Fairy Circles, Tales and Legends of Giants, Dwarfs, Fairies, Water-Sprites, and Hobgoblins is a collection of ten German fairy tales including: BARBAROSSA'S YOUTHFUL DREAM, KING LAURIN, THE DWARF OF VENICE, RHINE GOLD: A TALE OF THE NIBELUNGEN, THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE DWARFS, THE FLOWER OF ICELAND, THE SEA-FAIRY, THE FAITHFUL GOBLIN, THE FALLEN BELL, THE LAST HOME OF THE GIANTS.

ÊMORE than a thousand years have rolled away since a castle looked down cheerfully from a height amid the Franconian plains into the well-watered Kinzig Valley, with its pleasant villages and towns. It belonged to the powerful Swabian duke Frederick of Hohenstaufen, whose young and valiant son loved this the best of all his father's proud castles, and often left his uncle's splendid palace to hunt in its forests, or to look down from its lofty oriel window on the blooming plain below. His father and uncle indeed missed him sadly. His clear blue eye, and the cheerful expression of his noble countenance, seemed to the two grave and war-weary men so gladdening to look upon, that they were always unwilling to let him leave them. But the young Frederick used to beg them so earnestly to grant him the freedom of the forest for just this once, that father and uncle smilingly granted him permission, though "this once" was often repeated. So it happened the autumn of that year when Bernard of Clairvaux passed through Germany, calling prince and people in words of burning eloquence to aid in the deliverance of the Holy Sepulchre. "Just this once!" said young Frederick again; and King Conrad and Duke Frederick granted him permission. As he bent in courteous farewell to take his uncle's hand, the king whispered, "Be ready, my Frederick, to return as soon as my messenger calls thee. Great things are before us, and I can ill spare thy strong right arm!" And young Frederick smiled his own cheery smile, and answered, "I come when my king and lord calls!"Ê

Herein you will find 10 European illustrated fairy tales and legends of giants, dwarfs, fairies, water-sprites and hobgoblins translated from the German of Villamaria. The stories in this volume are: Barbarossa's Youthful Dream. King Laurin The Dwarf Of Venice Rhine Gold The Friendship Of The Dwarfs The Flower Of Iceland The Sea-Fairy The Faithful Goblin The Fallen Bell; and The Last Home Of The Giants These tales come from a time when Europe had begun to awaken and kings, knights and men were starting to feel their way and construct a society which had honesty, honour, integrity and loyalty at its core. This was a time when men were knighted for good reason and shaking a man’s hand in agreement carried all of these qualities without them having to be mentioned. The 10 full page pen and ink drawings, accompanied by a further 16 pen and ink vignettes, bring added depth and meaning to these most ancient of stories. Once you have read these stories to your children, we invite you to print these off and give them to your children to colour in. ============ KEYWORDS: Fairy Circles, translation, fairy tales, folklore, myths, legends, children’s stories, childrens, bygone era, fairydom, fairy land, classic stories, children’s bedtime stories, fables, giants, dwarf, dwarves, water-sprite, hobgoblin, imps, elves, trolls, Barbarossa, Youthful Dream, King Laurin, Dwarf Of Venice, Rhine Gold, Friendship, Flower Of Iceland, Sea-Fairy, sea, Faithful Goblin, Fallen Bell, Last, Home Of The Giants, European, Europe, Germany, German,

Reproduction of the original.