Tales from Long Ago

illustration by Vladimir Kirin

And now something for the fantasy lovers. Probably most of the translated text for children from the Balkans are traditional folk tales. But this book offers a twist to the folk tales from the Croatian Tolkin. Croatian Tales of Long Ago were written by Ivana Brlić Mažuranić in 1916 in Zagreb. It was translated in English by F.S. Coperland and published in 1922 in New York and 1924 in London, with illustrations by the Croatian artist Vladimir Kirin. The six (or eight) stories included in the collection will also give you an insight into Slavic mythology.

Recently, the tales have been given a new look in a wonderful animation project by Helena Bulaja.