waltzmn: Brewer's Dictionary covers world folklore, and so cannot be replaced by a single volume of national folklore -- but if you want English folklore, there is no better book than this edition by Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud.

waltzmn: William Rose Benét, in his original publication of The Reader's Encyclopedia, admitted his debt to Brewer's Dictionary. Think of Benet's publication as a revised and improved edition. One suggestion: Don't try for the newer editions of Benet; go for the earlier ones, before the more recent editors cut out all the excellent folklore material and replaced it with all the modern "it's not art unless no one can understand it" type stuff.… (more)

bluepiano: Reference book that's even more interesting than it is helpful. And it's very helpful indeed.