Where do fairy tales come from? Why do we find them so enchanting? What is it about them that is so magical? From its origins in the oral tradition to the modern methods of storytelling through film and television, the fairy tale has always had a powerful grip over the cultural imagination of the Western world. Under the editorial guidance of Jack Zipes, 67 expert contributors have come together to combine their insight and expertise on all aspects of the fairy tale tradition. The result is a unique synthesis of knowledge making this the most authoritative and wide-ranging reference work on the study of the Western fairy tale available.To what extent was Enid Blyton inspired by fairy tales, reading 'every single old myth and legend I could get hold of'?What influence has Walt Disney had on the modern perception of certain classic fairy tales?Where did the Moomins come from?Under what title was Alice in Wonderland first published?In what different ways have fairy tales been portrayed on film?To what extent was the story of Hansel and Gretel auto-biographical?Why has Irish folklore had such a big influence on American film and stage?What inspired Edward Elgar to put fairy tales to music?What is the difference between science fiction and fairy tales?What are the philosophical overtones in 'The Little Mermaid'?Who supposedly inspired the character Peter Pan and why is the story so popular?What are the similarities between The Arabian Nights and Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children?Who are the most famous Norwegian fairy tale characters?Which two famous fairy tale characters inspired Stephen Spielberg's E.T.?What traces of the politics and society of the American Midwest during the late 1890s can be seen in The Wizard of Oz?Entries include:Tales - Alice in Wonderland, 'Beauty and the Beast', 'The Frog King', 'Hansel and Gretel', Jack tales, 'Little Red Riding Hood', 'Melusine', The Adventures of Pinocchio, 'The Princess and the Pea', 'Rapunzel', 'Rumpelstiltskin', 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', 'The Ugly Duckling'Characters - Aladdin, Ali Baba, Baba Yaga, Mother Goose, Mrs Pepperpot, Peter PanFilm, Stage, and Television - Babes in Toyland, ballet, Bluebeard's Eighth Wife, Chu Chin Chow, Walt Disney, Hans Christian Andersen, Jim Henson, The Little Prince, Once Upon a Mattress, Sindbad, Steven Spielberg, Shirley Temple, WillowWriters from the past - Louisa May Alcott, Hans Christian Andersen, J. M. Barrie, Lewis Caroll, Kenneth Grahame, Brothers Grimm, C. S. Lewis, Richard Scarry, William Shakespeare, Robert Louis Stevenson, J. R. R. TolkienWriters from the present - Margaret Attwood, A. S. Byatt, Roald Dahl, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Terry Jones, Terry PratchettIllustrators - Edward Ardizzone, Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Kate Greenaway, Maurice SendakComposers - Claude Debussy, Edward Elgar, Leos Janacek, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Richard WagnerOther topics related to fairy tales and folklore - advertising, cartoons, communist folk-tale films, fantasy literature, feminism, greetings cards, mythology, opera, oral tradition, poetry, postcards, science fiction, stamps, televisionFeature entries highlighting countries with a strong fairy tale tradition - British and Irish fairy tales, France, Germany, Italy, North American and Canadian fairy tales, Portuguese fairy tales, Scandinavian countries, Slavic and Baltic countries, SpainWith an in-depth introduction by Jack Zipes and an extensive bibliography to complement the A-Z entries, this is the essential companion for anyone interested in literature, film, or art, or for anyone who values the tradition of storytelling.