At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th, attitudes toward history and national identity
fostered a 'romantic' rediscovery of folk and fairy tales. This is the period of the Golden Age of folk and fairy
tales, when European folklorists sought to understand and redefine the present through the common tales of the
past, and long neglected stories became recognized as cultural treasures.In this rich collection, distinguished expert of fairy tales, Jack Zipes, continues his lifelong exploration of the story-telling tradition with a focus on the Golden Age. Included are one hundred eighty-five tales-many available in English for the first time-grouped into eighteen tale types.