Kids and adults will delight in this bone-chilling, classic tale.  In this spooky, horror-filled picture book, a strange varmint haunts the woodsman who lopped off his tail and had it for dinner.

    Contrary to prevailing ideas at the time, which held that African culture disappeared quickly under slavery and that black Americans had little group pride, history, or cohesiveness, Levine uncovered a cultural treasure trove, illuminating a rich and complex African American oral tradition, including songs, proverbs, jokes, folktales, and long narrative poems called 'toasts', work that dated from before and after emancipation. The fact that these ideas and sources seem so commonplace now is in large part due this book and the scholarship that followed in its wake. A landmark work that was part of the "cultural turn" in American history, Black Culture and Black Consciousness profoundly influenced an entire generation of historians and continues to be read and taught.

    They are best known as the "Four Branches of the Mabinogi," and comprise the tales of Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan, and Math. The remaining stories also spring from the same tree, and together they form a collection that comprises the core of the ancient Welsh mythological cycle. They are also among the best the medieval Celtic literature has to offer.In the first thoroughly revised edition and translation of this world classic since Lady Charlotte Guest's famous Mabinogion went out of print, Mr. Ford has endeavored to present a scholarly document in readable, modern English. Basing his criteria on the latest scholarship in myth, he includes only those stories that have remained unadulterated by the influence of the French Arthurian romances. These are, in addition to the "Four Branches," the tale of "Kulhwch and Olwen," which is rooted in the mythological origins of Arthur, seen here in his role of divine hunter in pursuit of the swine-god; "Lludd and Lleuelis," which reaches beyond its immediate Celtic sources into ancient Indo-European ideologies; and the long unavailable "Tale of Taliesin," which offers insights into Celtic concepts of the archetypal poet-seer and the acquisition of Divine Wisdom.

    Three traditional tales concerning successful attempts to outwit grumpy trolls.

    Then, as the play begins, the perspective shifts and reader becomes the real audience to this unique performance.

    Set in coal mines and remote farm cabins, in hidden hollows and on mountain tops, some of these stories look back to the days when West Virginia was first settled; others reflect the rancor and brutality of the Civil War. But most of these tales guide us through the recent past of the uncommonly rich folk heritage of West Virginia. This

    . . the insights affecting.” —New York Times Book Review “The women who speak through the book shared a vision, a strength, and a spirit that few of us will ever know or understand.” —Christian Science Monitor “You can’t always change things. Sometimes you don’t have no control over the way things go. Hail ruins the crops, or fire burns you out. And then you’re just given so much to work with in a life and you have to do the best you can with what you’ve got. That’s what piecing is. The materials is passed on to you or is all you can afford to buy . . . that’s just what’s given to you. Your fate. But the way you put them together is your business. You can put them in any order you like.” —Mary White, from the Introduction First published in 1977, The Quilters chronicles the lives and quilts of pioneer women of Texas and New Mexico at the turn of the twentieth century. Compelling black and white portraits of the women accompany their moving oral histories, while thirty-six color photographs showcase the quilts. This award-winning book was the basis of the Broadway play Quilters, nominated for seven Tony Awards. Patricia Cooper taught at the University of California at Berkeley until her death in 1987. Norma Bradley Allen is a freelance writer who lives in Cedar Hill, Texas.

    A unique encyclopedia of the flowers of the countryside.Over 1,000 wild flowers are illustrated in full colour photographs, accompanied by comprehensive descriptions and set out in the sequence of the seasons.Each photograph is dated and described to make this book an original departure in flower identification.

    A traditional Russian folktale about the Tsarevitch Ivan and his quest to find the Fire-bird.

    Volume 1 of a four volume study of the national and local festivals of Scotland.

    Arthur Scholey has selected and retold 74 of Sadi's stories of the wisdom, humour and common sense of the kings, servants, lords, slaves and beggars, pupils and teachers, birds, beasts, insects and dervishes.

    

    This sampler comprises the very best of those tales and legends. Gathered within, readers will find an extravagance of beautiful princesses and stout stable boys, sour-faced witches and kings with hearts of gold. Each tale is a masterpiece of storytelling, from the hilarious 'Three Sillies' to the delightfully macabre 'Sammle's Ghost'.

    Mouse Woman's role, as Christie Harris's carefully researched and respectfully told legends tell, was to keep order between other narnauks and humans. Both a teacher and a nurturer, the ever-watchful Mouse Woman keeps a particularly close eye on young people. When they are tricked into trouble (often by other narnauks), she uses tact and her own brand of trickery to set things right. A unique and wonderful character, the ingenious Mouse Woman convinces the young people to change their ways themselves with only a little bit of direction from her. This reissue of the original text features the striking original black-and-white line drawings of Douglas Tait. With a new and more contemporary look, these compelling stories hold appeal for fans of the legendary Harris and all readers drawn to legends and folktales.

    Many of the storytellers were close to one hundred years old when interviewed, with some being the great-grandchildren of the first settlers. Here are tales about robbing a bee tree, hunting wild boar, plowing all day and dancing all night, wading five miles to church through a cypress brake, and making soap using hickory ashes.

    Dena J. Epstein's classic work traces the course of early black folk music in all its guises. Anchored by groundbreaking scholarship, it redefined the study of black music in the slavery era by presenting the little-known development of black folk music in the United States. Her findings include the use of drums, the banjo, and other instruments originating in Africa; a wealth of eyewitness accounts and illustrations; in-depth look at a wide range of topics; and a collection of musical examples. This edition offers an author's preface that looks back on the twenty-five years of changes in scholarship that followed the book's original publication.

    and Canadian universities.

    

    Crafty and cagey -- often the victim of his own magical intrigues and lusty appetites -- he created the earth and man, scrambled the stars and first brought fire . . . and death. Barry Lopez -- National Book Award-winning author of Arctic Dreams and recipient of the John Burroughs Medal for his bestselling masterwork Of Wolves and Men -- has collected sixty-eight tales from forty-two tribes, and brings to life a timeless myth that abounds with sly wit, erotic adventure, and rueful wisdom.

    Presents more than 20 Afro-American folktales featuring the escapades of Brer Rabbit and more than 10 tales describing the lives of Afro-American slaves.

    Four tales in which people encounter fairies and brownies for the first time.

    Young Clint's ingenious scheme foils a villainous train wrecker's attempt to rob the circus train.

    Adam Brake, an astrophysicist, and his son Matthew try to unravel the mystery behind the peculiar behavior of the inhabitants of the little English village of Milbury while investigating the ancient stone circle surrounding it.

    Frequently and in many cultures evil has been personified. This book is a history of the personification of evil, which for the sake of clarity I have called 'the Devil.' I am a medievalist, but when I began some years ago to work with the concept of the Devil in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, I came to see that I could not understand the medieval Devil except in terms of its historical antecedents. More important, I realized that I could not understand the Devil at all except in the context of the problem of evil. I needed to face the issue of evil squarely, both as a historian and as a human being.--from the PrefaceThis lively and learned book traces the history of the concept of evil from its beginnings in ancient times to the period of the New Testament. A remarkable work of synthesis, it draws upon a vast number of sources in addressing a major historical and philosophical problem over a broad span of time and in a number of diverse cultures, East and West. Jeffrey Burton Russell probes the roots of the idea of evil, treats the development of the idea in the Ancient Near East, and then examines the concept of the Devil as it was formed in late Judaism and early Christianity.Generously illustrated with fifty black-and-white photographs, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers, from specialists in religion, theology, sociology, history, psychology, anthropology, and philosophy to anyone with an interest in the demonic, the supernatural, and the question of good and evil.

    Unlike previous works, this book takes a broad comparative view and considers oral poetry from Africa, Asia and Oceania as well as Europe and America. Dr Finnegan includes in her argument the results of topical research from all over the world, thus illuminating and suggesting fresh conclusions to many controversies: the nature of 'oral tradition'; possible connections between types of poetry and types of society; the differences between oral and written communication; and the role of poets in non-literate societies.

    Make the acquaintance of White Ladies and Red Caps, Church Grims and Hobgoblins, English Fairies, Leprechauns, Sirens, Hey-Hey Men, and all of their strange and mythical kin. Become wise in the ways of these magical creatures, some beautiful and benevolent, others cunning, menacing, or morose. For many years, this field guide has been as elusive as a Will-o'-the-Wisp. This is the first opportunity for fans to once again own an English-language edition of one of the most revered introductions to elf folk ever written. Featuring more than 80 new illustrations "Rationalists, materialists, be forewarned: the ancient forces governing earthly incident and momentum lie neither in our heads nor our economics, but, rather, in the revelations from A Field Guide to the Little People." --The New York Times