HARRY POTTER creator J.K. ROWLING has premiered her first collection of stories since her best-selling boy wizard series.

The world famous author has hand-written and illustrated just seven copies of the Tales Of Beedle The Bard - first mentioned in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - and gave a reading from them in London on Monday night (10Dec07).

One will be sold to raise money for her Children's Voice charity at an auction at Sotheby's in London later this week (beg10Dec07), and the others will be given as gifts.
A dedication written in the front of the book explains: "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!"