This edition includes the following editor's introduction: Nathaniel Hawthorne and Dark Romanticism

First published in 1853, "Tanglewood Tales" is a collection of children's stories by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Written as a sequel to "A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys" (1851), "Tanglewood Tales" is more serious than its lighthearted predecessor.
The collection is a re-writing of six well-known Greek myths in a volume for children. The tales are "The Minotaur," "The Pygmies," "The Dragon's Teeth," "Circe's Palace," "The Pomegranate Seeds," and "The Golden Fleece." Because Hawthorne considered the original myths to be impure and inappropriate for his readership, he altered such stories as the seduction of Ariadne by Theseus and the abduction of Persephone by Pluto.
Hawthorne wrote an introduction, titled "The Wayside", referring to The Wayside in Concord, where he lived from 1852 until his death.
A vibrant selection of mythological tales inspired by some of the most popular figures in Greek lore. "Tanglewood Tales" is filled with heroes and heroines, as well as magicians and kings, whimsical characters and their fantastical stories.