This collection contains lyrical tales, bloody tales and hilariously funny and ripely bawdy stories from countries all around the world - from the Arctic to Asia - and no dippy princesses or soppy fairies. Instead, we have pretty maids and old crones; crafty women and bad girls; enchantresses and midwives; rascal aunts and odd sisters.

    Acclaimed writer, editor, and publisher Armand Eisen brings together timeless childhood favorites in this one-of-a-kind anthology, a perfect bedside companion ready to be picked up again and again.

    Estes's uncle, a war-ravaged Hungarian peasant farmer and refugee, a faithful gardener, and a storehouse of stories who was one of the "dancing fools, wise old crows, grumpy sages, and 'almost saints' who made up the old people" in Estés's childhood.Told with graceful simplicity, deep feeling, generous humor, and profound optimism, The Faithful Gardener is, at its captivating core, the story of an open-hearted child who listened well to her old-country elders and who grew up to remember, to bear witness, and, as one of the premier storytellers of our times, to remind readers and listeners of all ages of "that magisterial life force within all things that strengthens us in times of turmoil or transition, that faithful force which can never die."

    Living in homes built out of tumbleweeds and saguaro ribs (from the fallen giant cacti), the first two javelinas are soon running from the hungry coyote, who had hoped to eat them with red chile sauce. And where do they go for shelter? Why, to their wise sister's house, made strong with adobe bricks. This clever and humorous tale is sure to delight children of all ages, especially those familiar with the Southwest. Dressed in cowboy duds and prepared for life in the rugged desert, these characters are more than any coyote bargained for.

    During his travels, Alexander Carmichael spent hours with peasants in their huts in front of peat fires listening as they "intoned in a low, recitative manner" these poems and prayers. This unique collection of living spirituality drawn from the depths of Celtic Christianity, represents a hidden oral tradition of great power and beauty, handed down through countless generations of Hebridean peasants.Previously available only as a bilingual text in six volumes, this edition in English contributes to a broader awareness of Celtic literature in general. John MacInnes' introduction puts the poems in the context of the life and folklore of the Gaelic community.

    But her prison is far from ordinary, and the story of their relationship becomes a tale of romance that has delighted readers for more than a century. Illustrated.

    Every day Sukey wakes at dawn to work in the garden. All her step-pa ever does is watch her and yell if she so much as stops to fan herself. Sukey's ma calls him Mister Jones. Sukey prefers the name Mister Hard-Times. One day, Sukey runs away to her secret place by the ocean. There, she calls up Mama Jo, a beautiful black mermaid. Mama Jo's got a surprise for Sukey; a magical kingdom beneath the sea without time or pain. But it's also without people. Is it really better than the world above?

    Gods disguised as beggars and beasts, animals enacting Machiavellian intrigues, sagacious jesters and magical storytellers, wise counselors and foolish kings--all inhabit a fabular world, yet one that is also firmly grounded in everyday life. Here is an indispensable guide to India's ageless folklore tradition.With black-and-white illustrations throughoutPart of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library

    They possessed a complicated array of concepts and rituals, a powerful priesthood - the Druids - and a pantheon which included the goddess-queen Medb and the Morrigan, a sinister war-goddess.

    Martin West investigates their traditional mythologies, religions, and poetries, and points to elements of common heritage. In The East Face of Helicon (1997), West showed the extent to which Homeric and other early Greek poetry was influenced by Near Eastern traditions, mainly non-Indo-European. His new book presents a foil to that work by identifying elements of more ancient, Indo-European heritage in the Greek material. Topics covered include the status of poets and poetry in Indo-European societies; metre, style, and diction; gods and other supernatural beings, from Father Sky and Mother Earth to the Sun-god and his beautiful daughter, the Thunder-god and other elemental deities, and earthly orders such as Nymphs and Elves; the forms of hymns, prayers, and incantations; conceptions about the world, its origin, mankind, death, and fate; the ideology of fame and of immortalization through poetry; the typology of the king and the hero; the hero as warrior, and the conventions of battle narrative.

    How the Butterflies Came to Be is one of twenty-four Native American tales included in Native American Animal Stories. The stories, coming from Mohawk, Hopi, Yaqui, Haida and other cultures, demonstrate the power of animals in Native American traditions.Parents, teachers and children will delight in lovingly told stories about "our relations, the animals." The stories come to life through magical illustrations by Mohawk artists John Kahionhes Fadden and David Fadden."The stories in this book present some of the basic perspectives that Native North American parents, aunts and uncles use to teach the young. They are phrased in terms that modern youngsters can understand and appreciate ... They enable us to understand that while birds and animals appear to be similar in thought processes to humans, that is simply the way we represent them in our stories. But other creatures do have thought processes, emotions, personal relationships...We must carefully ccord these other creatures the respect that they deserve and the right to live without unnecessary harm. Wanton killings of different animals by some hunters and sportsmen are completely outside the traditional way that native people have treated other species, and if these stories can help develop in young people a strong sense of the wonder of other forms of life, this sharing of Native North American knowledge will certainly have been worth the effort." —excerpt from the forward by Vine Deloria, Jr.These stories first appeared in Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac

    He argues that tribal peoples have not tried (& failed) to be like us, but have actually chosen to live differently. By examining the roads they took that we did not, we can get a better insight into the choices we ourselves make, the price we pay for them, & the possibility of modifying them. The book includes full-color photographic essays on the Dogon, Xavante, Aborigines, Makuna, Gabra, Wodaabe, Weyewa, Nyinba, Huichol, & Navajo peoples.

    The enlarged format of the illustrations are reproduced from the recently reoriginated printing plates.

    They have attempted to explain the mysteries and allay the fears in the same way - through the worship of gods. Deities have been identified with the human psyche for at least 60,000 years. Encyclopedia of Gods offers concise information on more than 2,500 of these deities, from the most ancient gods of polytheistic societies - Hittite, Sumerian, Mesopotamian - to the most contemporary gods of the major monotheistic religions - Allah, God, Yahweh. Among the cultures included are African peoples, Albanian, Pre-Islamic Arabian, Aztec, Babylonian, Buddhist, Canaanite, Celtic, Egyptian, Native American, Etruscan, Germanic, Greek, Roman, Hindu, Persian, Polynesian, and Shinto. The Encyclopedia includes not only the most significant gods of each culture but minor deities as well. Here you will find information not only on Zeus, Thor and Astarte but also on Tozi, the Aztec goddess of healing, Annamurti, the Hindu patron deity of the kitchen, and Nyakaya, the Shilluk crocodile goddess. Each entry provides details on what culture worshiped the god, the role of the god, and the characteristics and symbols used in identification. In the case of the more important personalities, references in art and literature and known dates of worship are also provided. Indexes by civilization and role of the god enable the researcher to compare gods across cultures or to find information on specific topics of interest. Encyclopedia of Gods will be indispensable to students and researchers in religions, anthropology, history and archaeology. It will also provide endless information for thereader interested in mythology and legend.

    This book offers an introductory guide to the beliefs and customs of the ancient Mesopotamians, as revealed in their art and their writings between about 3000 B.C. and the advent of the Christian era. Gods, goddesses, demons, monsters, magic, myths, religious symbolism, ritual, and the spiritual world are all discussed in alphabetical entries ranging from short accounts to extended essays. Names are given in both their Sumerian and Akkadian forms, and all entries are fully cross-referenced. A useful introduction provides historical and geographical background and describes the sources of our knowledge about the religion, mythology and magic of "the cradle of civilisation."

    Through powerful techniques of visualization and imagination, a set of keys to understanding ourselves is found.

    His songs have enriched his life and his life has filled his songs with every emotion dear to the soul. But his deep understanding of sorrow and injustice have not spoiled a single note. He sings to enliven and encourage, to delight and tell tales. He snatches the riches of folksinging from as many sources as he can find and gives them freely and gladly to any audience that cares to listen.Decades of work and travel have made him famous but he remains forever in tune with the folk. He describes his friends and inspirations, his conflicts with the bosses and the government, his favorite songs, stories, and instruments, and the kind of learning that comes from listening carefully. "Any fool can get complicated," he writes. "We are born in simplicity but die of complications."

    This book examines the traditions of the Faery realm as a source of transformation and enlightenment

    Fourteen selkie (half-seal half-human creatures) tales from the Orkney and Shetland islands which embrace the fantasy, romance and unusual perspective of the Scottish travellers.

    31 full-color illustrations.

    Each card in the Enchanted Deck of playing cards illustrates a traditional rhyme or verse. The designs are repeated in the companion volume, accompanied by the verses that inspired them.

    But he must accomplish three apparently impossible tasks before Sky God will give him what he wants. Is he clever enough to do as Sky God asks? “The tale moves along with the swift concision of a good joke, right down to its satisfying punch line.”--Publishers Weekly “Wildly exuberant, full of slapstick and mischief, this version of an enduring Nigerian trickster tale, featuring a clever rabbit, is a storyteller’s delight.”--Booklist

    This revised and enlarged second edition includes much additional information about the major herbs in the Mayan pharmacopoeia. Their work proves that the rainforest has more value to mankind alive than cut down!

    

    Fisher is Hawthorne Professor of Political Science at Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia.

    And so begins Dom DeLuise's hilarious retelling of this famous fairytale, as the headstrong young heroine leaves her parents' home without permission to go for a walk in the woods. The bears, epicures one and all, are out for a walk while their pasta e fagioli cools, and return to discover the mess created by Goldilocks as she makes herself at home. Delightfully illustrated by Christopher Santoro, DeLuise's illustration partner on other picture books.

    The alien qualities of these edges of the earth became the basis of a literary tradition that endured throughout antiquity and into the Renaissance, despite the growing challenges of emerging scientific perspectives. Here James Romm surveys this tradition, revealing that the Greeks, and to a somewhat lesser extent the Romans, saw geography not as a branch of physical science but as an important literary genre.

    He is both storyteller and explicator, deciphering the symbolic world of Lithuanian mythology.This first English translation of Apie Dievus ir zmones is a brilliant convergence of Greimas's historical and folkloric studies. Greimas examines the origins of ancient deities; discusses the concepts of life and death, fate and fortune; looks at codes used by farmers to organize systems of mutual obligations and implicit contracts; examines pranks and games associated with agrarian seasonal changes; and discusses the semantic reconstruction of the names and functions of several deities.Emphasizing the historic dimension of myth analysis, Greimas assembles concepts and deities from scattered texts, integrating them into their Lithuanian cultural context. This study of mythology is his archeology of culture.

    Herbalist Elisabeth Brooke explains where, when, and how to collect herbs; how to dry, store, and prepare them; and how to use them for physical, emotional, and ritual purposes. She also traces their mythological history, astrological significance, and main chemical components and offers recipes for food, drinks, and medicines.

    Through her analysis, she presents a view not common in anthropological writings--the view of millions of Africans--that ritual is the harnessing of spiritual power.

    Children's literature, Maria Tatar maintains, has always been more intent on producing docile minds than playful bodies. From its inception, it has openly endorsed a productive discipline that condemns idleness and disobedience along with most forms of social resistance. In this book she explores how Perrault, the Grimms, and others reshaped fairy tales to produce conciliatory literary texts that dedicate themselves to the project of socializing the child.

    The exuberant illustrations manage to be both familiar and dramatic and range in tone from comic exaggeration to understatement and unashamed sentiment. Informal notes at the head of each song give something about history, origin, performance, and possibilities for variation. The notes also express the sense of connection with ordinary people's lives that is at the heart of this collection."--Booklist (starred)

    Chinen's search led him to centuries-old stories from the oral tradition. These stories tell what happens in the "ever after", when the Prince goes bald and the Princesses has a midlife crisis. They portray middle-aged men and women facing the issues of midlife: the loss of ideals; gender differences; dealing with crisis; aging and mortality; and the desire for renewal. Listeners will find that many midlife crisis are universal and timeless and that their ultimate resolutions as described in these stories guide them through the peaks and valleys of midlife.

    But what really happens then? The unique stories in this book, collected from around the world, provide the answer. They portray men and women at midlife, and offer timeless wisdom for surviving - and growing - in this often turbulent time. This expanded edition of the popular, international classic contains further commentary, especially useful for a post 9/11 world."These are tales of the surprising twists and turns of life that occur between the loss of youthful magic and the gaining of elder's wisdom - delightfully told by a wise and witty psychiatrist." June Singer, Ph.D., author of Boundaries of the Soul and Seeing through the Visible World."This book contains storytelling at its best. The tales can guide the reader through the trials and tribulations of this time by shining a light into the darkness." Robert A. Johnson, author of He and She.

    Author Judy Sierra presents 24 versions that represent a broad range of cultures and geographical areas, styles, with variations on the theme of the persecuted heroine (or occasionally hero) who emerges victorious, regardless of the circumstances. Each version is accompanied by a short introductory paragraph that summarizes the plot and discusses the cultural background of the story.

    what Jack means to Davis himself, his heritage, and his development as a storyteller. Jack is truly alive and well, and living in the incarnation of Donald Davis". -- Territorial Tattler

    One need look no further than the roadside crosses along desert highways or the diversity of local celebrations to sense the richness of this cultural commingling. Folklorist Jim Griffith has lived in the Pimería Alta for more than thirty years, visiting its holy places and attending its fiestas, and has uncovered a background of belief, tradition, and history lying beneath the surface of these cultural expressions. In Beliefs and Holy Places, he reveals some of the supernaturally sanctioned relationships that tie people to places within that region, describing the cultural and religious meanings of locations and showing how bonds between people and places have in turn created relationships between places, a spiritual geography undetectable on physical maps. Throughout the book, Griffith shows how culture moves from legend to art to belief to practice, all the while serving as a dynamic link between past and future. Now as the desert gives way to newcomers, Griffith's book offers visitors and residents alike a rare opportunity to share in these rich traditions.

    Tiggy-Winkle, Ginger and Pickles, and More ... all set to Look-and-Find style.

    A humorous and ironic folk tale from the Maasai of East Africa in which only the frog (a most unlikely heroine) is courageous enough to take on a bully.

    The evil eye—the power to inflict illness, damage to property, or even death simply by gazing at or praising someone—is among the most pervasive and powerful folk beliefs in the Indo-European and Semitic world.  It is also one of the oldest, judging from its appearance in the Bible and in Sumerian texts five thousand years old.  Remnants of the superstition persist today when we drink toasts, tip waiters, and bless sneezers.  To avert the evil eye, Muslim women wear veils, baseball players avoid mentioning a no-hitter in progress, and traditional Jews say their business or health is "not bad" (rather than "good").    Though by no means universal, the evil eye continues to be a major factor in the behavior of millions of people living in the Mediterranean and Arab countries, as well as among immigrants to the Americas.  This widespread superstition has attracted the attention of many scholars, and the twenty-one essays gathered in this book represent research from diverse perspectives:  anthropology, classics, folklore studies, ophthalmology, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, sociology, and religious studies.  Some essays are fascinating reports of beliefs about the evil eye, from India and Iran to Scotland and Slovak-American communities; others analyze the origin, function, and cultural significance of this folk belief from ancient times to the present day.  Editor Alan Dundes concludes the volume by proffering a comprehensive theoretical explanation of the evil eye.     Anyone who has ever knocked on wood to ward off misfortune will enjoy this generous sampling of evil eye scholarship, and may never see the world through the same eyes again.

    This stunning book of more than 200 photographs-137 in full color-celebrates the enduring works of love and beauty assembled by the Florida Quilt Heritage Project, a five-year program to discover, document, and preserve the history of Florida as expressed through Florida quilts and the lives of the quilters.

    160 illustrations, including 50 in full color.

    A general introduction is followed by 15 sections (Customs and Pageantry, Standing Stones, Mythical Creatures, The Arthurian Cycle, Christian Folklore, The Devil and his Works, Fairy Lore, Witchcraft and Magic, Heroes and Villains, Historical Hauntings, Mysteries of the Past; Omens and Family Traditions, Superstitions and Charms, Royal Traditions, and Pub Lore of Old England), each of which also has its own short preface, but is mainly presented as an A - Z guide. For example, within Mythical Creatures readers can find out about the Loch Ness Monster, St George and the Dragon, the Yeth or Wish Hounds, and so on; within Heroes and Villains are Arthur, Boudicca, Robert the Bruce, Robin Hood, and so on. References are included to relevant places to visit and at the end of the book there is a Folk Custom Calendar of events held throughout the year.

    Both styles are centered around the same animal event--a pack of hounds in gregarious pursuit of a fox--but there the resemblance ends. English-style foxhunters, mounted on horseback--riding to hounds--in a spectacular display of social hierarchy and equestrian skill, provide the familiar image. Less well known is the Anglo-American practice of working-class foxhunters who, "listening to hounds" around campfires and pickup trucks throughout the fields, woods, and mountains of the eastern United States, determine from canine voices what is transpiring in this venerable contest between wild and domestic canids. Chaseworld is a study of the foxhunters who listen to hounds in the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey. Mary Hufford examines the activities that occur before, during, and after foxchases and analyzes the stories that hunters tell about chases. Through these activities and narratives, she contends, Pine Barrens foxhunters have collaboratively constructed an alternate reality--the Chaseworld. Hufford discusses the chase itself as a performance unfolding through an established sequence of events, and ordered according to clearly understood rules and conventions. Orchestrating and interpreting the chase, foxhunters conjure the Chaseworld, a realm wherein nature and society are uniquely reconstituted. Apart from foxchases, narrative performances provide another way of conjuring and inhabiting the Chaseworld. Drawing upon theories from folklore, phenomenological sociology, and symbolic anthropology, Hufford explores the interrelations of the Chaseworld and everyday life, and suggests possible meanings and functions of the Chaseworld in the lives of its creators. Her fresh and sensitive study will be of interest to students and scholars of folklore, anthropology, and American studies.

    Unprintable Ozark Folksongs and Folklore, Volume II, Folk Rhymes and Other Lore

    Henderson was also a highly original translator of poetry - from Gaelic, French, German, Latin and Greek - much of it into Scots, and also of the work of the Italian socialist Antonio Gramsci, whose Prison Letters he published in English in 1974.This book brings together around sixty pieces spanning fifty years - essays, articles, reviews and reminiscences - which demonstrate the enormous diversity of his interests. There are essays on literature (Hugh MacDiarmid and Lorca), politics (post-war Germany, the Clearances), and, of course, on the folk song tradition. Alias MacAlias was first published by Polygon in 1992. Birlinn will publish a major biography of Hamish Henderson by Timothy Neat in 2005.

    Presents portraits of Cajun and Zydeco musicians and their fans, as well as photographs of the clubs and dances where they perform.

    Materials for both are drawn entirely from the Archive of Turkish Oral Narrative at Texas Tech University. Whereas the tales in the earlier volume were collected between 1961 and 1964, most of those in More Tales Alive in Turkey were taped in Turkey in the 1970s and 1980s.

    This dictionary offers an enlightening account of the role that animals real and fantastical have played in shaping the myths, religion and customs of the world, from primordial times to present day.