When Harry Potter And
The Deathly Hallows
was published in 2007, J.K. Rowling left millions of fans simultaneously
satisfied and aching for more; the seven-book series that spawned a popular
movie franchise and endless marketing tie-ins had a definitive conclusion, but
the world Rowling created, with its wizards, witches, and hapless Muggles, was
vivid enough to live beyond the pages. Hallows didn't leave much room
for a sequel, but there's always expansion, and in her first published work
since the series ended, Rowling does just that. The Tales Of Beedle The Bard is a collection of the
most famous stories in the history of Wizarding; slight by design, it's a bit
of fictional methadone for Potter fans still jonesing for their next fix.
Translated from the
original runes by Hermione Granger, Tales features "The Wizard And The Hopping Pot,"
about a selfish young man who learns the value of helping others; "Babbitty
Rabbitty And Her Cackling Stump," about a clever witch who outthinks a
magic-hungry king; and three other fables, each with a moral for impressionable
minds. Accompanying each story is a short essay by Albus Dumbledore; these
essays, often longer than the pieces they comment on, provide context and offer
insight into the mind of one of Rowling's most complicated characters. Those
looking for hints about the future of the Hogwarts mob should take note,
though; for obvious reasons, even Dumbledore's most revealing critiques
describe events well before Harry's arrival at the school.
Proceeds from Beedle go to the Children's High
Level Group, an organization dedicated to helping "institutionalized and
marginalized" kids; that and the collection's brevity make it more of an event
than a major entry in the Rowling canon. But the lack of seriousness works to
the book's benefit. While the Potter novels were often bogged down by overplotting, Beedle's
tales are simple, direct, and, on occasion, surprisingly resonant. Most have
traditional fairy-tale arcs, with cleverness and decency ultimately triumphing
over adversity, but "The Warlock's Hairy Heart" forgoes the usual comforts in
favor of a far darker conclusion. Beedle won't convert anyone not already caught in
Rowling's spell, but for the previously bewitched, it's a pleasant reminder of
what all that fuss was about.