This comprehensive reference work investigates the breadth and regional diversity of British folk-tales preserved within the English language. Katharine Mary Briggs, a renowned folklorist, compiled this extensive collection to categorize oral traditions, legends, and superstitions that define the British cultural identity. The work utilizes a systematic classification framework to organize narratives by type and motif, providing a scholarly foundation for the study of regional storytelling traditions.

Scholars and folklorists widely regard this dictionary as a foundational text for the study of British oral traditions. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is designed primarily for researchers and serious students of cultural history.