Notes
Tales from the Perilous Realm, a collection containing the following works:

• Farmer Giles of Ham, a novella by J.R.R. Tolkien, first published in 1949.
• The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, a collection of poetry by J.R.R. Tolkien, first published in 1962.
• Leaf by Niggle, a short story by J.R.R. Tolkien, first published in the January 1945 issue of The Dublin Review.
• Smith of Wootton Major, a short story by J.R.R. Tolkien, first published in 1967.

Details of all British editions of Tales from the Perilous Realm can be found via these links to Tolkienbooks.net:

• First Edition 1997
• First Paperback Edition 1998
• 2002 Reprint
• Expanded Edition 2008
• Deluxe Edition 2008
• Expanded Paperback Edition 2009

Farmer Giles of Ham is fat and unheroic, but – having unwittingly managed to scare off a short-sighted giant – is called upon to do battle when the dragon Chrysophylax comes to town;

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil tells by way of verse of Tom’s many adventures with hobbits, princesses, dwarves and trolls;

Leaf by Niggle recounts the strange adventures of the painter Niggle who sets out to paint the perfect tree;

Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery thanks to the magical ingredients of the Great Cake of the Feast of Good Children.

The four tales are written with the same skill, quality and hallmarks that made Tolkien’s The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are finally together in a volume which reaffirms Tolkien’s place as a master storyteller for readers young and old.

Farmer Giles of Ham: ’a fabulous tale of the days when giants and dragons walked the kingdom’ – Sunday Times

Leaf by Niggle: ‘A haunting and successful demonstration of the qualities of faerie’ – New York Times

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil: ‘something close to genius’ – The Listener

Smith of Wootton Major: ‘Whoever reads it at eight will no doubt still be going back to it at eighty’ – New Statesman