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Joseph Jacobs was born in Sydney in 1854, but soon emigrated to England and USA. He was a preminent scholar and literary critic, and published many books on Jewish history and tradition. However, he is most often remembered for his contribution to children’s literature. In 1890, he published a collection of legends and fairy tales that included “Tom Tit Tot,” “The Story of Three Little Pigs,” “Tom Thumb,” and “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Jacobs compiled other volumes of English, Celtic, Indian, and European folktales and stories, as well as a version of The Fables of Aesop and The Thousand and One Nights.

Nationality: Australian
Birth Date: 29 Aug 1854
Death Date: 30 Jan 1916
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Available Works

Individual Passages

“The Cat and the Mouse”

A cat bites the tail off of the mouse. The mouse is led on a merry chase attempting to bring back cream for the cat who will then return the mouse’s tail.

“Fire! Fire! Burn Stick!”

An old lady buys a pig. Then she cannot get the pig to jump over a fence so she can get home. She asks for help but is refused until at last she finds a cow who will give her milk. This begins chain of events which leads to getting home with the pig.

“Jack the Giant Killer”

A fairy tale about a boy Jack, known as the Giant Killer, and his adventures of escape from giants, magicians, and other horrendous monsters.