The Tales of Beedle the Bard

5b J. K. Rowling. First Edition, December 2008. SIGNED.

Notes

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of five magical fairy tales written by J.K. Rowling, first published for the general public in December 2008. Unlike traditional Muggle fairy tales, these stories are deeply rooted in the magical world, offering moral lessons and insight into wizarding culture. Each tale—such as The Fountain of Fair Fortune, The Warlock’s Hairy Heart, and the most famous, The Tale of the Three Brothers—blends whimsy with dark undertones, accompanied by commentary from Albus Dumbledore that reflects on their meanings and historical relevance within the wizarding world. The book provides a deeper understanding of wizarding values, ethics, and the age-old tension between magic and morality.

J.K. Rowling originally wrote The Tales of Beedle the Bard by hand in 2007 as a personal gift, creating just seven handwritten and illustrated copies, each bound in leather and decorated with semi-precious stones. Six were given to close friends and key people involved in the Harry Potter series, while the seventh was auctioned for charity, purchased by Amazon for nearly £2 million. Due to overwhelming fan interest, a mass-market edition was published in December 2008, with proceeds supporting the Children’s High Level Group (now Lumos), Rowling’s charity. This publication marked the first time fans around the world could read the full stories mentioned briefly in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The book is directly connected to the Harry Potter series, particularly Deathly Hallows, in which The Tale of the Three Brothers plays a crucial narrative role. The tale introduces the Deathly Hallows—the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and Invisibility Cloak—which become central to the final book’s plot and Harry’s understanding of sacrifice, power, and destiny. Hermione receives a copy of the book from Dumbledore’s will, and it serves as a key to unlocking the mystery of the Hallows. In this way, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is more than just a collection of stories; it’s a vital piece of wizarding lore that enriches the broader mythology of the Harry Potter universe.

Description

Signed on title page with certified holographic sticker authenticating the signature on title page.

The book itself is bound in brown leather, with a faux hand-tooled cover embossed to simulate age and magical significance. A large, metal skull-shaped clasp with crossbones adorns the front, functioning as both a closure and a striking decorative element. The spine is also decorated with raised bands and elegant tooling, designed to resemble an old medieval tome one might find in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library.

Inside, the pages are printed in a rich blue ink, which adds to the arcane and mystical aesthetic. The pages are intentionally textured to resemble parchment, and small illustrations by Rowling herself accompany each tale, giving a handmade feel that echoes the original handwritten versions.

The book is housed in a purple velvet drawstring pouch, giving it a sense of magical secrecy and preciousness. This pouch fits inside a custom-designed clamshell case resembling a Hogwarts library book, complete with metallic foil embossing and a ribbon pull-tab. The case itself opens like a treasure chest, lined in satin, and is decorated with silver rune-like symbols and magical motifs that enhance the feeling of a relic from the wizarding world. Additional prints included in inner cover of custom box.