Readers young and old will be enchanted by the vision and mastery of Kinuko Y. Craft's luminous paintings, inspired by the lavish artwork of late seventeenth-century France and embellished with extraordinary borders and ornamentation.Rich with radiant color and astonishing detail, here is a dream come true for anyone who has ever believed in living happily ever after.

    Included are the Shepherd Boy and The Wolf, the Lion and the Mouse, the Tortoise and the Hare, plus many other charactersand moralsthat have inspired countless readers for centuries. With more than fifty magnificent full-color illustrations, this handsome edition is a must for every bookshelf.

    It includes Li Chi, the serpent slayer, and the old woman sly enough to outsmart the devil.

    Each grouping is introduced and annotated by Jack Zipes, the genre's reigning expert. Twenty illustrations accompany the texts. Criticism includes seven important assessments of different aspects of the fairy tale tradition, written by W. G. Waters, Benedetto Croce, Lewis Seifert, Patricia Hannon, Harry Velten, Siegfried Neumann, and Jack Zipes. Brief biographies of the storytellers and a Selected Bibliography are included.

    A tiny creature comes to save her under the condition that she has three chances to guess his name right.West Indian

    In these pages you will meet extraordinary beings from Hindu and Navajo religions, Scandinavian tales, Russian folklore, Lithuanian stories, Irish oral history, American tall tales, and Aztec myth. Just some of the monstrous entourage:• Baku, a benevolent Japanese monster with the body of a horse, the head of a lion, and the legs of a tiger, who helps people by devouring their nightmares.• Kurma, the giant tortoise of Hindu myth, whose upper shell forms the heavens and lower part the earth.• Missipissy, the feared fish serpent of North America's Great Lakes region.This illustrated encyclopedia not only identifies and describes individual beasts in their cultural context but also groups them together across cultures and discusses common mythological strands and conceits.

    Now The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales provides the first authoritative reference source for this complex, captivating genre. With more than 800 entries written by a team of 67 specialists from around the world, the Companion offers an illuminating look at the classic tales themselves, both ancient and modern, from Jack and Jill and Cinderella to Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. The contributors also profile the writers who wrote or reworked these luminous tales, as well as the illustrators, film-makers, choreographers, and composers who have been involved with creating or interpreting them. The Companion also covers such related topics as film, art, opera, ballet, music, even advertising. An introductory overview by Jack Zipes sets the subject in its historical and literary context, and special survey articles explore the development of the fairy-tale tradition in individual countries, focusing particularly on the European and North American traditions. The volume includes a detailed bibliography, to aid in further research into this fascinating topic. Strikingly illustrated with 70 beautiful pictures, from early engravings to 20th-century film stills, this is an essential companion for everyone who loves fairy tales and storytelling.

    But his new bride Shahrazad has a clever plan to save herself. Her nightly stories--of Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba, and many other heroes and villains--are so engrossing that King Shahryar has to postpone her execution again and again... This illustrated edition brings together all the Arabian Nights tales in an original retelling by award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean.

    They show that a house is more than a building: it is a living being with a body and soul. Examining the extensive traditions surrounding houses from medieval times to the present, Claude Lecouteux reveals that, before we entered the current era of frequent moves and modular housing, moving largely from the countryside into cities, humanity had an extremely sacred relationship with their homes and all the spirits who lived there alongside them--from the spirit of the house itself to the mischievous elves, fairies, and imps who visited, invited or not. He shows how every aspect of constructing and keeping a house involved rites, ceremony, customs, and taboos to appease the spirits, including the choice of a building lot and the very materials with which it was built. Uncovering the lost meaning behind door and window placement, the hearth, and the threshold, Lecouteux shares many tales of house spirits, from the offerings used to cajole the local land spirit into becoming the domestic house spirit to the good and bad luck bestowed upon those who seek the help of the “Little Money Man.” He draws on studies and classic literature from old Europe--from Celtic lands and Scandinavia to France and Germany to the far eastern borders of Europe and into Russia--to explain the pagan roots behind many of these traditions. Revealing our ancestors’ charms, prayers, and practices to bestow happiness and prosperity upon their homes, Lecouteux shows that we can invite the spirits back into our houses, old or new, and restore the sacred bond between home and inhabitant.

    Tales include The Birth of Cuchulain and Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge. Full-color illustrations.

    

    And this cleverness comes in handy when the cat comes, inviting everyone to join the secret Cat Society.

    True, the mistakes he made were common, ordinary things: a broken promise, a temper lost for no reason, a little untruth told here and there. But unlike most people, Gershon never regretted what he did. He never apologized or asked anyone's forgiveness. Why should he? Every year, on Rosh Hashanah, he would merely stuff his mistakes into a sack and cast them out to sea.Little did Gershon know, though, that his reckless behavior would certainly come back to haunt him. Was there still a chance for him to change?Eric A. Kimmel and Jon J Muth capture all the drama and wonder of this traditional Hasidic legend, as they rekindle our hope for beginning the year anew.

    Although the ciguapas fear humans, Guapa, a bold and brave ciguapa, can't help but be curious--especially about a boy she sees on the nights when she goes on the land to hunt for food. When she gets too close to his family and is discovered, she learns that some humans are kind. Even though she escapes unharmed and promises never to get too close to a human again, Guapa still sneaks over to the boy's house some evenings, where she finds a warm pastelito in the pocket of his jacket on the clothesline.From the Hardcover Library Binding edition.

    These stories (written between 1943 and 1979) combine the mystical and horrific with traditional southern folk tales and legends. At the same time, these stories reveal a post World War 2 modernism that make them much more then pulp romanticism. The paranoia and cynicism of modern weird icons such as the X-files may well have had their genesis in the pulp musings of Manly Wade Wellman. Indeed the intensely driven, idealistic occult investigator John Thunstone could be a pulp/noir stand in for Fox Mulder.This work will be issued in a fine collector's hardcover state, with 24 illustrations. Edited by John Pelan, illustrated by Kenneth Waters.Contents:• Introduction• The Third Cry to Legba• The Golden Goblins• Hoofs• The Letters of Cold Fire• John Thunstone's Inheritance• Sorcery from Thule• The Dead Man's Hand• Thorne of the Threshold• The Shonokins• Blood from a Stone• The Dai Sword• Twice Cursed• Shonokin Town• The Leonard Rondache• The Last Grave of Lill Warren• Rouse Him Not• The Dakwa• The Beasts That Perish• Willow He Walk• A Witch for All Seasons• Chastel

    In recent years commentators such as Bruno Bettelheim have, usually from a psychological perspective, pondered the underlying meaning of the stories, why children are soenthralled by them, and what effect they have on the the best-known tales (Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty) and shows that the Grimms saw them as Christian fables. Murphy examines the arguments of previous interpreters of the tales, anddemonstrates how they missed the Grimms' intention. His own readings of the five so-called magical tales reveal them as the beautiful and inspiring documents of faith that the Grimms meant them to be. Offering an entirely new perspective on these often-analyzed tales, Murphy's book will appeal to those concerned with the moral and religious education of children, to students and scholars of folk literature and children's literature, and to the many general readers who are captivated by fairytales and their meanings.

    The stories compose both a moving history of the Chukchi people who inhabit the shores of the Bering Sea, and a beautiful cautionary tale, rife with conflict, human drama, and humor. We meet fantastic characters: Nau, the mother of the human race; Rau, her half-whale husband; and finally, the dark spirit Armagirgin, who attempts to destroy nature's harmony by pitting the two against each other. The Chukchi Bible moves through Arctic tundra, sea, and sky–and beyond–introducing readers to an extraordinary mythology and a resilient people, in hauntingly poetic prose.Yuri Rytkheu was born in 1930 in the Chukotka Peninsula of the northeastern tip of Siberia, home of the Chukchi, a disappearing people inhabiting one of the most majestic and inhospitable environments on earth.

    The works are separated into three sections, isolating the Celtic relationship with the natural world, chronicling Celtic heroes, and exploring the magic and shamanistic aspects of Celtic belief.

    A Sufi teaching tale of a boy who visits another village and helps the townspeople deal with their fear of something that they have mistaken for a terrible, dangerous animal.

    Definitive and lively articles focus on the great tales and traditions of the age and includes information on daily and nightly customs andactivities; religious beliefs of the pagan, Christian, Muslim, and Jew; key works of oral and written literature; traditional music and art; holidays and feasts; food and drink; and plants and animals, both real and fantastical.While most books on medieval folklore focus primarily on the West, this unique volume brings together an eclectic range of experts to treat the subject from a global perspective. Especially remarkable are the surveys of the major medieval traditions including Arab-Islamic, Baltic, English, Finno-Ugric, French, Hispanic, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Scandinavian, Scottish, Slavic, and Welsh.For anyone who has ever wanted a path through the tangle of Arthurian legends, or the real lowdown on St. Patrick, or the last word on wolf lore--this is the place to look.The contributors:Ulrich Marzolph -- Arab-IslamicThomas A. DuBois -- BalticJohn McNamara & Carl Lindahl -- EnglishThomas A. DuBois -- Finno-UgricFrancesca Canad� Sautman -- FrenchSamuel G. Armistead -- Hispanic�va P�cs -- HungarianJoseph Falaky Nagy -- IrishGiuseppe C. Di Scipio -- ItalianEli Yassif -- JewishStephen A. Mitchell -- ScandinavianJohn McNamara -- ScottishEve Levin -- SlavicElissa R. Henken & Brynley F. Roberts -- Welsh

    They counsel a path of moderation in one's actions and reverence for the natural world, which they view as mother to humanity. Mongolians believe that if natural resources are taken without thanking the spirits for what they have given, those resources will not be replaced. Unlike many other cultures whose shamanic traditions were undermined by modern civilization, shamans in the remote areas of southern Siberia and Mongolia are still the guardians of the environment, the community, and the natural order. Riding Windhorses is the first book written on Mongolian and Siberian shamanism by a shaman trained in that tradition. A thorough introduction to Mongolian/Siberian shamanic beliefs and practices, it includes working knowledge of the basic rituals and various healing and divination techniques. Many of the rituals and beliefs described here have never been published and are the direct teachings of the author's own shaman mentors.

    This A-Z volume is filled with an abundance of exotic lore and legend.

    Yeats: Twentieth-Century Magus explores the esoteric life of Yeats, one of the most important writers of the 20th century. In addition to being a celebrated poet, Yeats was also a leading occultist, schooled in the initiatory mysteries of the West, and a member of the Golden Dawn. Susan Johnston Graf examines both Yeats the poet and Yeats the Magus, synthesizing the two and creating a truer, more interesting, and much more colorful picture of the man.

    

    When one day Mariana finds a Merchild inside a crab shell her whole life changes - but she knows that one day, when the sea is calm again, the Merchild s mother will come to take her daughter back.A memorable story of unconditional love, this poetic retelling of a traditional South American folk tale beautifully conveys the joy that may come if you open your heart to what you cannot keep.

    In this text the figure of Robin Hood can be viewed in historical perspective, from the early accounts in the chronicles through the ballads, plays and romances that grew around his fame and impressed him on our fictional and historical imaginations.

    With a great flapping of wings, and squawking and calling, the birds take to the air. It is a glorious contest, but the outcome surprises them all--especially the mighty eagle!Jane Goodall retells a beloved story from her own childhood --a fable for all times that illustrates how we depend on each other for help and support throughout our lives.

     -- Robert Moss Dream True Change the way you dream...and take control of your destiny Robert Moss helps countless people live more enriched lives by working with the energy and insight of their dreams and becoming conscious dream journeyers. One of the greatest dreamers of all time was Harriet Tubman, who personally escorted three hundred slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad. On the eve of the American Civil War, Tubman was guided by specific dreams to safe houses, river crossings, and friendly helpers she had never encountered previously. As Moss explains, our own dreams run like an Underground Railroad through our lives, offering us paths to creativity, healing, and mutual understanding. He shows us how to dream true the way Harriet Tubman dreamed true: how to dream the future, how to go back inside our dreams to clarify their messages and use the information to make wiser choices, and how to bring through life-helping guidance for others. Dreaming True explores many levels of dreaming and how we can "dream with the body" in order to stay well. Moss offers simple and practical techniques for working with a dream journal to catch -- and act on -- messages about the distant future and tap into our creative source. He shows us how to dream our way toward a better job, a better relationship, and creative fulfillment. Presented with Moss' trademark humor and down-to-earth style, Dreaming True helps us rediscover what ancient dreamers knew: through dreaming we can become active co-creators of our future, bringing positive energy and insight from a deeper reality into our physical world.

    Both a blessing to a child and a tribute to parenthood, this superb keepsake book inspired by ancient Aztec chants is a celebration of the milestones of growing up by renowned Latina poet and author Aha Castillo, stunningly illustrated by Susan Guevara.

    There is no single source of power or knowledge, rather beings exist and coexist on many levels in the 'nine worlds'. While people live much of their lives in communities within an 'innangard' of what is known and familiar, this exists in tension with the worlds around and the unknowns that they represent. Moving between the worlds occurs in birth and death, dreams and trance, and the beings that may be met with have their own understandings of the meeting, and their own wyrd to fulfil." Includes: descriptions of beings, and ways in which they are conceptualised within Heathen (Northern European pre-Christian) thought; a meditative process to facilitate contact with nature spirits; discussion of 'shamanism'; respecting 'sacred sites', places of the ancestors...

    Ancient elements of Iroquoian cosmology are the heart of the saga: Sky-world, the fall of Sky-woman, the creation of Earth upon Turtle’s back, and the creation of mankind and early society by the twins. Various versions have been passed down from generation to generation, but the story has never before been published in the Oneida language. The Oneida Creation Story makes this majestic and beautiful story available in both Oneida and English for the first time. This special bilingual edition also features earlier translated versions of the Creation Story, a discussion of its cultural and historical contexts by Oneida Indian historian Anthony Wonderley, and lexicons cross-referenced to the story.

    J. Conway presents spells and rituals for improving your life materially and spiritually.

    Here is a new and unique view of Western magick, its origins and its preservation in Esoteric Christianity, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, alchemy, medieval magick, the Cabbala, the Tarot, the Grail mythos, Arth

    These tales have long held a fascination for both scholars and general readers, but there is no satisfactory, comprehensive treatment of them in print. This anthology presents a selection of the most important studies of the subject, to which is added a number of new essays representing the current state of scholarship. A general introduction is provided and an extensive bibliography.Containing the most important critical materials for an understanding of the Irish Otherworld Voyage legends, this anthology will be of interest and use to teachers and students of early Irish history and literature, comparative literature and mythology.

    It explores the ways in which the terms 'Viking' and 'Viking Age', both unknown in 1800, were invented, explored and popularised during thenineteenth century. The material examined - published and unpublished - includes novels, poems, plays, lectures, reviews, secondary school textbooks, saga-stead travelogues, private correspondence, art and music, as well as dictionaries, grammars and scholarly editions of eddas and sagas. In the cast of characters Sir Walter Scott, William Morris, Edward Elgar and Rudyard Kipling appear alongside long-forgotten amateur enthusiasts from Lerwick to the Isleof Wight. We follow the pursuit of Viking-related archaeology, dialectology, folklore, philology, runology and mythology. We see the old north used to legitimise many concepts and causes - from buccaneering mercantilism and imperial expansion to jury trial and women's rights. In drawing this wide range of materials together, Andrew Wawn presents a comprehensive and colourful account of the construction and translation of the Viking Age in Queen Victoria'sBritain.ANDREW WAWN is Professor of Anglo-Icelandic Studies at the University of Leeds.

    These stories will enchant six to ten-year-old readers around the world with their wit and charm. Many of the tales have been transmitted from mother to child over centuries, and cover classic childhood themes—such as the forces of good triumphing over evil, children rebelling against adults and the weak prevailing over the strong. They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading. Narrated with an international audience in mind and illustrated with whimsical watercolors by award-winning artist Joanne de Leon, this is a must-have collection of tales for anyone interested in the Philippines. Featured Filipino stories include:Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our EarsThe Magic Lake>The Deer and the SnailWhy the Cock CrowsThe Prince's BrideThe Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories.

    Here, veteran performer Margaret Read MacDonald shares her experience in this collection of multicultural stories that involve plenty of audience involvement. You'll find riddle stories, improvisational stories, singing tales, tandem tales, and much more. The twenty stories in Shake-It-Up Tales! are easy to learn and easy to tell. and MacDonald prefaces each one with different ways of involving the audience, from implementing a simple refrain to casting characters in the lead roles. Additionally, she provides an extensive list of resources and guides for each element of audience participation (or story play, as she calls it). Shake-It-Up Tales! is invaluable for anyone telling stories to children - parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians.

    The artful blend of informative narrative, old-fashioned poems, prose, and chants with eye-catching images of vintage ephemera and fanciful illustrations.

    He presents these suspense-filled stories just as he first heard or read them: as bona fide personal experiences or as events witnessed by family members or friends. There are over 250 stories in Ghosts across Kentucky that are set in specific places and times. They include tales of graveyards, haunted dormitories, animal ghosts, and vanishing

    Once again Lois Burdett has woven her own brand of magic by transforming Shakespeare's complex verse into rhyming couplets. She has created a version of Hamlet especially for children, even as young as seven, and one that readers of all ages will enjoy.At the appropriately named Hamlet Elementary School in Stratford, Ontario, where Burdett has taught for over 20 years, her students have created wonderful drawings of Hamlet to illustrate Burdett's fluid rhymes. The students' interpretations are vivid evidence of Burdett's clever ability to bring Shakespeare's complex characters and intricate plots to life for young people.

    Elephant and Hippo are bullies. Big, strong, and selfish, the two friends boss and frighten all the other animals in the jungle, making life in their formerly harmonious community unbearable. But one day, Clever Tortoise calmly declares that size and strength aren't everything. Soon he proves it, hatching a plan to outwit the two tyrants with the tug-of-war to end all tugs-of-war. Who will be left standing when Tortoise's ingenious contest is over? Francesca Martin's spirited adaptation of a traditional African folk story-complete with a glossary of African words-and her rich illustrations will have kids cheering as wit and quiet wisdom triumph over brute strength.

    This colorful collection of original, African-inspired rhymes is accompanied by exquisitely detailed illustrations.

    Along with this new translation, this text offers a variety of literary works spanning the 17th to the 20th centuries.

    They are short, gripping stories that "kick in fast," including comedy, trickster, tall tales, and family themes for middle and young readers.When David Holt and Bill Mooney collaborated on their original Ready-to-Tell Tales in 1994, they knew they had a tiger by the tail. How do you top what School Library Journal called a "highly recommended...extraordinary collection"? With more terrific stories contributed by seasoned storytellers, and with a number of enhanced features, such as age-level and audience recommendations, an index of cultural stories, and profiles and photographs of the contributing storytellers. Forty-four of the world's finest storytellers contribute tales all the way from Senegal to Cuba. These tall tales about wise fools, tricksters and animals will teach readers the importance of caring, fairness and resourcefulness.

    Drawing on diverse disciplines including classics, anthropology, psychology, and literary studies, this product of twenty years' scholarship provides a detailed typology of the hero in Western myth: birth, parentage, familial ties, sexuality, character, deeds, death, and afterlife. Dean A. Miller examines the place of the hero in the physical world (wilderness, castle, prison cell) and in society (among monarchs, fools, shamans, rivals, and gods). He looks at the hero in battle and quest; at his political status; and at his relationship to established religion. The book spans Western epic traditions, including Greek, Roman, Nordic, and Celtic, as well as the Indian and Persian legacies. A large section of the book also examines the figures who modify or accompany the hero: partners, helpers (animals and sometimes monsters), foes, foils, and even antitypes. The Epic Hero provides a comprehensive and provocative guide to epic heroes, and to the richly imaginative tales they inhabit.

    This extensive volume finds new wonder in the universality of common themes and familiar motifs -- such as three wishes, the importance of trials, and the power of a kiss -- and helps give an added understanding of the ancient traditions, magical beliefs, and myths of cultures from all over the globe. One hundred comic anecdotes, tall tales, and fables are also included for even more reading enjoyment. Filled with the magical heritage of cultures around the world, this volume captures the rhythms and the sense of wonder of traditional storytelling at its best.

    Enjoy communal or family-oriented events, involving historical, religious, or folk traditions such as reenactments, preparation of foods or natural medicines, the performing arts, and games and crafts. Some of the origins are known; others remain shrouded in mystery, surviving only as habit or superstition. Don't miss out on a single festival; they're all annotated with dates, starting times, directions, and a description of what goes on. Revive old customs yourself, cooking customary meals and playing time-honored games. For easy reference, symbols appear beside each event, explaining whether it's a sing-along or a commemoration, a pagan or harvest ritual, a contest or sport, a fair or carnival. It's the only complete guide to Celtic folk customs that still go on today.

    The mysterious, magical Aunt Easter tells the couple the identity of these unknown benefactors and their connection to the two white stones that Clara keeps in the house. Armed solely with Aunt Easter's advice and their own affectionate, courageous hearts, John and Clara must confront the evil conjure man. Only then will they solve the secret of the stones and fill the void in their childless home. Robert San Souci has drawn again from the rich legacy of African-American folklore, as he did in his acclaimed The Hired Hand and The Talking Eggs. And the deep, jewel-like colors of James Ransome's paintings carry the reader into the majestic Ozark mountains and inside this marvelously dramatic and touching story of love and courage.

    From the descriptions of the supernatural power of the "fairy" harp in Elfland in the Scottish ballads to the sacred music of God's Heaven in the Christian Saints' Lives, the Celtic sources provide a rich and varied selection of references to music and its perceived supernatural power and influence.

    This collection of his most popular stories, superbly edited and introduced by Linda Williamson, recognizes the value and importance of the rich oral tradition from which his work stems. Collected for the first time are twenty-six tales, including "Jack and the Devil's Nurse"; "The Hunchback and the Swan"; "Mary and the Seal"; "The Broonie's Farewell"; "I Love You More than Salt"; "The Giant with the Air of Knowledge" and "The Bay and the Boats".

    The vision, attitudes, beliefs and purposes of participants before, during, and after this time period played an important part of American cultural history. Richard and JoAnne Reuss expertly capture the personality of this era and the fascinating chronology of events in American Folk Music and Left-Wing Politics, 1927-1957, a historical analysis of singers, writers, union members and organizers and their connection to left-wing politics and folk music during this revolutionary time period. While scholarship on folk music, history, and politics is not unique in and of itself, Reuss' approach is noteworthy for its folklorist perspective and its long, encompassing assessment of a broad cross-section of participants and their interactions. An innovative and informative look into one of the most evocative and challenging eras in American history, American Folk Music and Left-Wing Politics, 1927-1957 stands as a historic milestone in this period's scholarship and evolution.

    The tales are wide-ranging: heros, ghosts and solway smugglers; witches, martyrs, mermaids and fairies; reivers, monsters and colourful rogues. Here are Billy Marshall, King of the tinklers; Sawney Bean, the murderous cannibal; young Robert the Brube on the run in the heather; Trost, last of the Picts, who kept the secret of heather ale; the legend of Mons Meg; Claverhouse and Lagg, persecutors of the Covenanters; the famous poterguist of Rerrick; and many more.Simply told and unadorned, the stories bear the flavour of the region – mountain and forest, silver rivers and lochs, the wild Solway Firth, and some of the most beautiful rolling countryside in Britain. Originally these traditional tales – ranging from rustic comedy to horrific murder – were told in crofts and rural cottages. They grew naturally out of the rich past and the land and the lives of the people – wonderful stories. And they are still as alive today as when they were first told.

    This is a magnificently illustrated world survey of a broad range of ancient sites and their significance. Includes extended picture essays, with maps, photos, and artworks on 26 key sites, such as the Parthenon of ancient Athens and the holy River Ganges in India. The thematic organization brings focus on fascinating universal themes. The thread that ties the book together is the idea of the Earth as a reservoir of energy and spiritual power. Concludes with a reference section with a time chart, survey of contemporary documents, and a glossary of special terms.

    Ever wonder why we kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas or think a rabbit's foot brings good luck? Two folklore authorities provide reliable and often surprising answers to these and other curiosities that have shaped daily life in England for centuries. They explore the festivals and past celebrations of the English calendar, from St. Andrews Day and its tradition of drunkenness and cross-dressing to Twelfth Night and its king and queen cake. They also provide concise portraits of real and legendary characters that populate the public memory, including Robin Hood, The Brothers Grimm, Lady Godiva, Puck, and The Sandman. Fairies, mermaids, hobgoblins, and changelings are but a few of the supernatural forces surveyed here. However, as folklore encompasses the mundane as well as the fantastic, numerous other entries illuminate the significance of colors, numbers, flowers, animals, and household objects. Learn the curious history behind our distrust of the black sheep, popular credence in wishbone wishes, folk cures for nosebleeds and warts, and persistent old wives' tales. In addition to ancient and medieval folklore, you will find many contemporary urban legends, e.g., the vanishing hitchhiker--a spooky figure seen ominously by travelers in Britain and the United States--and the Tooth Fairy. An entertaining resource, The Dictionary of English Folklore will be a fascinating companion for readers of English literature, history, cultural studies, and fantasy.

    Later, they realise that the bear is not exactly what he seems!

    Enter the mysterious world of modern-day magicians and storybook sorcerers, exotic escapes and tantalizing tricks--all right here in a guide that's wise beyond its size.Did you know?* A magician once pulled an egg out of a famous president's mouth!* A Japanese princess is a top escape artist.

    Governed by desire, the artist's work answers questions of value. Is nature favored, or culture? Are individual needs or social needs more important? Do utilitarian or aesthetic concerns dominate in the transformation of nature?" --from the IntroductionThe Potter's Art discusses and illustrates the work of modern masters of traditional ceramics from Bangladesh, Sweden, various parts of the United States, Turkey, and Japan. It will appeal to anyone interested in pottery and the study of folklore and folk art.Henry Glassie is College Professor of Folklore and Co-director of Turkish Studies at Indiana University. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Fellow of the National Humanities Institute; he has also served as President of the Vernacular Architecture Forum and of the American Folklore Society.Material Culture--Henry Glassie, George Jevremovic, and William T. Sumner, editors (Note: there is an accent egue on the c Jevremovic)Contents: The Potter's ArtBangladeshSwedenGeorgiaAcomaTurkeyJapanHagiWork in the ClayAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex