Tree and Leaf

Repackaged to feature Tolkienâ??s own painting of the Tree of Amalion, this collection includes his famous essay, â??On Fairy-storiesâ?? and the story that exemplifies this, â??Leaf by Niggleâ??, together with the poem â??Mythopoeiaâ?? and the verse drama, â??The Homecoming of Beorhtnothâ??, which tells of the events following the disastrous Battle of Maldon. Fairy-stories are not just for children, as anyone who has read Tolkien will know. In his essay On Fairy-Stories, Tolkien discusses the nature of fairy-tales and fantasy and rescues the genre from those who would relegate it to juvenilia. The haunting short story, Leaf by Niggle, recounts the story of the artist, Niggle, who has â??a long journey to makeâ?? and is seen as an allegory of Tolkienâ??s life. The poem Mythopoeia relates an argument between two unforgettable characters as they discuss the making of myths. Lastly, and published for the very first time, we are treated to the translation of Tolkienâ??s account of the...