Benedek Elek

Hungarian author, journalist, more widely known as "the great folk-tale teller" ("a nagy mesemondó") of Hungarian fairy tales. Born: 30 September 1859, Kisbacon, Erdély (Transylvania), Hungary (now Romania). Died: 17 August 1929, Kisbacon, Romania. He was a member of Parliament between 1887 and 1892. In his speeches he engaged in youth literature, folk poetry, folk language and public education. In 1889 he founded, together with Pósa Lajos, the first Hungarian literary magazine for young people, Az Én Újságom ("My Magazine"). He was the editor of Jó Pajtás ("Good Fellow") with Sebők Zsigmond. He also edited a series of books for youth, called Kis Könyvtár ("Small Library"); this later appeared as Benedek Elek Kis Könyvtára ("Small Library of Benedek Elek"). In 1900 he joined the Kisfaludy Group, a group of famous Hungarian writers and poets. He also wrote poems, dramas, novels and historical fiction books, but the most famous were his fairy tales. In 1885 the Székely Tündérország ("Szekler Fairy-land"), which contains the first original fairy tales from tha authors, appeared. Six years later, in 1891, the Székely mesemondó ("Szekler Storyteller") appeared. Benedek's biggest challenge was the Magyar mese- és mondavilág (World of Hungarian Tales and Legends), which appeared in 5 volumes between 1894 and 1896. This book was dedicated to the Hungarian Millenia. He is the grandfather of Benedek András.