Which Tolkien work was first published in 1964 with the essay “On Fairy-Stories”?

Tree and Leaf was first published in 1964 with Tolkien’s essay “On Fairy-Stories.”

Tree and Leaf is a collection that brings together “On Fairy-Stories” and the short story “Leaf by Niggle.” The volume was published by George Allen & Unwin in 1964. Tolkien used the book to present both a major piece of literary criticism and a symbolic tale about artistic work.

“On Fairy-Stories” developed from a 1939 Andrew Lang lecture delivered at the University of St Andrews. In it, Tolkien discussed the nature and value of fairy stories, including fantasy, recovery, escape, and consolation. The essay became one of his most influential statements about imaginative literature.

The title can be confused with Tolkien’s later collections and individual publications. Tree and Leaf is not a Middle-earth narrative such as The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings; it is chiefly a literary and short-fiction volume.