Folk Tales of Brittany by Elsie Masson [1929]

This selection of folk-tales from Brittany by Elsie Masson, vividly illustrated by pen and ink drawings, is an enjoyable read. The usual folklore themes with Celtic influence are present and accounted for; humble peasants, magic livestock, enchanted castles, evil husbands, brave children, star-crossed lovers, and tricky fairies. Particularly the latter. For some reason the Breton fairies seem to have a more hostile, darker edge, than elsewhere in the Celtic region...

This book was true find. I had ordered a copy of Legends and Romances of Brittany, by Lewis Spence, the only readily available Enlish language source on this topic in the public domain that I could locate. The same day that the Spence book arrived, this one showed up at a local used bookstore--not the first time this kind of serendipity has occurred.

--John Bruno Hare, September 1st, 2004.