Fairy tales are alive with the supernatural - elves, dwarfs, fairies, giants, and trolls, as well as witches with magic wands and sorcerers who cast spells and enchantments. Children into Swans examines these motifs in a range of ancient stories. Moving from the rich period of nineteenth-century fairy tales back as far as the earliest folk literature of northern Europe, Jan Beveridge shows how long these supernatural features have been a part of storytelling, with ancient tales, many from Celtic and Norse mythology, that offer glimpses into a remote era and a pre-Christian sensibility. The earliest stories often show significant differences from what we might expect. Elves mingle with Norse gods, dwarfs belong to a proud clan of magician-smiths, and fairies are shape-shifters emerging from the hills and the sea mist. In story traditions with roots in a pre-Christian imagination, an invisible other world exists alongside our own. From the lost cultures of a thousand years ago, Children into Swans opens the door on some of the most extraordinary worlds ever portrayed in literature - worlds that are both starkly beautiful and full of horrors.

Jan Beveridge is an independent researcher. She lives in Elora, Ontario.

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“Children into Swans provides an excellent overview of the history of fairy tales from Perrault to the nineteenth-century collectors/authors such as the brothers Grimm – fascinating and accessible, it will be of great interest to a broad range of readers.” Joanne Findon, Department of English at Trent University

Beveridge’s comparative, magpie-like approach, gathering together tales from the Old Norse Hávamál to Harry Potter, presents the reader with an attractive collection, glinting with stories.” Elizabeth Dearnley, Times Literary Supplement

“Beveridge provides a concise, comprehensive, scholarly, and fascinating read on myths and fairy and folk tales from Europe, including Scandinavia, during the pre-Christian and Middle Ages through the 19th century. Recommended for mythology scholars and general interest readers alike.” Library Journal

“A persuasive tracing of the pagan origins of many elements in the fairy tale tradition. [Beveridge’s] personable, conversational style throughout the book takes the reader along on a journey of discovery—back through centuries to early pagan tales that are, indeed, obscure to the modern reader. She includes many of these tales in the text itself, a real boon. An extensive bibliography and pronunciation guide are included. Recommended.” Choice