambridge.