Many remember William Morris for the great beauty of the decorative art and exquisitely-made useful objects that he created at his studio. The beauty of his art influences design and decoration today, transcending the still-popular work of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, with whom he is always associated today. Morris was also a great collector of medieval texts and Icelandic legends, devoting much of his fortune, and many hours to this pursuit. Morris wrote much good poetry, and many books and pamphlets in support of his belief in the trade union and the British worker, a cause which was, at the time, becoming British socialism. Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair was originally published in 1895. William Morris was born in 1834 near the magical British forest of Epping, a place that is said to have not changed since Medieval times. Gaining a love for the animals, birds, and flowers of the forest, Morris' youthful wanderings in the dark Epping glades not only inspired the natural themes found in many of his decorative works, but also in his poetry and in the fairy tales that he wrote.

Author Biography

William Morris ( 1834 - 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, novelist, translator and socialist activist. Associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement, he was a major contributor to the revival of traditional British textile arts and methods of production. His literary contributions helped to establish the modern fantasy genre, while he played a significant role in propagating the early socialist movement in Britain.