The wonder of storytelling is in the ritual. We have been sharing our stories, adult and child, for millennia. Before the advent of pen and parchment people relied on stories being passed through the generations as both history and as caution or adventure or excitement. Stories were and remain an essential element in the cultural and spiritual life of communities the world over. Listening to a story is like going on a journey. Only you can see the pictures in your mind. Only you can conjure the demons and the dragons and the heroes with such vivacity. As we travel through our story landscapes we are marked with wisdom and imagination. These are just some of the ingredients that make the wonder of storytelling. This book covers the English tradition in folk and fairy tale, in fable and saga. In compiling this collection from just a few of our forebears, I have been very warmly surprised at the breadth of subject matter. I've also come across stories that I had never read before, so the journey has been a delight. Once again, I hope that you are as delighted with these wonderful tales as I have been in putting these two volumes together.