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| Tree and Leaf | |
|---|---|
| Publication Information | |
| Author | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Editor | Christopher Tolkien (1988 edition) |
| Illustrator | Pauline Baynes |
| Publisher | George Allen and Unwin (UK) Houghton Mifflin (US) |
| Released | 28 May 1964 (UK) March 1965 (US) |
| Format | Hardcover; paperback |
| Pages | 92 |
| ISBN | 0048240133 |
| Preceded by | The Adventures of Tom Bombadil {1962) |
| Followed by | Poems and Songs of Middle Earth {1967) |
Tree and Leaf is a small anthology published in 1964, originally contains two works by J.R.R. Tolkien, and was illustrated by Pauline Baynes:
- Essay "On Fairy-Stories", first published in Essays Presented to Charles Williams (1947)
- Short story "Leaf by Niggle", first published in Dublin Review (1945)
Tree and Leaf was where the two works first became readily available to the general public. Both have been later reprinted in collections such as The Tolkien Reader (1966), Poems and Stories (1980), and Tales from the Perilous Realm (2008).
In 1988, Christopher Tolkien edited the book, appending to it a previously unpublished poem "Mythopoeia", which is closely related to "On Fairy-Stories", and also provided a Preface. In 2001, poem "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth" was added in the book.
From the publisher (2001 edition)
Repackaged to feature Tolkien’s own painting of the Tree of Amalion, this collection includes his famous essay, ‘On Fairy-stories’ and the story that exemplifies this, ‘Leaf by Niggle’, together with the poem ‘Mythopoeia’ and the verse drama, ‘The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth’, 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 ‘a long journey to make’ and is seen as an allegory of Tolkien’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 Tolkien’s account of the Battle of Maldon, known as The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth.
Tree and Leaf is an eclectic, amusing, provocative and entertaining collection of works which reveals the diversity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imagination, the depth of his knowledge of English history, and the breadth of his talent as a creator of fantastic fiction.
Publication history and gallery
- Earlier editions
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1964 hardcover
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1964 hardcover 5th impression
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1964 paperback
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1964 paperback 3rd impression
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1964 paperback 5th impression
- George Allen and Unwin, hardcover (1964), pp. 92.
- 1964 hardcover edition, 5th impression (1971), ISBN 0048240133
- Unwin Books, paperback (1964)
- 1964 paperback edition, 3rd impression (1968)
- 1964 paperback edition, 5th impression (1971), ISBN 0048240141
- 1988 and later editions
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1988 hardcover
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1988 paperback
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2001 paperback
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2009 paperback
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2025 paperback
- Unwin Hyman, hardcover (1988), pp. 101. ISBN 0044402546
- Unwin Paperbacks, paperback (1988), ISBN 0044402538
- HarperCollins paperback (2001), pp. 176. ISBN 0007105045
- 2001 paperback edition, 8th? impression (2009)
- HarperCollins paperback (2025), pp. 192. ISBN 0008761892
See also
External links