
THE FAIRY MYTHOLOGY, - ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE - Romance and Superstition of Various Countries; - BY - THOMAS KEIGHTLEY,
A NEW EDITION, REVISED AND GREATLY ENLARGED - LONDON: GEORGE BELL & SONS, YORK ST., COVENT GARDEN, AND NEW YORK. 1892.
LONDON: REPRINTED FROM STEREOTYPE PLATES BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED. STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE - FRANCIS EARL OF ELLESMERE, - IN TESTIMONY OF ESTEEM AND RESPECT FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VIRTUE, LITERARY TASTE, TALENT, AND ACQUIREMENTS, AND PATRONAGE OF LITERATURE AND THE ARTS. - This Volume is Inscribed - BY - THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
THE FAIRY MYTHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION.
ORIGIN OF THE BELIEF IN FAIRIES.
ORIGIN OF THE WORD FAIRY.
ORIENTAL ROMANCE.
This volume gathers a wide range of fairy legends and folk stories from across Europe, the Middle East, and even distant Asia. The author weaves together narratives such as enchanted horses, singing apples, and brave tailors, while also noting the striking similarities in names, customs, and motifs that appear in distant cultures. An introductory essay sets out the theory that many of these tales arise from shared human imagination rather than isolated invention.
Readers discover familiar figures—from the clever Irish hero to the Persian ghoul—presented alongside scholarly notes that explain their origins and cross‑cultural connections. The collection is organized into thematic sections, allowing a leisurely stroll through enchanted waters, heroic quests, and humorous foolishness. Though the author admits a humble beginning and the challenges of a literary life, the work invites anyone with a love of myth to explore the enduring allure of the fairy world.
Full title
The Fairy Mythology Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries
Language
en
Duration
~19 hours (1118K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Douglas L. Alley, III, Delphine Lettau and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2012-10-09
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1789–1872
Best known for exploring the strange, story-rich world of fairies and folklore, this Irish writer helped bring old legends into print for new readers. He also wrote widely used history books, showing the same curiosity for both myth and the past.
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