It was a great joy to re-read Tree and Life by J.R R. Tolkien. I remember purchasing this book on a cold December day in Oxford last year when I was with a friend at Blackwell's.

My favorite piece from the book is the "Mythopoeia" poem. The poem is a moving read about how although we are fallen human beings, we are still co-creators with God in our artistic endeavors, and that myth is something which reflects divine truth. Tolkien elaborates on this truth brilliantly in his his wonderful essay On Fairy Stories about the dying and rising god story coming true in the story of Christ.

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth is fascinating, and Leaf by Niggle is a poignant story about the painter Niggle who experiences many trials, struggles, and calls for help while trying to finish his visual art project. In the end Niggle does finish despite interruptions and rejoices. The story is a beautiful allegory of Tolkien's life. He must have experienced that same joy as Niggle did when he finally finished The Lord of the Rings.

Leaf by Niggle. Excellent.

“On Fairy Stories”, Tolkien’s famous essay and the reason I purchased this small collection, is a beautiful frame for seeing exactly why his famous trilogy is such a moving and (if your experience was anything like mine) personally Joy-bringing experience. Years ago, The Fellowship of the Ring was resurrection to me in the worst period of my life so far. This essay showed my why.

*I nearly left it at the cliched “required reading for X” but I think Tolkien would frown upon such boring praise.

وای وای وای وای! چی می‌تونم بگم؟!! :)))

حالا پس یه‌کم خاطره بگم دل‌تون بسوزه؛ من این کتابو با مطهره‌جان خریدم! بله بله همین مطهره گودریدزمون! یاح یاح یاح!*خنده‌ی-شیطانی* راه رفتیم حرف زدیم و حس کردم خدایا من چرا باید اینقد دیر باهاش آشنا بشم. رفتیم کتابفروشیا بعد رفتیم کافه نقاشی کردیم باقلوا خوردیم و حرفای بسیار بسیار شیطانی زدیم. *نیشخند-خبیثانه* و خلاصه تو یکی از کتابفروشیا درخت و برگ رو دیدم و گفتم چطوره؟ برام گفت و از وصفش خوشم اومد و الانم دارم از ذوق منفجر می‌شم. مشخصه. :))

درخت و برگ افزون بر سه داستان پریانش، یه مقدمه داره و یه مقاله تهش که اونا هم خیلی عالی بودن. درخت و برگ رو دوست دارم هی بخونم، خیلی از همه نظر برام کامل بود. طنز تالکین اینجا محشره، اینطوری نیست که حسابی بخندی ولی خیلی طنز لطیف و قشنگیه. داستان‌ها هم چیزهای جدیدی نیستن، فکر نکنین اوووف الان با یه چیز خیلی جدید و نو روبه‌رو می‌شین که به فکر فرو برین. نه، داستان‌ها خیلی روون و خیال‌انگیز و کودکانه‌ن. یه جور کودکانه‌ای که زمخت‌ترین آدمم می‌تونه ازشون لذت ببره. درخت و برگ شده جزو اون کتابایی که با حالتِ سنجابِ عصریخبندان، به خودم می‌فشرم. دلم می‌خواست بیشتر درباره داستانا بگم تا حسم. ولی اینقد خوشم اومده که باید یه دور دیگه بخونم تا بتونم نظر یا تحلیلی چیزی بنویسم، هرچند وقتی لذتِ آدم از یه حدی بیشتر می‌شه بهتره قید این چیزا رو بزنه به نظرم.

This little collection is so delightful! Each addition so different, all engaging and just further evidence of the amazing mind and creativity of Tolkien.
The cover of this edition is an illustration he drew of the Tree of Amalion, which he created and reproduced over and again, but which was never figured in any story.
The contents include 'On Fairy-Stories', an eighty page scholarly treatise/apologetic, complete with references and footnotes, and examples from writers such as the brothers Grimm and Lewis Carroll, analyzed to defend his concept of what does and does not qualify as a fairy tale. Requires some degree of concentration and focus to stay with him.
Next is his delightful poem, Mythopoeia, again defending the worth of 'myth' as a written form, written by a lover of myth to a hater of the form.
Then my favorite, 'Leaf by Niggle', a semi-biographical short story illustrating the eventual creative triumph of a little protagonist, after wading through trial and prejudice.
Last in this collection is Tolkien's translation, and reworking of an actual historical poem from the Old English, describing the aftermath of a disastrous battle fought in the year AD 991 where an English King was defeated by Viking forces. This is important because it demonstrate's Tolkien's mastery of the language from which he created the languages of 'Middle-Earth'.
The whole volume is a treasure, which I heartily recommend to all!

Great little book about Faërie and the process behind Tolkien's world-building stories. A little dense at times but some very good points made; namely that faerie stories are not supposed to replace reality but to build on and recover it. Reality should act as a basis for more fantastical and imaginative ideas.

I found the concept of "Eucatastophe" very interesting; his point being that there should be a redemptive arc to all faerie stories, as a symbol of hope rather than defeat. Pain and suffering should not be hidden away from these stories, but it need not end in this way. They are written for children and adults alike, but mainly for adults, who will appreciate the full spectrum of concepts expressed. This form of escapism warrants a joyful payoff.

In a small amount of time, the voice of Tolkien became soothing as I read this. I have often felt as if Tolkien was kin to my own soul; brave in his sentimentality and bold in his desire to create. Here in this book I found that each part or sub-book within met me with profound thoughts and emotions, each dear to myself. In “On Fairy Stories” I was found thinking and escaping; in “Mythopoeia” I was found smiling; in “Leaf by Niggle” I was longing and crying (in the warmest of ways); in “The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth” I was shivering, reciting, dreaming, and dreading. I am better now to have read each part of this book.

مقدمه و مؤخره‌های کتاب به همراه نمونه‌های داستانی تالکین، مجموعه‌ای عالی برای درک ادبیات تخیلی مدرن می‌سازند. از نظر تالکین، «داستان‌های پریان به مثابه‌ی یک کل دارای سه چهره‌اند؛ چهره‌ی عرفانی که رو به امر مافوق طبیعی دارد، چهره‌ی جادویی که معطوف به طبیعت است و چهره‌ی آینه‌ای یا آینه‌ی سرزنش و دلسوزی که رو به انسان دارد.»
برگ اثر نیگل، مانیفستی است برای خود داستان پریان. جایی که ساحت خیالات شخصی است که مرزهای واقعیت را مشخص می‌کند. و چگونه می‌توان خیال را گسترش داد؟ با تماس با واقعیت: همراهی با چوپانِ راهنما برای کشفِ آن سوی کوهستان، مشورت با باغبان برای کامل کردن برگ‌ها و درخت‌ها، با طی کردن دوره‌ی برزخ‌مانندِ کار کردنِ بی‌معنا و معنادار کردنِ آن.
در داستان دوم، می‌بینیم که داستان پریان واقعا چیست. جایی که خود سحر و جادو جای شک ندارد - یعنی قانونِ پذیرفته‌شده‌ای است که نیازی به توجیه ندارد. اثرات جادوی پریان در زندگی انسان‌ها مشهود است، حتا بر آنان که به جادو اعتقادی ندارند. پریان خودِ طبیعت‌اند و این انسان است که فراطبیعی است.

My favorite bit in this book: the short story "Leaf by Niggle". Sounds odd but grows from a strange beginning to a glorious joyful tale. Typical, wonderful Tolkien.

I found the essay on fairy stories a challenge to read yet, I found the concepts unique. This is something I look forward to reading again to glean more. Leaf by Niggle was delightful. The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son was a new experience: verse of a battle between the English and Vikings more than 1000 years ago.

Overall, a wide variety of Tolkien, leaving me wanting to read it all again to find what I may have missed.

Very insightful opinions on the genre Fantasy/ Fairy-stories. It helped me a lot to understand a little of this so vast a world...

An interesting miscellany from Tolkien. His essay on fairy stories gives an insight into his uses of faerie and myth as well as looking at faerie fiction from a Christian perspective : that our mythmaking reflects the essence and narrative making of a creator until it is one day perfected . This idea is developed further in the poem Mythopaia . Leaf By Niggle is a fascinating parable on true posterity and the book closes with an example of Tolkiens translation of Saxon poetry .