James Stephens born in Dublin in 1880 and was known by the nickname Tiny Tim due to his 4 10 stature. His size, however, did not get in the way of his athleticism as he was a member of the 1901 Irish Shield winning gymnastic team. Shepherd graduated as a solicitors clerk but his Irish Nationalism saw him find work as a registrar in the National Gallery of Ireland. He penned many retellings of Irish Folk and Fairy tales and further wrote original novels based on the traditions as well as poetry.