Sixteen-year-old Mary Makebelieve shares a small room with her mother, a charwoman, in the tenements of early twentieth-century Dublin. While Mrs. Makebelieve is at work cleaning the houses of the wealthy, Mary wanders around the city and its parks absorbed in daydreams. Her encounter with a policeman who appears to signal romantic interest in her is the beginning of Mary's coming-of-age story, which combines elements of folk- or fairytale with a complex vision of human psychology and the ...

Irish Fairy Tales is a retelling of ten Irish folktales by the Irish author James Stephens. The English illustrator Arthur Rackham provided interior artwork, including numerous black and white illustrations and sixteen color plates. The stories are set in a wooded, Medieval Ireland filled with larger-than-life hunters, warriors, kings, and fairies. Many stories concern the Fianna and their captain, Fionn mac Uail, from the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology.

Once on a time Conachúr mac Nessa was on a journey, and had to pass the night at the house of Felimid mac Dall, his storyteller. He was annoyed because his wife, Maeve, had not come with him, but Maeve had the knack of annoying him more than any one else was able to; so that when he thought of her his mind went intriguing and adventuring, for he was always trying to get the better of her, and was seldom without the feeling that she was getting or had just got the best of him. For this reas...

The story is about a man named Fergus Fionnliath who dislikes dogs, and Fionn, the son of Uail, who is fond of them. Fionn's mother, Muirne, and aunt, Tuiren, visit him and his companions, the Fianna. Tuiren falls in love with an Ulster gentleman, Iollan Eachtach and they get married, but Iollan has a past with a lady of the Shi’ named Uct Dealv, with whom he was sweetheart for years.

The story of a young girl raised in isolation in preparation to marry the King of Ulster sounds at first a little outdated.That is until you call it what it is - an arranged marriage and child abuse.These are themes that continue to exist and they give 'Deirdre' a resonance in the 21st century.The girl at the heart of the story eventually falls in love with a young man and they run away to Scotland - cue much relief.There is a nasty twist in the tale, howeve...

Irish Fairy Tales is a retelling of ten Irish folktales by the Irish author James Stephens. The stories are set in a wooded, Medieval Ireland filled with larger-than-life hunters, warriors, kings, and fairies. Many stories concern the Fianna and their captain, Fionn mac Uail, from the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology.|Wikipedia|StoriesThe Story of Tuan mac CairillThe Boyhood of FionnThe Birth of BranOisín's MotherThe Wooing of BecfolaT...

Immerse yourself in a world of fairy queens and Celtic warriors in this remarkable collection of Irish folk tales.Set in Medieval Ireland, this collection of 10 stories were gathered in the late 19th and early 20th century by writer James Shepherd, described by James Joyce as 'my rival, the latest Irish genius'. The lyricism and humour within these retellings are unequalled and provide wonderful insight into the culture and traditions of Ireland. Drawn from the Fen...

In "The Charwoman's Daughter," James Stephens weaves a poignant narrative that delves into the struggles and aspirations of a young girl in Dublin's working-class milieu. Through vivid imagery and lyrical prose, the story captures the complexities of familial relationships, particularly the bond between the protagonist and her mother, a charwoman. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Ireland, the novel explores themes of sacrifice, ambition, and the search for identity, all while...

The story revolves around two central characters: a philosopher named Demi-God and a leprechaun named the King of the Leprechauns. Demi-God seeks to discover the "crock of gold," a metaphorical representation of ultimate happiness and fulfillment. The King of the Leprechauns, on the other hand, is determined to protect the crock of gold from humans who might misuse its power.Throughout the novel, Demi-God encounters various fantastical beings and goes on a series of adventures that challen...

The Extra Things added to the BookAdded details biography of AuthorAdded Index to get a quick view and interfaceIn The Demi-Gods, a group of ancient heroes in the form of winged angels shows up one night in the camp of the wandering Mac Canns (Patsy, his daughter Mary and their downtrodden donkey). Together the little group wanders around rural Ireland: telling stories, creating mischief, and running into some familiar yet often unwelcome faces.

James Stephens's 1912 fable "The Crock of Gold" has an odd place in the firmament of Irish literary modernism."The Crock of Gold" is truly unique, a mixture of philosophy, Irish folklore and the battle of the sexes all with charm, humour and good grace.The novel is divided into six short books containing two central plot lines. All rotate around the astonishing story of what happens when Pan shows up in Ireland, what Angus Og does about it, and what becomes of the Daughter of...

Take a trip through the rich folklore of Ireland in this enchanting volume from author James Stephens. Fairy kings, femmes fatales, bewitched animals, epic feuds—these action-packed stories traverse a broad spectrum of themes and settings. Folklore fans and readers interested in Gaelic and Celtic culture will appreciate this collection.