Cornish Folk Tales

Cornish Folk Tales follows Anthony James, a travelling ‘droll teller’, as he journeys around Cornwall during one glorious summer. His route provides the framework for stories rooted in the Duchy’s tradition of itinerant storytellers, who once exchanged entertainment and local wisdom for food and shelter.

Among the tales are kindly giants, mischievous piskeys, seductive mermaids, bold knights and weather-beaten sea captains. Mike O’Connor draws on Cornwall’s folklore and storytelling heritage to present a varied collection shaped by place, tradition and humour. Hand-drawn images and woodcuts accompany the stories, giving the book a distinctive visual character alongside its accounts of legendary figures and folkloric beings.