In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard,
a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard
herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones.
Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one of the original
copies, and it was our privilege to share images and reviews of this
incredible artifact. Now J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, available December 4, 2008.
Offering the
trademark wit and imagination familiar to Rowling's legions of
readers--as well as Aesop's wisdom and the occasional darkness of the
Brothers Grimm--each of these five tales reveals a lesson befitting
children and parents alike: the strength gained with a trusted
friendship, the redemptive power of love, and the true magic that exists
in the hearts of all of us. Rowling's new introduction also comments
on the personal lessons she has taken from the Tales, noting
that the characters in Beedle's collection "take their fates into their
own hands, rather than taking a prolonged nap or waiting for someone to
return a lost shoe," and "that magic causes as much trouble as it
cures."
But
the true jewel of this new edition is the enlightening and
comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique
wizard's-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered "among the many
papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives," the
venerable wizard's ruminations on the Tales allow today's
readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society,
even allowing that "Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in
preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles" during the era of
witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into
self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in
wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment
of their Muggle characters.
Professor
Dumbledore also includes fascinating historical backstory, including
tidbits such as the history and pursuit of magic wands, a brief comment
on the Dark Arts and its practitioners, and the struggles with
censorship that eventually led "a certain Beatrix Bloxam" to cleanse
the Tales of "much of the darker themes that she found
distasteful," forever altering the meaning of the stories for their
Muggle audience. Dumbledore also allows us a glimpse of his personal
relationship to the Tales, remarking that it was through
"Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump" that "many of us [wizards]
first discovered that magic could not bring back the dead."
Both a wise and delightful addition to the Harry Potter canon, this new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard
is all that fans could hope for and more--and an essential volume for
the libraries of Muggles, wizards, and witches, both young and old.
