Lord Dunsany (The King of Elfland's Daughter)

[Moontravler]

Does anybody know of any anthologies that might include this tale by Lord Dunsany ? I feel pretty sure I saw it included in a fantasy anthology that I once borrowed from the library...

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It's a novel, so it's unlikely you've seen it in an anthology.

One of the classics, and I'm sure it has recently been reprinted.

edit -- And it has:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/034543191X/?tag=brite-21

Nice Pre-Raphaelite art on the cover, that does nothing to convey the atmosphere of the story.

 

[CarlottaVonUberwald]

O.K. so not an anthology but:

The King Of Elfland's Daughter Fantasy Masterworks: Amazon.co.uk: Lord Dunsany: Books

Or if it's the artist who interests you (This could also be the Anthology you meant.):

Time and the Gods Six Story Anthology Featuring A Dreamer's Tales, The Gods of Pegana, Time and the Gods, The Book of Wonder, The Sword of Welleran and The Last Book of Wonder: Amazon.co.uk: Lord Dunsany: Books

I don't know of, nor can i find any anthologies the story itself has been published in.

 

[Moontravler]

Thanks, Teresa, I guess I'll be getting it. Glad you told me, I would have wasted a lot of time searching for it in anthologies... hmm, I wonder what it was I saw then...

 

[Moontravler]

O.K. so not an anthology but:

The King Of Elfland's Daughter Fantasy Masterworks: Amazon.co.uk: Lord Dunsany: Books

Or if it's the artist who interests you (This could also be the Anthology you meant.):

Time and the Gods Six Story Anthology Featuring A Dreamer's Tales, The Gods of Pegana, Time and the Gods, The Book of Wonder, The Sword of Welleran and The Last Book of Wonder: Amazon.co.uk: Lord Dunsany: Books

I don't know of, nor can i find any anthologies the story itself has been published in.

Oops, only saw this after I replied to Teresa. Well, I do love anthologies, so I'll check that one out as well as get the original of KOED, thanks!

May I voice my admiration at how fast people are replying today!

 

[j d worthington]

Actually, it has been included in such an anthology: A Treasury of Fantasy, ed. by Cary Wilkins, Avenel Books, 1981 (at least. that's the edition I have; it has also been reprinted as The Mammoth Book of Classic Fantasy). The table of contents is as follows:

Foreword, by Cary Wilkins
"The Story of Sigurd" (Anon., trans. by Eirikr Magnússon and William Morris)
"The Quest of the Holy Grail", Mrs. Andrew Lang
"The Enchantment of Lionarda", Francisco de Moraes
"The Elves", Johann Ludwig Tieck
"The King of the Golden River", John Ruskin
Phantastes, George MacDonald
The Wood Beyond the World, William Morris
The King of Elfland's Daughter, Lord Dunsany
"The Doom That Came to Sarnath", H. P. Lovecraft
"Swords of the Purple Kingdom", Robert E. Howard
"The Rule of Names", Ursula K. LeGuin

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Considering that at least three of those are novels (the three you have highlighted I am certain are novels), and at least the Ruskin is of novella length, that must be a mammoth volume indeed.

 

[j d worthington]

It just tops 504 pp. in the Avenel edition, which is somewhat larger in dimensions than the average hardbound; the print and margins are also relatively small, so a great deal can fit onto a single page....

 

[Moontravler]

Actually, it has been included in such an anthology: A Treasury of Fantasy, ed. by Cary Wilkins, Avenel Books, 1981 (at least. that's the edition I have; it has also been reprinted as The Mammoth Book of Classic Fantasy). The table of contents is as follows:

Foreword, by Cary Wilkins
"The Story of Sigurd" (Anon., trans. by Eirikr Magnússon and William Morris)
"The Quest of the Holy Grail", Mrs. Andrew Lang
"The Enchantment of Lionarda", Francisco de Moraes
"The Elves", Johann Ludwig Tieck
"The King of the Golden River", John Ruskin
Phantastes, George MacDonald
The Wood Beyond the World, William Morris
The King of Elfland's Daughter, Lord Dunsany
"The Doom That Came to Sarnath", H. P. Lovecraft
"Swords of the Purple Kingdom", Robert E. Howard
"The Rule of Names", Ursula K. LeGuin

Ooh, JD Worthington, you are a treasure, almost as precious as this anthology!! Yes, -that is the one that I was looking for! I couldn't exactly remember what else was in the book, but what I could remember of the book, had made me keep thinking that I must try and get a hold of it, and now I have - I've just ordered it.

Sadly I'd already ordered The King of Elfland's Daughter last night, thinking sadly that my memory must have deceived me on the fancy that I'd seen it as part of a very cool anthology, but yaye! you came through for me.

I've requested a cancellation, let's see if they're ok with that.

Interestingly, I couldn't get hold of the Mammoth book, I got myself this one. Amazon.com: Treasury Of Fantasy (9780517336298): Rh Value Publishing: Books

 

[Connavar]

I would never like to read a novel in a huge mammoth book.

Its an amazing classic that must be read if you want more than the avreage fantasy around these days.

Frankly its sad but telling that it is out of print as Fantasy Masterwork version but more standard,less influential books are in print as FM.

 

[GOLLUM]

Sadly I'd already ordered The King of Elfland's Daughter last night, thinking sadly that my memory must have deceived me on the fancy that I'd seen it as part of a very cool anthology, but yaye! you came through for me.

I've requested a cancellation, let's see if they're ok with that.

Interestingly, I couldn't get hold of the Mammoth book, I got myself this one. Amazon.com: Treasury Of Fantasy (9780517336298): Rh Value Publishing: Books

Don't worry Moontraveller, it's exactly the same book. I have the earlier 1981 HB leather bound Avenel edition in the Anthologies section of my library.....

It is certainly a large book in terms of pages but not that thick, given the paper they've obviously used in this publication.

For those interested, I can also tell you that it has a heap of absolutely marvelous black and white pen drawings to accompany the stories.

Interestingly enough I also have a 1981 edition of The Mammoth Book of Classic Fantasy, which is also edited by Wilkins, distributed by the same publishing group but funnily enough has replaced the Dunsany novel with L Frank Baum's The Master Key. Perhaps this is the one Conn would like to order?.......

 

[Moontravler]

Heh, I don't know if it is the collector in me that makes me feel this way, but for some reason I love anthologies. (Not to mention that this particular one seems a nice "classic" anthology..)

Perhaps the association that collections have with anthologies, the latter being a collection of similar works....

...and as we all know, collectors just love to collect, and to organize similar items of a kind in groups (read: bookshelves) together, and.. and to have collections and...
..don't we, Gollum..

Thanks for the re-assurance. I did make 100% sure though, before ordering, of which stories the particular volume I ordered contains, so I feel quite ok with it. Got it for a good price, too!

I have the earlier 1981 HB leather bound Avenel edition in the Anthologies section of my library.....

Much as I like you Gollum, sometimes I hate you just a little bit.
Ok, now I'm curious... - do you remember where you got it?

 

[j d worthington]

You are quite welcome; and yes, it is the same book.

I don't know how Mr. G came across his, but I found mine in a sff specialty shop more than 20 years ago. Very slightly scuffed on the front cover (three small lines), but otherwise in excellent shape. And yes, with lovely illustrations, by Patten Wilson, Lancelot Speed (I can't help but wonder if this one didn't influence some of the imagery in Fritz Lang's film Siegfried), Dan Beard, H. J. Ford, John D. Batten, Richard Doyle, Arthur Hughes, and (as mentioned) Aubrey Beardsley....

 

[thatollie]

I've been searching for a copy of the novel for a while. But now I think I'll try to get the anthology. It sounds terrific.

 

[Connavar]

I've been searching for a copy of the novel for a while. But now I think I'll try to get the anthology. It sounds terrific.

You are looking only for second hand ?

Because otherwise this is the copy i bought The King of Elfland's Daughter (Del Rey Impact): Amazon.co.uk: Lord Dunsany: Books

 

[GOLLUM]

Thanks for the re-assurance. I did make 100% sure though, before ordering, of which stories the particular volume I ordered contains, so I feel quite ok with it. Got it for a good price, too!



Much as I like you Gollum, sometimes I hate you just a little bit.
Ok, now I'm curious... - do you remember where you got it?

Glad to hear you essentially got what you were after Moontravler...

As to the other point about being slightly miffed at me having a copy of said book, to use a popular phrase employed by one of my work colleagues..."suck it up princess"....

Now, to get back to the question at hand, I wasn't actually looking for this copy. I basically stumbled across it in a second hand bookshop a few years ago and having seen the contents knew it was a very good anthology representative of some of the best writers in the Genre and therefore library bound. Coincidentally the Mammoth Book I picked up, forgetting I had the other copy but as has already been noted one of the stories had been changed, so I kept hold of both copies.

I agree it's an excellent anthology, so I wish you many hours of enjoyable reading and those pen drawings are almost worth the price of the book itself.

 

[Moontravler]

Now, to get back to the question at hand, I wasn't actually looking for this copy. I basically stumbled across it in a second hand bookshop a few years ago and having seen the contents knew it was a very good anthology representative of some of the best writers in the Genre and therefore library bound. {....}

I agree it's an excellent anthology, so I wish you many hours of enjoyable reading and those pen drawings are almost worth the price of the book itself.

Thanks Gollum!
Well, the envy for your leather-bound copy stems from a particular love for leatherbound books..- I just adore the look, feel and smell of them..- they're so sensually pleasing, and especially if it is real, proper leather.

Where are the days where leatherbound books with gold-edged pages were commonplace... (although I do admit that the gold-edged pages are a bit over the top for me. I remember my grandmother - a singularly religous woman, had a Bible with such pages...)

PS. Aren't used bookshops absolutely a treasure trove? Ah, the many hours one can spend getting lost unearthing hidden treasures. Sadly I always come up with a pile bigger than I can really afford..or.. *cough* carry..

 

[GOLLUM]

Thanks Gollum!
Well, the envy for your leather-bound copy stems from a particular love for leatherbound books..- I just adore the look, feel and smell of them..- they're so sensually pleasing, and especially if it is real, proper leather.

Where are the days where leatherbound books with gold-edged pages were commonplace... (although I do admit that the gold-edged pages are a bit over the top for me. I remember my grandmother - a singularly religous woman, had a Bible with such pages...)

PS. Aren't used bookshops absolutely a treasure trove? Ah, the many hours one can spend getting lost unearthing hidden treasures. Sadly I always come up with a pile bigger than I can really afford..or.. *cough* carry..

ER..OK. I think I'll leave the leather fetish to you then.....

Speaking of gold-gilt edging on leatherbound copies, I probably have about a dozen of that style of book in my library inlcuding Bull Finch's Mythology and Dante's Inferno, which is superbly illustrated. My prize possession however is likely a lovely 50th anniversary edition of LOTR with fold out coloured maps. That item retails at about $US 200 so not on the cheap side...feels Moontravler's eyes pierce Gollum's back...

I spend probably 40 out of the 53 weeks in the year on weekends in the City trawling second hand and new bookshops. I'm lucky living in Melbourne as we have an amazing number of bookstores and literary events going off here. It is therefore not difficult at all to end up with a wheelbarrow of high quality books.

Cheers.....

 

[Moontravler]

If I ever come out to visit Australia, Gollum, by hook or by crook I'd love to see your personal library... For Pete's sake, I'd even offer to be your housecleaner for a day or two, just to get the privelige of dusting those venerable shelves of yours....

Well, I have a few nice books myself - but you, - boy, - you are organized!

Ok, I know you wanted me to say it - so I'll say it, darnit.. yes, Gollum, even though I have Bulfinch and Dante, I don't have leather-bound - gilt-edged copies, but envious as I am of those, the LOTR really kills me! *Moontravler turns a bright shade of green at this point..*

EDIT: Say, have you ever posted a picture of the latter?

 

[AE35Unit]

Hmm, not being a fantasy reader I glossed over this thread, but then I got to googling on project gutenberg and discovered it was a novel by Lord Dunsany! I've not read any of his works but enbjoyed the movie Dean Spanley very much, which is based on one of his novels!