Billy Beg and His Bull: An Irish Tale

A fairy tale set in ancient Ireland tells of Billy Beg, the magical bull given to him by his late mother, the queen, and Billy's magical adventures after being forced to flee into the forest.

Grade 2-4-A lively retelling of a popular Irish tale found in many anthologies, including Virginia Haviland's Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Ireland (Little, 1961; o.p.). Billy Beg's mother gives him a magical bull calf just before she dies. When his stepmother tries, through guile, to rid herself of the bull and of Billy, the two escape. The bull gives the young man a magical napkin that provides food when unfolded, a stick that turns into a sword, and a belt that makes him invincible. After a series of adventures in which Billy slays giants with multiple heads and saves a damsel from a dragon, he loses a shoe. A la Cinderella, the princess declares that she will marry the man who fits it, and once reunited, the couple "live happy and well from that day to this." The colloquial language patterns convey the folk roots of the story without overwhelming readers with an Irish brogue. The watercolor illustrations are wonderfully energetic and perfect for all the fight scenes. They also manage, through color and details, to express emotion and foreshadowing. The text is a wee bit long for preschoolers, but primary-age children will enjoy hearing and reading this rousing tale.
Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A pleasantly lilting, somewhat simplified rendition of an Irish tale about a boy and his magical companion: a bull that, dying in battle, leaves the lad a sword and a tablecloth, both with unusual qualities. Before he meets the inevitable princess Billy escapes an evil stepmother, kills three giants, and--``after a terrible fight entirely''--slays a dragon, losing a shoe as he leaves the field. The princess finds it, and...well, that part of the story's familiar too. Root's illustrations twine vigorously around blocks of text, opening to full-page scenes and spreads to capture climactic moments: the bull's death (which has the swirling intensity of a painting by William Blake); Billy's hair standing comically on end when he hears the first giant's roar; the happy couple sharing a goblet at their wedding feast as king and queen drowse contentedly on either side. Greene pays fine tribute to her source, shanachie Seumas MacManus, in a prefatory note. (Folklore/Picture book. 6-8) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Ages 5-8. When his evil stepmother plots against him, Irish prince Billy Beg escapes, thanks to his pet bull. Before he dies, the bull leaves Billy a magic napkin to keep him fed, a magic stick to give him strength, and instructions for making a bull-hide belt to keep the boy from harm. Using the bull's gifts, Billy defeats giants and a dragon to win the hand of a princess. In a Cinderella twist, after the dragon slaying, the princess tears the shoe off Billy's foot as he rides away, then seeks as her husband the man who fits the shoe. Rhythmic and lively in the telling, this tale will entertain children who enjoy folktales of adventure. While not as graceful as the text, the ink-and-watercolor artwork is as expressive and full of action as the tale. Carolyn Phelan