A novel by Pamela Dean, inspired by the ballad. Set on a campus in the 1960s, the self-important banter of the students who are the protagonists rang very true to me, as did the often chaotic feelings of Janet, the main character. The book is very long and a bit of a slow read; although illustrated by Thomas Canty you won't find this a typical urban fantasy. Really, it's more of magical realism, where it's more firmly grounded in our world than not. Recommended, for those who can stand long sensitive novels with lots of Shakespearean badinerie. Part of the Fairy Tale series.