A Book of Mermaids
Encyclopedia
A Book of Mermaids is a 1968 anthology of 16 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders
. It is one in a long and notable series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders, who was perhaps the pre-eminent collector of fairy tales in the latter half of the 20th century.
This book was first published in the United Kingdom
in 1967, by Methuen & Co. Ltd.
Some of tales from this book are recollected in A Choice of Magic
(1971) by Manning-Sanders. And some of tales from this book are recollected in Folk and Fairy Tales
(1978) by Manning-Sanders.
In the foreword, the author writes: "[I]t may surprise you to learn that though many mermaids have tails and no legs, some have legs and no tail, and some have both legs and tails. ... However, there do seem to be more mermaids with tails than without them, and there are plenty of tailed mermaids (and mermen) swimming about in these stories, which, as we should expect, come mostly from countries with a long seaboard."
Of the character of mermaids, Manning-Sanders adds: "And what are they like, these mermen and mermaids, not in looks but in character? On the whole, they are unchancy creatures, particularly the mermaids. You can't trust a mermaid even as far as you can see her."
Ruth Manning-Sanders
Ruth Manning-Sanders was a prolific British poet and author who was perhaps best known for her series of children's books in which she collected and retold fairy tales from all over the world. All told, she published more than 90 books during her lifetime. The dust jacket for A Book of Giants...
. It is one in a long and notable series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders, who was perhaps the pre-eminent collector of fairy tales in the latter half of the 20th century.
This book was first published in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1967, by Methuen & Co. Ltd.
Methuen & Co. Ltd.
Methuen Publishing Ltd is a British publishing house. It was founded in 1889 by Sir Algernon Methuen and began publishing in London in 1892. E. V...
Some of tales from this book are recollected in A Choice of Magic
A Choice of Magic
A Choice of Magic is a 1971 anthology of 32 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. In fact, the book is mostly a collection of tales published in previous Manning-Sanders anthologies...
(1971) by Manning-Sanders. And some of tales from this book are recollected in Folk and Fairy Tales
Folk and Fairy Tales
Folk and Fairy Tales is a 1978 anthology of 25 fairy tales from around the world that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. In fact, the book is mostly a collection of tales published in previous Manning-Sanders anthologies...
(1978) by Manning-Sanders.
In the foreword, the author writes: "[I]t may surprise you to learn that though many mermaids have tails and no legs, some have legs and no tail, and some have both legs and tails. ... However, there do seem to be more mermaids with tails than without them, and there are plenty of tailed mermaids (and mermen) swimming about in these stories, which, as we should expect, come mostly from countries with a long seaboard."
Of the character of mermaids, Manning-Sanders adds: "And what are they like, these mermen and mermaids, not in looks but in character? On the whole, they are unchancy creatures, particularly the mermaids. You can't trust a mermaid even as far as you can see her."
Table of contents
Foreword- 1. Sven and Lilli (DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) - 2. The Lost Prince (IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
) - 3. The Three Mermaids (ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) - 4. Rake Up! (DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) - 5. The Kingdom of Ocean (IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) - 6. Margrette (BretonBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
) - 7. Long John and the Mermaid (AmericaUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - 8. The Magical TuneThe Wonderful TuneThe Wonderful Tune is an Irish fairy tale collected in Fairy Tales and Traditions of the South of Ireland. Andrew Lang included it in The Lilac Fairy Book.Ruth Manning-Sanders included it, as "The Magical Tune", in A Book of Mermaids.-Synopsis:...
(IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) - 9. The Comb, the Flute and the Spinning Wheel (the north of GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) - 10. The Magic Lake (IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) - 11. The Untidy Mermaid (ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) - 12. The Groach of the Isle of LokThe Groac'h of the Isle of LokThe Groac'h of the Isle of Lok is a Breton fairy tale collected by Émile Souvestre in Le Foyer Breton. Andrew Lang included it in The Lilac Fairy Book.Ruth Manning-Sanders included it in A Book of Mermaids.-Synopsis:...
(BretonBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
) - 13. The Geese and the Golden Chain (PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
) - 14. Merman Rosmer (ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) - 15. The Lake Maiden (WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) - 16. The Four Abdallahs (Arabia)
See also
- MermaidMermaidA mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
- Legendary creatureLegendary creatureA legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature.-Origin:Some mythical creatures have their origin in traditional mythology and have been believed to be real creatures, for example the dragon, the unicorn, and griffin...
- CryptozoologyCryptozoologyCryptozoology refers to the search for animals whose existence has not been proven...
- List of Manning-Sanders tales by region