Andrew Lang's urge to collect and publish fairy tales was rooted in his own experience with the folk and fairy tales of his home territory along the English-Scottish border. When Lang began his efforts, he "was fighting against the critics and educationists of the day," who judged the traditional tales' "unreality, brutality, and escapism to be harmful for young readers, while holding that such stories were beneath the serious consideration of those of mature age." Over a generation, Lang's books worked a revolution in this public perception.The Yellow Fairy book was written in 1894. This is a collection of 48 fairy tales written the way they were supposed to be written. Each tale ranges in length anywhere from a couple of pages up to about 20. The tales are fairly easy reads, but they don't lose any of their appeal. The book also contains several wonderful illustrations.Some of the stories include: The Six Swans, Story of the Emperor's New Clothes, The Crow, The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership, The Three Brothers, The Magic Ring, How to Tell a True Princess, Thumbelina, and more.