A BOOK OF GIANTS

'A Book of Giants' is a 1963 anthology of 13 fairy tales from Europe that have been collected and retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is one in a long series of such anthologies by Manning-Sanders. It was the first anthology to receive the familiar "A Book of..." title that Manning-Sanders would become notable for.
This book was first published in the United Kingdom in 1962, by Methuen & Co. Ltd.
Some of tales from this book are recollected in ''A Choice of Magic'' (1971) by Manning-Sanders. And some of tales from this book are recollected in ''Folk and Fairy Tales'' (1978) by Manning-Sanders.
And in the foreword, Manning-Sanders discusses the long-ago roots of tales about giants: "The stories in this book are very old, and they come from many countries. We don't know who first told the story of Jack and the Beanstalk; but it has always been a favourite, and it used to be hawked around England in those little stitched-together pamphlets, called chapbooks, which travelling pedlars sold to the countryfolk for a penny or two each."
The author adds: "You will notice that the giants, wherever they come from, have one thing in common: they are all very stupid, and the way to overcome them is to use your wits."

Contents

Table of contents

See also

Table of contents

★ 1. Jack and the Beanstalk (England)

★ 2. The Giant and the Dwarf (Georgia)

★ 3. Fin M'Coul and Cucullin (Ireland)

★ 4. Sneezy Snatcher and Sammy Small (Cornwall)

★ 5. Hans, the Horn, and the Magic Sword (Jutland)

★ 6. Jack the Giant-Killer (Cornwall)
:i. Jack and the Giant Cormoran
:ii. Jack and the Giant Tantarem
:iii. Jack and the Welsh Giant
:iv. Jack, the King of England's Son, and the Giant with Three Heads
:v. Jack and the Giant Thunderdell
:vi. Jack, the Giant Galligantua, and the Enchanter

★ 7. King Johnny (Slavic)

★ 8. Conall Yellowclaw (Ireland and Scotland)

★ 9. The Giant in the Cave (Ireland and Scotland)

★ 10. The Brave Little Tailor (Germany)

★ 11. The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body (Norse)

★ 12. The Three Golden Hairs of the King of the Cave Giants (Germany)

★ 13. Prince Loaf (Romania)

See also

★ Giant (mythology)