Children into Swans: Fairy Tales and the Pagan Imagination by Jan Beveridge (review)

Fairy tales are some of the first stories we are exposed to as children. From our parents’ lips to picture books to Disney films, we are constantly bombarded with stories of princes and princesses and fairies, both benevolent and malevolent. But where did these fairy tales come from? Are there any common threads between the fairy tales of old, even if they came from completely different countries? In her book, Children into Swans: Fairy Tales and the Pagan Imagination, Jan Beveridge attempts to take these questions and turn them into answers. Beveridge is coming so late to the folklore party, however, that it is impressive that she believes she can take these age-old questions and bring anything new to the table.

As stated, Beveridge brings together stories from pre-Christian Celtic and Norse mythology in an attempt to present the proud history behind these ancient tales. Using a number of sources, she claims to be able to open the door to new worlds regarding these stories and show readers a new side of ancient fairy tales, especially in a world where many of our fairy tales are Disneyfied. What she ends up doing, however, is repeating the history behind many of the fairy tales and folktales and tying them together with strings of information.

Although not a folklorist by profession or schooling, Beveridge is a self-professed lover of European fairy tales and, after years of working as a rare book librarian, she developed a secondary love for medieval literature. It is in Children into Swans that she attempts to combine the two, taking these beloved stories and separating them into common themes, characters, and other archetypes for the general reader to enjoy.

The book is divided into four parts: “History,” “Characters,” “Stories from the Pagan Year,” and “Storytellers’ Themes.” In the first part Beveridge relays the history of Celtic myths, beginning with the oral tales and continuing through their eventual recording onto paper by monks in Irish monasteries. The second part of the book takes a look at the various species in Celtic and Norse mythology, such as fairies, dwarfs, and spirits, and how they interacted within the realms of the folktales and fairy tales mentioned. Part 3 is a collection of stories based on a handful of pagan holidays (Beltane, Samhain, Midsummer, and Midwinter), and the fourth part deals with themes from within the aforementioned stories and how these themes translate from country to country.

In Part 2, “Characters,” Beveridge is thorough with her research, making sure that her readers know the difference between such species as fairies, dwarfs, and giants as well as know some of the myths that come along with them. Although the language can be a bit dry at times, Beveridge spices it up by sprinkling in bits and pieces of the old myths and legends. This seems to be an effort to both keep her reader’s attention and provide examples for her research. The level of language in the book is fairly intermediate, allowing for anyone middle school or above to pick up the book and read along.

Although the information in Children into Swans is presented clearly and cleanly, there does not seem to be any new research reflected in its pages, merely a recounting of previously tried and told ideas. Beveridge also does not deliver the original stories themselves to her readers but instead takes the myths and tales and retells them in her own words. For those new to folklore, this can be helpful, especially with the sheer amount of snippets and stories included, but to those who are more familiar with the stories and wish to see them in context, it is a bit of a blow. Also, it is worth noting that, although Beveridge includes a great number of Celtic and Norse myths in her book, she clearly overlooks other areas that could have been explored, such as Slavic and other Eastern European folklore.

Although the...