Best of
Folklore

2009

The Mitten


Jim Aylesworth - 2009
    So he sqe-e-e-e-zes inside. But he's not the only animal with that idea. How many animals can fit inside a little boy's mitten?Aylesworth's rollicking rhyming refrains and McClintock's delightfully expressive characters are sure to make this book every child's storytime favorite.

Oh My Gods!: A Look-It-Up Guide to the Gods of Mythology


Megan E. Bryant - 2009
    You think you know Greek mythology? Mount Olympus was one rough zip code! Here is the gods'-honest truth about these lying lovers, beast-bearing dads, brawling bros, and evil shape-shifters, who ate their young with relish--and their siblings for dessert. WHAT'S INSIDE OH MY GODS? Olympians take on the Titans to rule the world!A dad swallows his kids to keep the peace!The original party animal rocks it like it's 1999 BCE!Hades welcomes you to the Underworld, where guests stay for eternity.

The Secret History of Mermaids and Creatures of the Deep


Ari Berk - 2009
    Variously known as Finfolk, Dinny Mara, Nereids, Blue Men, and Merrymaids, merfolk have been the source of both gifts and disasters for humankind. Now a lavishly illustrated resource offers insight into the lives, origins, language, and magic of these elusive peoples. Like a siren’s song, this fascinating tome is sure to enthrall all who fall under its spell. Special features include:— paper novelties — including sundry flaps, booklets, and gatefolds— a lavish cover with foil, embossing, and glittery jewels

The Lore of Scotland: A Guide to Scottish Legends, from the Mermaid of Galloway to the Great Warrior Fingal


Jennifer Westwood - 2009
    Along the way, it explains when these stories date from, how they arose, and what historical events—if any—underlie them, and the result is an endlessly fascinating exploration of the astonishing wealth of Scottish folklore.

The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales


Dawn Casey - 2009
    They will discover how to tread lightly on our precious Earth by following the easy eco-tips and by trying out some of the fun and creative activities that accompany each story. Children will discover how the residents of the Kingdom of Benin deep within the Nigerian rainforest consume less and conserve more; how the Comanche Indians respect Mother Earth by giving more than they receive; among Bali s coral reefs and volcanic mountain peaks is the lesson that everything in nature is connected.

Visions of the Cailleach: The Myths, Stories and History of the British / Celtic Earth Shaping Crone Goddess of Winter


Sorita d'Este - 2009
    Whether she is seen as a benevolent earth-shaping giantess, harsh winter hag goddess, shape-shifting crone, guardian of sacred wells and animals, or ancient bestower of sovereignty; the Cailleach appears in many roles and manifestations in myths and legends across the British Isles. Tracking the Cailleach across thousands of years through folklore, literature and place names, the authors have uncovered startling references which hint at a hidden priestess cult worshipping the Cailleach from ancient times through into the twentieth century. By exploring her myths and legends, they demonstrate the hugely significant role of the Cailleach in the early history of the British Isles. The demonization of the Cailleach through the Middle Ages by the Christian Church paralleled that of women and witches, and is reflected in various other supernatural hag figures possibly derived from her and discussed in detail, such as Black Annis, Gyre Carling, Mia Lia, Nicneven and the Old Woman of the Mountain. Looking beyond the veil of the sacred landscape, the vision of the Cailleach confronts the seeker, in hills and rocks, lakes and wells, burial chambers and stormy skies. Now finally the primal elemental power of the Cailleach is revealed in her full glory, in the tales and places of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man; as well as in traces of her presence in England, Wales, Jersey, Brittany, Spain and Norway. This unique and ground-breaking work brings together for the first time the wealth of folklore, stories and legends regarding this most significant of British supernatural figures, whose myths and wisdom are as relevant today as they have ever been.

Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Volume 1: New Testament Reflections on Restorative Justice and Peacemaking


Ched Myers - 2009
    Paul called on followers of Christ to be 'ambassadors of reconciliation'. In reflections of this and other New Testament texts, Myers and Enns offer a lens for re-reading the entire biblical tradition as a resource for the cause of 'restorative justice' and peacemaking.

Redefining Joy in the Last Days


Chris Stewart - 2009
    Drawing on unforgettable real- life experiences and rich examples from the scriptures, he offers suggestions for reorienting our lives in order to achieve greater joy and happiness even in the most challenging times. Redefining Joy looks at some of life s most difficult questions. But be prepared. The answers may surprise you.

Carmina Gadelica (Illustrated): Volume I


Alexander Carmichael - 2009
    It forms a small part of a large mass of oral literature written down from the recital of men and women throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, from Arran to Caithness, from Perth to St Kilda. The greater portion of the collection has been made in the Western Isles, variously called 'Eileana Bride,' Hebrid Isles, Outer Hebrides, Outer Isles, 'Eilean Fada,' 'Innis Fada,' Long Island, and anciently 'Iniscead,' 'Innis Cat.' Isle of the Cat, Isle of the Catey. Probably the Catey were the people who gave the name 'Cataibh,' Cat Country, to Sutherland, and 'Caitnis,' Cat Ness, to Caithness. The Long Island is composed of a series of islands, separately known as Barra, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, and Harris and Lewis. This chain is one hundred and nineteen miles in length, varying from a few yards to twenty-five miles in width. Viewed from the summit of its highest link, the Long Island chain resembles a huge artificial kite stretched along the green Atlantic Ocean, Lewis forming the body, the disjointed tail trending away in the blue haze and terminating in Bearnarey of Barra. This long series of islands is evidently the backbone of a large island, perhaps of a great continent, that extended westward beyond the Isle of the Nuns, beyond the Isle of the Monks, beyond the Isle of St Flann, beyond the Isle of St Kilda, beyond the Isle of Rockal, probably beyond the storied Isle of Rocabarraidh, and possibly beyond the historic Isle of Atlantis. This backbone is now disarticulated like the vertebra of some huge fossil fish, each section having a life of its own. These joints are separated by rills and channels varying from a few feet to eight miles in width. The Atlantic rushes through these straits and narrows into the Minch, and the Minch rushes through the straits and narrows into the Atlantic, four times every twenty-four hours. The constant rushing to and fro of these mighty waters is very striking.

The Three Little Gators


Helen Ketteman - 2009
    Three little gators strike out on their own in an east Texas swamp. Their mother warns them to build strong houses that can protect them from Big-bottomed Boar, who likes to eat tasty, tender gators for his snack. Soon, First Gator builds himself a nice house out of rocks. Second Gator reckons rocks are too much work, so he builds his house with sticks. And Third Gator’s house of sand is the easiest one to build! But soon Big-bottomed Boar shows up. With a bump, bump, bump of the fierce boar's rump, he knocks over Third Gator's house of sand. It doesn't take long for that rump to bump Second Gator's house of sticks. But he can't knock over Third Gator's house of stones, so he tries another way in - through the chimney! Guess what happens to the Boar's rump after that?!

Robin Hood: The Witchfinders


Rebecca Levene - 2009
    Sir Guy of Gisborne leads the hunt - but he has problems of his own. Since the day Marian died, his dreams have been haunted by images of the woman he loved, and now he’s seeing her in the waking world. If the witchfinders discover Gisborne’s secret, will he be the one to find himself burnt at the stake?

Shapeshifters: Tales from Ovid's Metamorphoses


Adrian Mitchell - 2009
    Children will be entranced, but there's plenty for adults too." - Andrew MarrBursting into life in the hands of Adrian Mitchell, here are 30 of the brightest, loveliest and most powerful myths ever written - stories of gods such as Jove, Apollo, Juno, Venus and Mercury and of mortals such as Daphne, Narcissus, Adonis, Phaeton and Persephone . Re-created from Ovid's Metamorphoses in stories, ballads and headline news, they sing aloud on the page. Breathtaking artwork by the most acclaimed fantasy illustrator of our time transforms the stories into a living, breathing children's classic to bewitch a new generation raised in a world of special effects.

Lost Cities & Ancient Mysteries of the Southwest


David Hatcher Childress - 2009
    This time he is off to the American Southwest, traversing the region's deserts, mountains and forests investigating archeological mysteries and the unexplained. Join David as he starts in northern Mexico and searches for the lost mines of the Aztecs. He continues north to west Texas, delving into the mysteries of Big Bend, including mysterious Phoenician tablets discovered there and the strange lights of Marfa. He continues northward into New Mexico where he stumbles upon a hollow mountain with a billion dollars of gold bars hidden deep inside it! In Arizona he investigates tales of Egyptian catacombs in the Grand Canyon, cruises along the Devil's Highway, and tackles the century-old mystery of the Superstition Mountains and the Lost Dutchman mine. In Nevada and California Childress checks out the rumors of mummified giants and weird tunnels in Death Valley, plus he searches the Mohave Desert for the mysterious remains of ancient dwellers alongside lakes that dried up tens of thousands of years ago. It's a full-tilt blast down the back roads of the Southwest in search of the weird and wondrous mysteries of the past!

Returning My Sister's Face and Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice


Eugie Foster - 2009
    In these dozen stories of adventure and magic from the Orient, a maiden encounters an "oni" demon in the forest, a bride discovers her mother-in-law is a fox woman, a samurai must appease his sister's angry ghost, strange luck is found in a jade locket, and dark and light are two sides of harmony.A striking debut collection from Eugie Foster.

The Ugly Duckling


Rachel Isadora - 2009
    As the ugly duckling searches for a place where he can fit in, Isadora's vibrant collages capture the beauty in everything from glistening feathers to shimmering sunsets.

The Vermont Monster Guide


Joseph A. Citro - 2009
    You probably know about Champ, the elusive monster of Lake Champlain. But what about Northfield's Pigman? And Richford's The Awful? Wherever you are in Vermont--in town or country, river or lake, land or sky--you're never far from the unknown. Or the unexpected.Joseph A. Citro, respected monster hunter, brings to light over sixty Vermonsters, many captured in exquisite, ghoulish detail by the pen, brush, and ink of artist Stephen R. Bissette. Designed as both a cautionary tale and handy field manual for those who dare, The Vermont Monster Guide will be of interest to natives and tourists, to young and old...though it may not be suitable for readers with fragile constitutions.The authors' previous collaboration, The Vermont Ghost Guide, is a popular favorite and the perfect companion to this volume. WARNING: The authors and publisher are not responsible for any unfortunate encounters that may result from the reading of this book.

Halifax Haunts


Steve Vernon - 2009
    Presents the spooky history behind 33 of Halifax, Nova Scotia's scariest places.

The 13 Yule Lads of Iceland


Brian Pilkington - 2009
    An introduction to Iceland's Yule Lads -- their characteristics, what to leave them, and on which day to expect them.

Cailleach: The Hag of Beara


Leanne O'Sullivan - 2009
    Hag of Beara, is a wise woman figure embedded in the physical and mental landscape of western Ireland and Scotland. The Cailleach's (pronounced Ca-lock or Cay-luck) roots lie in pre-Christian Ireland, and stories of her relationship with that rugged landscape and culture still abound. She had a love affair with a sea god and her petrified body overlooks the Ballycrovane Harbour, from which she is reborn at the beginning of each of her many lives. These poems explore the human origins from which the legend grew.

African Tales (One World, One Planet)


Gcina Mhlophe - 2009
    The eight tales are from Ghana, Senegal, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland and Ethiopia; each is prefaced by a short introduction to the country.

Satan in America: The Devil We Know


W. Scott Poole - 2009
    "New light" evangelists of the eighteenth century, enslaved African Americans, demagogic politicians, and modern American film-makers have used the devil to damn their enemies, explain the nature of evil and injustice, mount social crusades, construct a national identity, and express anxiety about matters as diverse as the threat of war to the dangers of deviant sexuality. The idea of the monstrous and the bizarre providing cultural metaphors that interact with historical change is not new. Poole takes a new tack by examining this idea in conjunction with the concerns of American religious history. The book shows that both the range and the scope of American religiousness made theological evil an especially potent symbol. Satan appears repeatedly on the political, religious, and cultural landscape of the United States, a shadow self to the sunny image of American progress and idealism.

A Heart Afire: Stories and Teachings of the Early Hasidic Masters: The Circles of the Ba'al Shem Tov & the Maggid of Mezritch


Zalman Schachter-Shalomi - 2009
    As a bridge between both worlds, Reb Zalman, and his co-author and student Netanel Miles-Yepez, introduce the reader to rare and unique translations of Hasidism with their own personal reflections on their meaning. This book gives the readers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Hasidic wisdom and narrative and in the teachings of a modern Hasidic master.

Coal Country: Rising Up Against Mountaintop Removal Mining


Shirley Stewart Burns - 2009
    The politics and economics of mining in the region have long allowed coal companies virtually free rein, but in recent years, opposition to MTR has gained national momentum.This illustrated volume, like the powerful documentary film on which it is based, gives voice to the growing chorus of protest against MTR mining in Appalachia through a collection of essays, oral history, commentary, and images. It features many of the personalities from the film in their own words, as well as thoughtful essays by such eloquent voices as writers Wendell Berry and Silas House, activist Judy Bonds, journalists Michael Shnayerson and Denise Giardina, and entertainers Kathy Mattea and Ashley Judd. Illustrations include contemporary photography of this still-beautiful region — and of mining devastation and the affected landscapes, communities, and people — by noted photojournalists such as Mark Schmerling, Builder Levy, and Vivian Stockman. Sidebars feature excerpts from contemporary and historical literature, poetry, song lyrics, drawings, cartoons, and ephemera.

The Return of the Dead: Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Transparent Veil of the Pagan Mind


Claude Lecouteux - 2009
    The dead could--and did--cross back and forth at will. The pagan mind had no fear of death, but some of the dead were definitely to be dreaded: those who failed to go peacefully into the afterlife but remained on this side in order to right a wrong that had befallen them personally or to ensure that the law promoted by the ancestors was being respected. But these dead individuals were a far cry from the amorphous ectoplasm that is featured in modern ghost stories. These earlier visitors from beyond the grave--known as revenants--slept, ate, and fought like men, even when, like Klaufi of the Svarfdaela Saga, they carried their heads in their arms. Revenants were part of the ancestor worship prevalent in the pagan world and still practiced in indigenous cultures such as the Fang and Kota of equatorial Africa, among others. The Church, eager to supplant this familial faith with its own, engineered the transformation of the corporeal revenant into the disembodied ghost of modern times, which could then be easily discounted as a figment of the imagination or the work of the devil. The sanctified grounds of the church cemetery replaced the burial mounds on the family farm, where the ancestors remained as an integral part of the living community. This exile to the formal graveyard, ironically enough, has contributed to the great loss of the sacred that characterizes the modern world.

This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers' Bible Quilt and Other Pieces


Kyra E. Hicks - 2009
    Her two-known creations, the Bible Quilt and the Pictorial Quilt, have independently survived since stitched more than a century ago. Over the years, thousands of museum visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston have stood transfixed viewing her artwork. Powers' two quilts are arguably the most well-known and cited coverings in American quilt history. But, until today, no one has told the entire, dramatic story of how these two quilts, one of which initially sold for $5, were coveted, cared for, and cherished for decades in private homes before emerging as priceless, national treasures. This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers' Bible Quilt and Other Pieces brings to light new, exciting facts - many never before published: complete exhibition history for both known quilts; proof Harriet Powers was a literate, award-winning quilter, who stitched at least five quilts and promoted her own artwork; profiles of the two nineteenth century women who sought to purchase the Bible Quilt; profiles of the three men who once owned the Pictorial Quilt; unveiling of a young artist who embellished the Pictorial Quilt; and the name of the person who first made the connection in the twentieth century that Harriet Powers stitched both quilts. This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers' Bible Quilt and Other Pieces is the most comprehensive resource guide on this influential African American quilter. The book includes nearly 200 bibliographic references, most annotative, including books, exhibition catalogs, newspapers, plays, poetry, interactive map and more. For the first time ever, readers are provided with clues and encouraged to search for Harriet Powers' lost 1882 Lord's Supper Quilt. This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers' Bible Quilt and Other Pieces is written by Kyra E. Hicks, a quilter whose story quilts have appeared in over forty group exhibitions in places such as the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, NY, the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., and the American Folk Art Museum in NY. Hicks is the author of Black Threads: An African American Quilting Sourcebook and Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines, 2-Volume Set


Patricia Monaghan - 2009
    This unique encyclopedia of over thousands of figures of feminine divinity describes the myths and attributes of goddesses and female spiritual powers from around the world.The two-volume set is organized by culture and religion, exploring the role of women in each culture's religious life and introducing readers to the background of each pantheon, as well as the individual figures who peopled it. Alternative names for important divinities are offered, as are lists of minor goddesses and their attributes. Interest in women's spirituality has grown significantly over the last 30 years, both among those who remain in traditional religions and those who explore spirituality outside those confines. This work speaks to them all.

A St. Nicholas Story: The Fiercest Little Animal In The Forest


Terri Reinhart - 2009
    Nicholas story to tell to my kindergarten children. I could almost see this little creature in my imagination carrying the gold coins in his teeth and dropping them into the stockings. When story time came, I just started speaking the story and I allowed the pine marten to lead me. The story in this book is what resulted. This is the first time it has been published in book form.

The Secret Of Kells


Tomm Moore - 2009
    Twelve-year-old Brendan's life in the monastery at Kells is not very exciting until Aidan arrives. Suddenly life is one big adventure. In the forest Brendan is rescued from wolves by Aisling, a mysterious green-eyed girl. In the cave of the Dark One, he risks his life to steal the eye of the serpent god, Crom Cruach. Meanwhile Aidan is keeping a secret that will become Brendan's biggest challenge, and the Vikings get nearer and nearer ...This exciting story is brought to life through stunning visuals and includes a section of facts about the real Book of Kells.

Haunted Cemeteries of New England: Stories, Stones, and Superstitions


Roxie J. Zwicker - 2009
    Join Roxie as she invites the curious into some of the most fascinating burial grounds of New England. Cross through the iron gates and overgrown fields to discover the mysterious stories and dramatic stone carvings. The collection of photographs show remarkable gravestones and scenic cemeteries will enrich the journey. Also, unearth some of the unusual superstitions, epitaphs and burial customs of old New England. Step into the outdoor museums of stone, and the visit with the dead. You may mind that you won't want to leave.

Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes


Margie Palatini - 2009
    He's nothing if not crafty, and in this humorous new spin on the well-known fable, fox's scheme is taken to new heights.

From a Drop of Water - A Collection of Magickal Reflections on the Nature, Creatures, Uses and Symbolism of Water


Sorita d'Este - 2009
    "This creation is, in its totality, a drop of Water; man himself has originated from a drop of Water" Bundahishn 28,2 FROM A DROP OF WATER is a unique collection of 17 essays by some of the foremost modern esoteric writers, pagan scholars and magickal practitioners. Each contribution reflects the writer's own understanding and passion for Water, and in doing so they share their unique insights, experiences and their diverse research on the subject with the reader. The powerful nature of Water as transformer and healer, initiator into the mysteries and bringer of both life and death is emphasised throughout. The multitude of spiritual beings associated with Water are powerful and volatile forces of nature. They include the Undines and Nymphs of European folklore, as well as mythical creatures such as mermaids and krakens, sirens and selkies. The importance of Water is often taken for granted, yet its symbolism connects every religion, spiritual path and philosophy. Many of the earliest creation myths have Water as a central theme, and man has forever been telling tales of the Waters of this Earth, and has since time immemorial gazed up at the Moon who governs the ebb and flow of the ocean's tides. Likewise, deities associated with Water often play a central role in myths, legends and practices, and this is explored in many of the essays in this anthology. From Anahita, the Persian Goddess of rain and abundance, to the Afro-Brazilian Goddess Yemanya, the Egyptian Mother Goddess Isis as portrayed in Dion Fortune's Sea Priestess and Nimue in the Arthurian Legends, the power of Water is ever present. Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love is born from the foam of the oceans, and many of the Vodou Lwa - including Agwe, Mambo La Sirene, Erzulie Freda, Damballah Wedo and the Simbis also have strong associations with Water which are explored in this collection. Furthermore, the magical qualities and symbolism of Water are explored through examples of meditation, ritual, song and dance. Its magic is manifested through talismans, poetry, art and invocation. Moreover, Living Water as used in the Kabbalah and Grimoires, as well as the role of Water in Baptism are also explored. This exceptional collection of essays bring together a breadth of experience, which is emphasised through the diversity of traditions they represent. These include Vodou, Thelema, the Western Mystery Tradition, Wicca, Paganism, and English Root Magick, as well as Grimoire Magicians who work the magick of the Key of Solomon and Goetia. Water both allures and terrifies - just like the stark contrast between the glimmering of moonlight upon the ocean's surface on a clear night and the hulking gloom in its fathomless depths. But the planet's oceans and many Waters are vast and unfathomable, and herein lies but a few drops of wisdom in a sea of possibilities.

Working With Monsters (Monsterology)


Dugald A. Steer - 2009
    

Digital Folklore


Olia Lialina - 2009
    It doesn't matter much who invented the microprocessor, the mouse, TCP/IP or the World Wide Web; nor does it matter what ideas were behind these inventions. What matters is who uses them. Only when users start to express themselves with these technical innovations do they truly become relevant to culture at large.Users' endeavors, like glittering star backgrounds, photos of cute kittens and rainbow gradients, are mostly derided as kitsch or in the most extreme cases, postulated as the end of culture itself. In fact this evolving vernacular, created by users for users, is the most important, beautiful and misunderstood language of new media.As the first book of its kind, this reader contains essays and projects investigating many different facets of Digital Folklore: online amateur culture, DIY electronics, dirtstyle, typo-nihilism, memes, teapots, penis enlargement …" -from site

Field Guide to Fantastic Creatures


Giles Sparrow - 2009
    Each creature is presented in forensic detail accompanied by lavish illustrations as well as the ancient myths and legends and the very latest research and theories about its natural history, including information about its size, weight and habitat and the supernatural powers that it enjoys. Specifically designed and written for childen aged 8+ years.

Make Merry in Step and Song: A Seasonal Treasury of Music, Mummer's Plays & Celebrations in the English Folk Tradition


Bronwen Forbes - 2009
    This is just one of the many ancient British folk songs we all know and love. Other tunes and symbols that tug on our memories have similar historical roots, hearkening back to a shared Pagan past. These dances, songs, and theatrical plays in the English folk tradition are now little known to most of the modern Pagan community. Reviving these vital traditions can bring new life to Renaissance festivals, neopagan rituals, and community events.Introducing the lively music and homegrown entertainments of times long past, this descriptive how-to is designed for twenty-first-century joviality. The songs, dances, and plays of old are explained in their mythical, seasonal, and historical significance and outlined for easy reenactment. Simple-to-follow instructions detail six dances including the popular Abbots Bromley Horn dance, six full scripts for dramatic performances of Mummer's Plays (folk plays of death and rebirth), and over thirty songs with lyrics and music. Kick up your heels, hold high your skirts, and make merry the year through.

The Old English Epic of Waldere


Jonathan Himes - 2009
    Imagery and themes such as armaments and the worthiness of warriors to bear them point to the climax of Walter's victory over Gudhere in single combat, a duel presenting an ethical dilemma for Hagen as indicated in both of the extant leaves. This critical edition resolves some long-standing textual cruces while also providing background on Old English heroism, weapons, and versification.

The Red Church or the Art of Pennsylvania German Braucherei


C.R. Bilardi - 2009
    Pow Wow, or Braucherei, as it is known by its practitioners, is a system of folk magic that has its roots in Christian and Pre-Christian Germany, but its character is wholy American - the quintissential American magical system. Drawing on quotes from the Bible, qabalistic principles and old gromoires, it is empowered by the Holy Trinity, and most practitioners consider themselves to be Christian, much like the Cunning Folk of England. The final chapter, about Doctor Santee, references material and uses a photograph that is copyright GLHoke, and used with permission. "The Red Church: The Art of Pennsylvania German Braucherei is the finest book on German magic to be seen in decades. Comprehensive in its historical, philosophical and cultural roots, The Red Church is a book that will be appreciated by academics and modern practitioners of not just folk and ceremonial magic alike, but also energetic and faith healing, symbolism, and cultural psychology. Extensively researched and documented, no one interested in the survival of Medieval and Renaissance magic into the modern era should be without a copy of it within easy reach." - Mark Stavish, Director of Studies, Institute for Hermetic Studies, author of, The Path of Alchemy, Freemasonry - Rituals, Symbols and History of the Secret Society, and Between the Gates: Lucid Dreaming, Astral Projection and the Body of Light.

The King with Horse's Ears and Other Irish Folktales


Batt Burns - 2009
    Here are brave warriors with superhuman skills, monster dogs with blazing eyes, fairy folk and leprechauns, and the magical land of Tir na nÓg. Author Batt Burns grew up with these beloved characters and legends, and he captures all their enchanting language and flights of fancy. Exquisite art by Igor Oleynikov enhances every tale. Contents include:·        The King with Horse’s Ears·        The Greedy Barber·        Oisín in the Land of the Ever Young·        Back from the Fairies·        Paying the Rent·        A Clever Leprechaun·        The Lost Island of Lonesome Seals·        And many more!

The Fairy Tale Fiction of Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie: Selections from "Five Old Friends" and "Bluebeard's Keys and Other Stories"


Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie - 2009
    Old wives' tales, fairy tales, and folklore-whatever terms are chosen-are part of our earliest literature and have often provided the medium for women's voices, for women's stories. Like the women of the French Salons who used traditional stories to create and recreate tales that both inspired and criticized their world and its expectations, women writers have long been recording and rewriting fairy tales for their own generations. The practice continues up to current times and will easily continue on past our own generations into a distant future. One such author from the Victorian era was Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie, the eldest daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray. Ritchie rewrote nine fairy tales into short stories and novellas, exploring and reinterpreting the tales for the audience of her time. She wasn't the first to do so--and certainly not the last--but she firmly belongs in this literary legacy, one in which she has all too often been overlooked. Edited with a new introduction by Heidi Anne Heiner, this volume includes Anne Thackeray Ritchie's nine short stories and novellas from Five Old Friends and Bluebeard's Keys and Other Stories: "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood," "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Jack the Giant-killer," "Bluebeard's Keys," "Riquet a la Houppe," "Jack and the Bean-stalk," and "The White Cat." Additional materials include Ritchie's introduction to The Fairy Tales of Madame D'Aulnoy and "Bluebeard's Ghost" by William Makepeace Thackeray, Ritchie's father. Heidi Anne Heiner is the creator and keeper of one of the world's top folklore websites at SurLaLuneFairyTales.com."

Stories from Around the World (Usborne Gift Book)


Anna Milbourne - 2009
    Tales of brave heroes and heroines are retold alongside tales of wonderful magic, of strange and faithful creatures, and of how things first began. These fascinating stories are narrated in such a way that young listeners and young readers will find them easy to understand and enjoy.

Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn


Amira El-Zein - 2009
    Beliefs regarding the jinn are deeply integrated into Muslim culture and religion, and have a constant presence in legends, myths, poetry, and literature. In Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn, Amira El-Zein explores the integral role these mythological figures play, revealing that the concept of jinn is fundamental to understanding Muslim culture and tradition.Examining closely a wide range of sources, from the fields of law, theology, and folklore, El-Zein clearly places the status of the jinn in the metaphysical and cosmological economy of Islam. The author also illuminates the Islamic concept of the jinn by comparing it to other similar concepts in different religions and mythologies. She probes the complex relationships between the jinn and humans, as well as the jinn and animals, providing critical insights into the function of the jinn in the process of poetic and cultural creation. The author’s access to Arabic sources and her ability to contextualize them make this a compelling and thorough account, enriching our knowledge of Islamic religion and tradition.

Haunted Historic Greensboro


Theresa Bane - 2009
    Go "behind the scenes" to meet some of the city's most famous haunted areas. You'll learn the history surrounding each haunting and hear frightening eyewitness accounts. Find out why nothing has grown in the Devil's Tramping Ground for more than 200 years. Learn the connection between the famous Lydia ghost and the phantom hitchhiker that has been scaring drivers since the 1920s, or is the phantom even older? Tremble as you hear the stories of the vampire beast's killing sprees. Read about ghostly Revolutionary soldiers, a piano player and miner spirits, poltergeist, and other unsettled souls that call the city of Greensboro home. Stop by for a visit...if you dare.

A Priceless Nest


Kristiina Ehin - 2009
    The stories in this book have their roots in an age-old oral story-telling tradition. They are very singular fairy tales for grown-ups - genuine and many-layered, contemporary, yet at the same time primeval. They have the surreal, fluid quality of dreams. Ilmar Lehtpere is the translator of The Drums of Silence (Oleander, 2007), awarded the Poetry Society Popescu Prize for European Poetry in Translation, and several other works by Kristiina Ehin.

Witchcraft and Masculinities in Early Modern Europe


Alison Rowlands - 2009
    This book redresses this imbalance by making men the focus of the gender analysis and also covers the issue of regional variation in the gendering of witch persecution.

The Eight-Year-Old Legend Book


Isabel Wyatt - 2009
    Isabel Wyatt's enchanting retelling conjures up a rich world of eastern legend, ruled by courtly kings and wise men, and populated by brave princes, faithful elephants and cunning monkeys. The stories tell of great adventures and heroes, of danger and courage, and most importantly of how wisdom and thoughtfulness always triumph over selfishness and greed.This anthology was compiled with children around the age of eight in mind -- children who are embarking on more and more adventures in their own lives, and themselves learning to become clever and brave.

Tales from African Dreamtime


Magdalene Sacranie - 2009
    Vibrant color illustrations accompany more than forty stories told in a lively, conversational style. Discover how human beings lost their tail; puzzle over riddles; and meet a variety of animals, from a lazy rabbit to a wicked leopard.These magical tales are ideal for reading aloud at bedtime for children seven years old and up and for older children to read to themselves.Magdalene Sacranie first visited Malawi as a physiotherapist with VSO in 1969. There she met her future husband, Aziz, and after various moves, they settled in Scotland, where they still live today. But with half of the Sacranie family in Malawi, links with the country have remained strong, and Magdalene has been heavily involved with fundraising for the Children's Fund of Malawi. Sale of Tales from African Dreamtime helps raise money for the charity.

Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall: Vol. 1


William Bottrell - 2009
    This is the first book in that series. Bottrell tells stories of giants, mermaids, and a gallery of Cornish fairies including the spriggan, bucca, and the knackers, the earth elementals who live in the tin-mines. He also describes Cornish folk magic, and folklore about witches. The style is idiomatic, and the episodic stories are told with touches of dialect and localized in specific places in Cornwall.

Stories From Wales: Oxford Children's Myths and Legends


Gwyn Jones - 2009
    Heroes and villains, witches and wizards, warriors and royalty - there's something here for everyone.Stories from Wales is filled with spell-binding tales of love, loyalty, greed and jealousy come from the mountains and valleys of Wales. From Pwyll, the prince of Dyfed, to Arthur's court, they tell of a world where peasants and kings live alongside the folk of the faery, and where reality and enchantment intertwine.One of four collections being published to launch the Oxford Children's Myths and Legends series - other titles are Stories from Scotland, Stories from Ireland and Stories from England

Bluebeard: A Reader's Guide to the English Tradition


Casie E. Hermansson - 2009
    A serial wife murderer, he keeps a horror chamber in which remains of all his previous matrimonial victims are secreted from his latest bride. She is given all the keys but forbidden to open one door of the castle. Astonishingly, this fairy tale was a nursery room staple, one of the tales translated into English from Charles Perrault's French Mother Goose Tales.Bluebeard: A Reader's Guide to the English Tradition is the first major study of the tale and its many variants (some, like -Mr. Fox, - native to England and America) in English: from the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century chapbooks, children's toybooks, pantomimes, melodramas, and circus spectaculars, through the twentieth century in music, literature, art, film, and theater.Chronicling the story's permutations, the book presents examples of English true-crime figures, male and female, called Bluebeards, from King Henry VIII to present-day examples. Bluebeard explores rare chapbooks and their illustrations and the English transformation of Bluebeard into a scimitar-wielding Turkish tyrant in a massively influential melodramatic spectacle in 1798. Following the killer's trail over the years, Casie E. Hermansson looks at the impact of nineteenth-century translations into English of the German fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, and the particularly English story of how Bluebeard came to be known as a pirate. This book will provide readers and scholars an invaluable and thorough grasp on the many strands of this tale over centuries of telling.

World Folklore for Storytellers: Tales of Wonder, Wisdom, Fools, and Heroes: Tales of Wonder, Wisdom, Fools, and Heroes


Josepha Sherman - 2009
    The introduction provides an informative overview of folklore, its purpose in world cultures and in contemporary society and popular culture. Following this, the main sections of the book are arranged by tale type, covering wonder tales, hero tales, tales of kindness repaid and hope and redemption, and finally tales of fools and wise people. Each section begins by comparing the tales cross-culturally, explaining similarities and differences in the folkloric narratives. Tales from diverse cultures are then presented, introduced, and retold in a highly readable fashion.

Judge Bao and the Rule of Law: Eight Ballad-Stories from the Period 1250-1450


Wilt L. Idema - 2009
    

Selected Poems | Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin


Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin - 2009
    Poems from Acts and Monuments (1972) have already revealed their lasting power. In this timely retrospective they join generous selections from each of her subsequent books down to The Girl who Married the Reindeer (2001). In the words of Ruth Padel (Financial Times) ‘Her eerie blend of the legendary and modern sounds utterly natural. A new book from her is a major event.’ ‘There is something second sighted, as it were, about Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin’s work, by which I don’t mean that she has any prophetic af?atus, more that her poems see things anew, in a rinsed and dreamstruck light. They are at once as plain as an anecdote told on the doorstep and as haunting as a soothsayer’s greetings.’ — Seamus Heaney

Singing in the African American Tradition, Volume 2: Building a Vocal Community [With 4 CDs]


Ysaye M. Barnwell - 2009
    Ysaye, a charter member of the great a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, teaches melodies, harmonies, rhythms and counter-melodies to 17 traditional songs from African American culture, including spirituals, hymns, gospels and songs from the Civil Rights Movement.

African American Folktales


Thomas A. Green - 2009
    Written for students and general readers, this volume gathers a sampling of the most important African American folktales. Included are nearly 50 tales grouped in thematic chapters on origins; heroes, heroines, villains, and fools; society and conflict; and the supernatural. Each tale begins with an introductory headnote, and the book closes with a selected, general bibliography. Students learning about literature and language will gain a greater understanding of African American oral traditions, while social studies students will learn more about African American culture.African American culture has long been recognized for its richness and breadth. Central to that tradition is a large body of folklore, which continues to figure prominently in literature, film, and popular culture. Written for students and general readers, this book conveniently gathers and comments on nearly 50 African American folktales. Included are fictional tales, legends, myths, and personal experience narratives. These exemplify the vast diversity of African American culture and language.The tales are grouped in thematic sections on origins; heroes, heroines, villains, and fools; society and conflict; and the supernatural. Each tale is introduced by a brief headnote, and the volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. Students learning about literature and language will gain a greater understanding of African American oral traditions, while students of history will learn more about African American culture.

Works of Andrew Lang


Andrew Lang - 2009
    It is indexed alphabetically, chronologically and by category, making it easier to access individual books, stories and poems. This collection offers lower price, the convenience of a one-time download, and it reduces the clutter in your digital library. All books included in this collection feature a hyperlinked table of contents and footnotes. The collection is complimented by an author biography. Table of Contents Fairy books     * The Blue Fairy Book     * The Red Fairy Book     * The Green Fairy Book     * The Yellow Fairy Book     * The Pink Fairy Book     * The Grey Fairy Book     * The Violet Fairy Book     * The Crimson Fairy Book     * The Brown Fairy Book     * The Orange Fairy Book     * The Olive Fairy Book     * The Lilac Fairy Book Children's books     * The Nursery Rhyme Book     * The Red Romance Book     * The Red True Story Book     * The True Story Book     * The Book of Romance Novels & Stories     * Adventures Among Books    * Angling Sketches    * Arabian Nights    * The Book of Dreams and Ghosts    * The Disentanglers    * The Gold Of Fairnilee    * In the Wrong Paradise     * The Mark Of Cain    * A Monk of Fife    * Much Darker Days    * Pickle the Spy    * Prince Prigio    * Prince Ricardo of Pantouflia    * Tales of Troy    * That Very Mab with May Kendall    * The World's Desire Non-Fiction     * Alfred Tennyson    * Books and Bookmen    * The Clyde Mystery    * Cock Lane and Common-Sense    * Custom and Myth    * Essays in Little    * He     * Helen of Troy     * Historical Mysteries    * Homer and His Age    * The Homeric Hymns    * How to Fail in Literature    * Introduction to the Compleat Angler    * John Knox and the Reformation    * Letters on Literature    * Letters to Dead Authors    * The Library    * Lost Leaders    * The Making of Religion    * Modern Mythology    * Old Friends    * Oxford    * The Puzzle of Dickens's Last Plot    * Shakespeare, Bacon, and the Great Unknown    * A Short History of Scotland    * Sir Walter Scott and the Border Minstrelsy    * The Valet's tragedy Poetry Books     * Aucassin and Nicolette    * Ballads in Blue China    * Ban and Arriere Ban    * A Collection of Ballads    * Grass of Parnassus    * New Collected Rhymes    * Rhymes

Folklore of Europe Anthology (12 books) (Illustrated)


Joseph Jacobs - 2009
    Illustrated with 10 unique illustrationsEnglish Fairy Tales- Joseph Jacobs 1890Folk-lore and Legends: German 1889Folk-Lore and Legends: Scotland 1889Fairies and Folk of Ireland 1900The Laughing Prince Jugoslav Folk and Fairy Tales 1921Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks 1921Folk Lore, Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland 1884Tales of Folk and Fairies 1919Russian Fairy Tales 1919Folk-Lore and Legends; Scandinavian 1920Edmund Dulac’s Fairy-Book, Fairy Tales of the Allied Nations 1916Welsh Folk-Lore, a Collection of the Folk-Tales and Legends of North Wales 1887

Tales from 5000 Years of Chinese History Volume I


Lin Handa - 2009
    Entertaining and informative, this ambitious narrative will enlighten all those who wish to know more about the chronicles of the Middle Kingdom.