The Orange Fairy Book

What It's About

This is a collection of 33 fairy tales, part of Andrew Lang's "Fairy Books" series (1889–1910). Unlike the earlier volumes, which drew heavily on European sources, this book ranges further afield, gathering stories from the oral traditions of Rhodesia and Uganda, the Punjab, and Jutland, alongside a few reworked European tales such as Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling" and Madame d'Aulnoy's "The White Doe." The stories feature heroes facing giants and monsters, magical transformations, and clever escapes from danger.

Key Concepts

Recurring themes include courage in the face of overwhelming odds, cunning outwitting brute strength, and the testing of young heroes and heroines through trials and magical helpers. The collection is notable for placing African and Asian folk heroes alongside familiar European fairy-tale figures, presenting them as equally valid tellings of universal story patterns.

About the Author

Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and folklorist, best known for compiling the "Fairy Books." Much of the collecting, translating, and retelling work for these volumes was carried out by his wife, Leonora Blanche Lang, and various collaborators, though the books were published under Lang's name alone.