Tales of King Cambrinus

Charles Deulin (1827-1877) was a French writer, theater critic, and folklorist who is mostly remembered today for his contemporary adaptations of European folk tales. His work has been kept in print for its humor, sense of wonder, and love for the culture of eastern France/western Belgium. He published two collections of fairy tales, Tales of a Beer-Drinker (1868) and Tales of King Cambrinus (1874), both included in this volume. Meet Cambrinus, the king of beer; Green-Jeans, the dragon slayer; Martin and Martine, the bell ringing lovers; Little Peter, who will become the fabled Manikin-Pis; the Wandering Jew; Death and the Devil as drinking companions; and many more colorful characters. Deulin reinvigorated classic tales by incorporating local vernacular language and infusing them with the character of the Low Countries in which he lived, a region where customs and folklore rhyme with the pleasures of tasting and beer-drinking.