The Tales of Mother Goose

As first collected by Charles Perrault in 1696, this edition is presented with a translation by Charles Welsh and an Introduction by M.V. O’Shea. Perrault (1628 – 1703) was among the first writers to bring magical children’s stories into the literary mainstream, proving to his original seventeenth-century readers (and those in the present day!) that such works were important, enjoyable, as well as thought-provoking.

The stories in this edition of ‘Tales of Mother Goose’ encompass favorites such as ‘Blue Beard’, ‘Little Red Riding-Hood’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Puss in Boots’, and ‘Cinderella’ as well as other, less well-known tales such as ‘Riquet of the Tuft’, ‘Little Thumb’, and ‘The Fairy’.

The text is accompanied by the wonderful black-and-white illustrations of D. J. Munro; inspired by – and in the style of, the great artist Gustave Doré (1832 – 1883). Doré worked primarily with wood engraving, though also with watercolours, landscapes, and historical works.

Presented alongside the text, Munro’s images further refine and enhance Perrault’s legendary storytelling. This is a book to be enjoyed and appreciated by both young and old alike.