The tradition of English folklore tales is slowly fading away. The modern world and the challenges of survival are leading people to abandon their old beliefs and stories, with England being one of the places where this shift is happening the quickest. As these tales are being forgotten, the poetic essence of life is being lost. The editor of this volume has attempted to gather some of the finest examples of English Folklore. In particular, the nursery tales have been carefully chosen from the earliest versions available and with the aim to preserve their original form as much as possible. However, some modifications have been necessary in order to make the tales accessible to a contemporary audience.

Volumes for 1898-1968 include a directory of publishers.