Mary De Morgan (24 February 1850 – 18 May 1907)[1] was an English writer and the author of three volumes of fairytales: On a Pincushion (1877); The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde (1880); and The Windfairies (1900).
These volumes appeared together in the collection The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde – The Complete Fairy Stories of Mary De Morgan, published by Victor Gollancz Ltd in 1963, with an introduction by Roger Lancelyn Green.
As an author of literary fairytales, her works, heavily influenced by Hans Christian Andersen,[2] are remarkable in deviating from the fairytale norm – often not including a happy ending, or not having the protagonist gain wealth or power (rather procuring the wisdom of recognising the value of living without these things); and in the satirical element of political comment in her works.
[6] Her brother, potter, tile designer and novelist William De Morgan, illustrated her first volume.
[8] In her youth, Mary earned herself a reputation for tactlessness, apparently at one point telling Henry Holiday, "All artists are fools!
[8] Mostly during her time living with William, Mary told stories to her own nephews and nieces, as well as to the children of friends and family, many among them artists and writers of note.
Once the real princess has grown up the fairy godmother takes her back to the court, who unsurprisingly decide to keep the toy, so scared are they of a real woman, who shouts, laughs and cries and has a mind of her own[12][3] Renowned socialist William Morris was a close family friend; indeed, Mary told some of her stories to his children, and it has been suggested that his politics influenced her writings: she ridicules mass-production in "Siegfried and Handa" and "The Bread of Discontent", both of which show beings of evil intent behind a community's turn from well-made, hand-crafted goods to poor-quality mass-produced goods, with disastrous consequences.
[3] De Morgan's stories also often contain the theme of wealth and power being shown to be negative attributes – an attitude which resonates with her remark quoted in Roger Lancelyn Green's introduction to her work: "I am so thankful I have only a small income – it is so delightful planning things and deciding what one can afford.
Forsyth, Kate “Suffragette Mary de Morgan: England’s First Feminist Fairy Tale Writer?"
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales & Fairy Tales Volume One: A-F edited by Donald Haase.