Fairy Tales of Modern Greece

Fairy Tales of Modern Greece is a book by Theodore P. Gianakoulis and Georgia H. MacPherson, first published in 1930. This compact anthology gathers a dozen or so traditional Greek fairy tales retold for English-language readers, drawing on regional folklore, oral storytelling and the everyday magic of rural Greece.

The tales mix elemental landscapes, household spirits and tragic or wistful encounters between mortals and the fairy-kind, and are presented with an eye toward preserving voice and atmosphere rather than modernising plotlines. Readers seeking collections of Greek fairy tales or modern Greek folklore will find the book a neat introduction to island and mainland folk motifs: enchanted brides and exiled fairy-maidens, cunning peasants, and the peculiar moral logic of folk belief.

The retellings balance charm with a slightly melancholic tone common to many Mediterranean folktales, and make a useful addition to any catalogue of fairy tales, folk narratives, or comparative mythology — especially for readers looking for classic Greek folk tales, traditional fairy stories, and mythic short fiction with historical flavour.