London folk tales

London is a world unto itself; an outrageous, quirky and diverse microcosm where all walks of life cross paths, their languages jostling and mingling – and there are tales whichever way you turn.

Now thirty of the best, drawn from oral history and newly recorded local reminiscence, as well as folk sources and written texts, have been brought to life by a mistress of storytelling.

Here you will find Dick Whittington alongside the patron saint of cobblers, a royal rat rubbing shoulders with the Maid Uncumber, and fish that decide destinies.

Revisit old friends and discover new ones in this wonderful selection of London folk tales – as light and dark, and as full of unexpected twists, as the streets of London itself.