This collection gathers the foundational folklore and early prose narratives that define the imaginative landscape of W. B. Yeats. Yeats explores the intersection of Irish oral tradition, mystical speculation, and personal myth-making. The protagonist of these pieces is often the Irish landscape itself, populated by spirits, peasants, and seekers who navigate the thin veil between the mundane and the supernatural. The narrative framework shifts between lyrical storytelling and analytical reflection, reflecting the author's attempt to synthesize ancient cultural memory with modern literary expression.

Discussion often centers on the way these texts serve as a primary source for understanding the development of Yeats's complex symbolic system. Readers frequently highlight the atmospheric quality of the prose, noting how it captures a specific, haunting version of the Irish countryside. Critics emphasize the importance of the editorial annotations in clarifying the dense, often obscure references that permeate the writing. The collection is widely regarded as a vital resource for those interested in the intersection of folklore and high modernism. Many scholars point to these stories as the essential bedrock upon which the author's later, more famous poetic achievements were constructed.