Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | M | Marvels & Tales

The Celtic Breeze: Stories of the Otherworld from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. (Reviews).(The Celtic Breeze: Stories of the Otherworld from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales)(The Eagle on the Cactus: Traditional Stories from Mexico)(Jasmine and Coconuts: South Indian Tales)(The Magic Egg and Other Tales from Ukraine)(Thai Tales: Folktales of Thailand. Retold by Supaporn Vathanaprida)(A Tiger by the Tail and Other Stories from the Heart of Korea)(When Night Falls, Kric! Krac! Haitian Folktales)(Book Review)-

Article Excerpt
The Celtic Breeze: Stories of the Otherworld from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. By Heather McNeil. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2001. xxxiii + 214 pp.

The Eagle on the Cactus: Traditional Stories from Mexico. Retold by Angel Vigil. Translated by Francisco Miraval. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2000. xlvii + 223 pp.

Jasmine and Coconuts: South Indian Tales. By Cathy Spagnoli and Paramasivam Samanna. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999. xvi + 172 pp.

The Magic Egg and Other Tales from Ukraine. Retold by Barbara J. Suwyn. Edited by Natalie O. Kononenko. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1997. xxxv + 222 pp.

Thai Tales: Folktales of Thailand. Retold by Supaporn Vathanaprida. Edited by Margaret Read MacDonald. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1994. xviii + 152 pp.

A Tiger by the Tail and Other Stories from the Heart of Korea. Retold by Linda Soon Curry. Edited by Chan-eung Park. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999. xxi + 120 pp.

When Night Falls, Kric! Krac! Haitian Folktales. By Liliane Nerette Louis. Edited by Fred J. Hay. World Folklore Series. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999. viii + 188 pp.

There are now seventeen volumes in the World Folklore series, published from 1991 to 2002, with more forthcoming. I examined seven for this review A few of the volumes are also available on audiotape (not heard for this review). From a storyteller's perspective, all are pleasing. However, from a folklorist perspective, the series is inconsistent. The geographic range covered by the series at this point is uneven, with most volumes from Europe and Asia; however, the series is growing rapidly and this may change. Most volumes are the result of teamwork between two people, usually a storyteller and...