Ebook: The Vanishing People

Katharine Briggs was a well-respected British folklorist, and is considered one of the leading authorities on fairy folklore. In The Vanishing People she gives an overview of the fairy lore of different European cultures, structuring the book into chapters on specific themes: the passage of time in fairy land, the trooping fairies, house spirits, fairy captives, changelings, etc. Briggs also examines the varying origins of fairies, from their earliest incarnations as the Fates and elemental spirits, to their associations with the Dead and with semi-fallen angels. Today, Briggs is one of the few authorities that can be trusted on fairy lore. She does not paint them as the good, flowery innocents that modern culture seems to adore, but explores their capriciousness, their infamous double-standards, their fiery wrath, and their trickster-like nature. The Vanishing People is a great introduction to fairy folklore, and European folklore in general. One of the most delightful parts of this book is the many excerpts Briggs gives of earlier folktale collections, now long and well out of print, which are given in their original dialects and alternate (almost medieval) spellings.