Joseph Jacobs (1854-1916) was a noted literary and folklorist. He edited a number of books of fairy tales, including this work and its sequel, More Celtic Fairy Tales. It includes the famous stories Conal Hammerclaw, The Story of Deirdre, Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree, The Wooing of Olwen, Jack and His Comrades, The Sea Maiden, Fairm Brown and Trembling, The Battle of the Birds, Brewery of Eggshells and many others. It is illustrated throughout with black and white Art Nouveau style plates and vignettes by John D. Batten.