Joseph Jacobs

Biography

Joseph Jacobs (1854–1916) was an Australian-born British folklorist, literary critic, and historian who compiled some of the most popular collections of fairy tales and folk stories in the English language. Born in Sydney, Jacobs was educated at the University of London and Cambridge, and became a leading figure in British folklore studies. His collections—English Fairy Tales (1890), Celtic Fairy Tales (1892), Indian Fairy Tales (1892), and others—brought folk narratives from diverse traditions to a wide readership with scholarly annotation and engaging presentation. Jacobs was committed to making folklore accessible to children while maintaining scholarly integrity, and his retellings became standard versions of many well-known tales. He was also a significant Jewish historian and served as editor of the Jewish Encyclopedia. His folklore collections remain in print and continue to introduce readers to the rich traditions of English, Celtic, and Indian storytelling.