Babes in the Wood
Illustrated by Randolph Caledcott

This is a traditional story that has also become a popular Pantomime tale. First published by Thomas Millington in 1559 as a ballad.

It tells the tale of two children who after the death of their parents, are left in the care of an Uncle. He does not want the children to grow and claim their inheritance and so he hires two men to take the children to the woods and kill them. When they try to do this, they find themselves unable to go through with the murder and instead abandon the children in the wood. Unable to fend for themselves the children die and are covered with leaves by Robins.

This wonderfully illustrated version was drawn by Randolph Caledcott (1846–1886) who was born in Chester. It is hard to imagine what an effect he had on the children of the Victorian Era with his pictures that were so full of life.

This series proved so popular that he went on to produce two books every Christmas for eight years, priced at 1/- shilling each.

Please click here to view a free online version of the book