Cornish Tales

Having just returned from a lovely week in Cornwall, I have been reminded not only of how beautiful it is, but also how rich in folklore and legend. From Zennor to Mousehole, from Port Isaac to Fowey, it is steeped in stories. This collection of Cornish tales was first published by Andersen Press in 1986 under the name ‘The Magic Ointment’, this edition is beautifully illustrated and offers a real treasure trove of Cornish stories.

In the introduction, Eric Quayle acknowledges the role of Robert Hunt in the collecting of the Cornish folklore retold in this collection. Hunt was responsible for ‘Popular Romances of the West of England’, two volumes of stories which he edited and compiled, published in 1865 and this work was Quayle’s main source. Although born in Devon, Hunt spent most of his life in Cornwall where he gathered these tales of oral tradition and recorded them for posterity.

My copy is about 10 years old, having been purchased at what is now Shrew Books (then Bookends) in Fowey on one of our many trips to that part of the world, but I was delighted to see that it is still widely available in (book)shops across Cornwall today. Perfectly illustrated by the amazingly talented Michael Foreman, this is a book to be treasured and returned to again and again.

Through these stories, the reader learns about Jack the Giant-Killer who slew Cormoran, the giant of St Michael’s Mount, discover the fate of the witch of Fraddam and find out how Flora took the spriggans’ treasure and bought herself her dream cottage in St Ives. These tellings retain a feel of the oral tradition, capturing the sense of wonder and magic that must have been felt by those listening, wide-eyed, around the firesides of days gone by. A visit to Zennor in all its rugged beauty breathes truth into the tale of the Mermaid whose likeness is immortalised on the side of a bench in the church. Michael Foreman’s stunning illustrations capture the essence of each tale, adding much to their enjoyment.

For those interested in traditional tales, there is also the fascination of how stories told in different parts of the world- or even the same country - can be so similar and yet so different. ‘Duffy and the Devil’ has elements in common with Rumpelstiltskin or Tom Tit Tot and yet has a distinctive Cornish flavour in both setting and telling.

An absolute must-have for anyone interested in folklore, Cornwall or an excellent story!

Cornish Tales

Eric Quayle, illustrated by Michael Foreman

Mabecron Books ISBN: 978-0956435095