What is the title of J.R.R. Tolkien's essay based on his 1939 Andrew Lang Lecture?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s essay based on his 1939 Andrew Lang Lecture is titled On Fairy-Stories. The lecture was delivered at the University of St Andrews in Scotland on 8 March 1939.

The essay examines what fairy stories are, why they matter, and what kinds of value they can offer readers. Tolkien discusses ideas including recovery, escape, and consolation, arguing that fairy stories should not be dismissed as material intended only for children.

On Fairy-Stories was not first issued as a standalone book. It was published in revised form in 1947 in Essays Presented to Charles Williams, a memorial collection for Tolkien’s friend and fellow Inkling. The essay later appeared in other collections and editions.

Readers sometimes confuse it with The Monsters and the Critics, Tolkien’s influential lecture on Beowulf delivered in 1936. The two works are both important Tolkien essays, but they address different subjects and originated in different public lectures.