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NOVEMBER 1, 2007 at 8:10 AM
Posted by GERI
Source: BBC
Author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, updated
her site earlier today to announce that she has written a set of fairytales (The Tales of Beedle the Bard) for charity.
Each of the titles were mentioned in the seventh and final book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and six of the seven books were given as 'thank you' gifts to people who have been involved with the series for years. The seventh book will be auctioned off to raise money for her charity, The Children's Voice.
Rowling states that writing the books was a good way to say goodbye to Potter:
People kept saying to me 'you'll be glad to have a break from writing', when of course I wasn't taking a break at all.
I was literally writing out - as these are handwritten books - these new stories which has been a wonderful way to say goodbye. It's like coming up from a deep dive.
Auction house Sotheby's will auction the book on December 13th. A description of the book is below:
Containing clues that were to prove crucial to Harry Potter's final mission to destroy Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the volume of five wizarding fairy-tales left to Hermione Granger by Albus Dumbledore in the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Only one - The Tale of the Three Brothers - is recounted in the book. Now, for the first time, JK Rowling reveals the four remaining tales.
Bound in brown morocco leather, and mounted with hand-chased silver ornaments and seven moonstones, the volume of five stories is one of just seven individual copies - each quite different from the other - hand-written and illustrated by JK Rowling. In a dedication written in the front of the book, she says: "Six of these books have been given to those most closely connected to the Harry Potter books during the last 17 years. This seventh copy will be auctioned; the proceeds to help institutionalised children who are in desperate need of a voice. So to whoever now owns this book, thank you - and fair fortune be yours!"
Sotheby's believe that the work will realise a price in the region of £30,000-50,000. All proceeds from the sale will enable The Children's Voice to transform the lives of thousands of vulnerable children. The charity campaigns for child rights across Europe - particularly Eastern Europe - where over a million children and teenagers are growing up in institutions, often in unacceptable conditions. One of its central aims is to move children out of institutions and into loving families, by building systems to ensure parents can care for their own children and by improving national fostering and adoption programmes for children who are separated from their families.
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Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1426
~Hermione says:
I wish she published them. The books are really precious and the people that recieved them as a gift should be really happy.
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 4:20 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1262
TheSeventhHorcrux says:
Oh, awesome!!! I would LOVE to own something that rare and valuable from the HP series!! That was a good idea of her to write those for a charity book, because it still has to do with HP but it's not the real story. Very cool.
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 6:35 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1608
~Harry's true love~ says:
Oh my god, I can't even begin to explain how much I would want those books. It's such a shame that she isn't going to publish them! I think that I still havent gotten over the fact that Harry Potter is over, and I just want everything that comes from it! I buy EVERYTHING of Harry as long as it relates! I am extreamly glad that she is giving all the money away to charity. I wonder who got the other six books? And if they will ever read the whole seven. Maybe one day I'll come close to one.
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 7:06 PM EST
Auror
Points: 3281
Tenshi says:
Awww! I was excited to hear that she was printing the rest of those stories! But to be available to such a limited audience! That amount is sure to be helpful to the charities though. I hope sometime in the future, the general population will be able to enjoy those tales, also! ^-^
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 8:41 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1582
ALLI8 says:
Wow, i wish she published these, i would love to read them. Or maybe at least find out what they're about. I can't wait for the encylopidia.
alli8
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 9:58 PM EST
Auror
Points: 3659
Anastasia Popovick says:
Only 7 copies? Oh I hope they reproduce the books for mass sales. I would love to have a copy to read with my children. I was fastenated when the children's book appeared in the last book. I really really want a copy!
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 10:05 PM EST
Queen of the Fae
Points: 4616
marauderette says:
of all the things to write to finish the series! I think there are some things fans would rather see, but maybe this means there is hope for her writing more from the series later on . . .
Posted Nov 2, 2007 at 10:57 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 68
saiyanwizardgurl says:
That's so good of Rowling to do...and she's totally right; once you've taken care of all the basic needs for your family, you should think about others in the world who need help...
Of course, I would LOVE to be able to read anything I could from those seven books...but I'll just sit here and hope for that Harry Potter encyclopedia :)...
Posted Nov 3, 2007 at 4:55 AM EST
Antipodean Snow Goddess
Points: 3073
Tikihaha says:
I would give my left arm to get one of those books ... does this mean that they're not going to be available for the public? I hope she'll include them, along with her OFFICIAL encyclopedia ...
Posted Nov 3, 2007 at 7:09 AM EST
Squib
Points: 128
MRS DAN RADCLIFFE says:
cooool!! jk's great. She wrote another book to raise charity for children! But i wish she could publish it. I and the other potter fans would have really loved to read it.
Posted Nov 3, 2007 at 7:24 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 379
potterhottie89 says:
Does this mean she isnt going to write a harry potter encyclopedia?
Posted Nov 3, 2007 at 6:39 PM EST
Witch
Points: 634
Tammyant says:
How fabulous it would be to have that last copy of Beedle the Bard. I would love, at least, to read the stories. I implore JK to make them available to the public in time. I hate knowing there's new information out there and I don't have access to it!
Posted Nov 3, 2007 at 8:05 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1181
princess165 says:
Oh I would love to get one of these books. It must be really special to receive a handwritten book from JK Rowling, and I'm sure the auctioned copy will fetch a lot of money for charity. I think that its a smart idea for her to use this as a way to raise money for charity. And its so sweet how this was the perfect way for her to say goodbye to Harry Potter. I bet the Tales are really good, and I hope one day she will publish them.
Posted Nov 3, 2007 at 9:49 PM EST
Auror
Points: 3571
HufflepuffActress says:
It is great that she did that for charity but it would be nice if we could all see a copy. I wonder what the other stories are about?
Posted Nov 4, 2007 at 12:26 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 63
HpOOTP says:
I think that's such a great idea that she's writing the last Hp books for charity, and the fairytales too. I really want to read them.
Posted Nov 4, 2007 at 9:27 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2621
hbluvhp says:
What a fabulous idea! I love that JK Rowling was busily writing these 7 volumes of fairy tales when everone thought she was taking a wrting break. Has the 7th been auctioned yet?
Posted Nov 4, 2007 at 2:03 PM EST
Witch
Points: 985
Weasleyismyking!/R/Hrfrv says:
It would be amazing to own that seven book! Hopefully Jo one day will decide to put them up for sale.
Posted Nov 5, 2007 at 7:30 PM EST
The Keeper of Time
Points: 2606
krisie says:
I would love to have that book. Good luck to the lucky person who buys it. It would be a lovely book to have. Oh if only I had the money.
Posted Nov 6, 2007 at 6:07 AM EST
Student
Points: 242
ureshiikolichan says:
I love the fct she created handmade copies of the book for the special people tht have helped her&for charity.
But i do not have the kind of money needed to buy the auctioned book. I really wish i could buy, or have one. but as ShiningShina says...even if she could just put them online...i would print out the pages...Although i have no reason to be angered by her humanitaty choice, I still feel that, her fans have supported her and we should be able to hold a coppy of Beedle and the Bard, in our hands. It kinda hurts that she does not feel we should be ble to read a part of Harry Potter history.
Posted Nov 7, 2007 at 1:04 PM EST
Lips of an Angel
Points: 26393
3.1415926535 says:
Hmmm... i cant remember if ive posted here,,.. but i should re-read DH so i can find the names of the books... hahah also someone will spend THOUSANDS and thousands of dollars...on one book,,,.
that amazes me...
Posted Nov 8, 2007 at 7:21 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2495
Jbird says:
I think that's nice for the charity but what about the rest of us poor saps who don't have millions at our disposal-and afterall theres only one that shes selling, the others are to close friends and the like. All of your other fans would like to read the stories as well Jo, we would appreciate some love our way.
Posted Nov 8, 2007 at 11:45 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2011
brenpotterfans says:
I would love to read those stories. She could make a lot more money for charity if she published them. I would run out and buy it the first day.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 11:42 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 374
Big_D says:
That is so cool how she tied that in to the book also. The thing about Dumbledore, she is already a millionair she should just be quit. I wish i could have a copy.
iheartlockhart
Posted Nov 13, 2007 at 10:12 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1161
sno-chik says:
I hope that one day they publish copies of the book because I like to have every last string of the books. I would try to buy the book, but I definetly don't have the money. But congrats to the person who gets it. Your mone will be spent well, and sent with good intent!
:) smiles :)
Posted Nov 17, 2007 at 1:18 PM EST
Witch
Points: 955
im freeeeeeeeee says:
Wow wow wow I am so so so so excited for this book I really want to win it I will spend all my money on it!!!!!
Posted Nov 22, 2007 at 3:32 PM EST
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