Elsie Spicer Eells

Born in West Winfield, New York, Elsie Spicer Eells became known as an American folklorist and writer with a special interest in Iberian and Latin American traditions. She lived in Brazil for several years after marrying Burr Gould Eells, whose work there helped shape her lasting interest in local storytelling.

She later traveled widely in the 1920s and 1930s as a researcher for The Hispanic Society of America in New York. Out of those travels came books such as Fairy Tales from Brazil (1917), Tales of Giants from Brazil (1918), The Islands of Magic: Legends, Folk and Fairy Tales from the Azores (1922), The Magic Tooth and Other Tales From the Amazon (1927), South America's Story (1931), and Tales of Enchantment from Spain (1950).

Alongside her books, she also wrote for New York magazines including The Outlook and The Delineator. Her writing is still remembered for bringing traditional tales from several cultures to English-speaking readers in a warm, accessible way.