Author Description

Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 - 20 July 1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales.The Red Fairy Book was the second of the series of Fairy Books by Andrew Lang. Stories in this collection include: The Twelve Dancing Princesses; The Princess Mayblossom; The Death Of Koshchei The Deathless; The Black Thief And Knight Of The Glen; Princess Rosette; The Norka; Jack And The Beanstalk; Graciosa And Percinet; The Three Princesses Of Whiteland; The Voice Of Death; The True History Of Little Golden Hood; The Three Dwarfs; Rapunzel; Farmer Weatherbeard, and many more.Lang was born in 1844 in Selkirk, Scottish Borders. He was the eldest of the eight children born to John Lang, the town clerk of Selkirk, and his wife Jane Plenderleath Sellar, who was the daughter of Patrick Sellar, factor to the first Duke of Sutherland. On 17 April 1875, he married Leonora Blanche Alleyne, youngest daughter of C. T. Alleyne of Clifton and Barbados.Lang is now chiefly known for his publications on folklore, mythology, and religion. The interest in folklore was from early life; he read John Ferguson McLennan before coming to Oxford, and then was influenced by E. B. Tylor.