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Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books — also known as Andrew Lang’s “Coloured” Fairy Books or Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books of Many Colors — are a series of twelve collections of fairy tales, published between 1889 and 1910. Each volume is distinguished by its own color. In all, 437 tales from a broad range of cultures and countries are presented.
Once there lived a farmer who had three daughters, and good useful girls they were, up with the sun, and doing all the work of the house. One morning they all ran down to the river to wash their clothes, when a hoodie came round and sat on a tree close by.
‘Wilt thou wed me, thou farmer’s daughter?’ he said to the eldest.
Once there was a man who shunned the world, and lived in the wilderness. He owned nothing but a flock of sheep, whose milk and wool he sold, and so procured himself bread to eat; he also carried wooden spoons, and sold them. He had a wife and one little girl, and after a long time his wife had another child. The evening it was born the man went to the nearest village to fetch a nurse, and on the way he met a monk who begged him for a night’s lodging.
Manawyddan the prince and his friend Pryderi were wanderers, for the brother of Manawyddan had been slain, and his throne taken from him. Very sorrowful was Manawyddan, but Pryderi was stout of heart, and bade him be of good cheer, as he knew a way out of his trouble.
‘And what may that be?’ asked Manawyddan.
There was once a man whose name was Dschemil, and he had a cousin who was called Dschemila. They had been betrothed by their parents when they were children, and now Dschemil thought that the time had come for them to be married, and he went two or three days’ journey, to the nearest big town, to buy furniture for the new house.
Once upon a time there lived in Turkey a pasha who had only one son,
and so dearly did he love this boy that he let him spend the whole day
amusing himself, instead of learning how to be useful like his
friends.
Once upon a time the king of a far country was sitting on his throne,
listening to the complaints of his people, and judging between them.
That morning there had been fewer cases than usual to deal with, and
the king was about to rise and go into his gardens, when a sudden stir
was heard outside, and the lord high chamberlain entered, and inquired
if his majesty would be graciously pleased to receive the ambassador
of a powerful emperor who lived in the east, and was greatly feared by
the neighbouring sovereigns.