Andrew Lang 
The Lilac Fairy Book 

The Lilac Fairy Book by Andrew Lang is a collection of whimsical fairy tales for children and lovers of fantasy to enjoy. Excerpt: 'In the land of Erin there dwelt long ago a widow who had an only son. He was a clever boy, so she saved up enough money to send him to school, and, as soon as he was old enough, to apprentice him to any trade that he would choose. But when the time came, he said he would not be bound to any trade, and that he meant to be a thief.’