"The Violet Fairy Book" is a collection of fairy tales compiled by Andrew Lang and published in 1901. It is one of the twelve books in the "Coloured Fairy Books" series. The book features thirty-five fairy tales from around the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The tales are diverse in theme and style, ranging from light-hearted and humorous to dark and eerie. The tales are filled with magical creatures such as fairies, genies, and dragons, and feature themes such as love, bravery, and trickery. Many of the stories have a moral lesson for the reader, while others are simply meant to entertain. The book is beautifully illustrated by H.J. Ford, who created black and white drawings for each story. Overall, "The Violet Fairy Book" is a delightful collection of fairy tales that will enchant readers of all ages with its diverse and magical tales from around the world.
Andrew Lang was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to anthropology who lived from 31 March 1844 to 20 July 1912. He is primarily known for being a folklore and fairy story collector. At the University of St. Andrews, he is honored through the Andrew Lang lectures. In the Scottish Borders town of Selkirk, Lang was born in 1844. He was the oldest of the eight children born to John Lang, the town clerk of Selkirk, and Jane Plenderleath Sellar, who was a relative of the first Duke of Sutherland. Jane Plenderleath Sellar was the daughter of Patrick Sellar. He wed Leonora Blanche Alleyne, the youngest child of C. T. Alleyne of Clifton and Barbados, on April 17, 1875. She was alternately acknowledged as the author, co-author, or translator of Lang's Color/Rainbow Fairy Books, which he edited (or should have been). He attended the Edinburgh Academy, Loretto School, Selkirk Grammar School, and University of St. Andrews as well as Balliol College in Oxford, where he earned a first-class degree in the final classical schools in 1868. From there, he went on to become a fellow and later an honorary fellow of Merton College. As a journalist, poet, critic, and historian, he quickly established himself as one of the best and most diverse writers of his day.
