He can't help but notice the village's peculiar inhabitants and their problems-where has the innkeeper's son gone? Why are Master Chao and Widow Yan always arguing? What is the crying sound Rendi keeps hearing? And how can crazy, old Mr. Shan not know if his pet is a toad or a rabbit?But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures.

    From the mists of Japanese prehistory, through the medieval ages, up to today, the bestiary of Japanese folklore contains a wide range of monsters. There are women with extra mouths in the backs of their heads, water goblins whose favorite food is human anus, elephant-dragons which feed solely on bad dreams, dead baby zombies, talking foxes, fire-breathing chickens, animated blobs of rotten flesh that run about the streets at night... "The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" is a massive illustrated bestiary choc full of yokai. It features over one hundred traditional Japanese monsters, each one beautifully illustrated in full color by yokai artist Matthew Meyer. Each yokai is described in detail, including origins, habitat, diet, and legend, based on translations from centuries-old Japanese texts. Read this book, and the next time you watch an anime or a Godzilla movie, you'll be able to recognize their folkloric ancestors dating back centuries. You'll find out about all of the strange mythical animals you can see at temples and shrines, on beer can labels, and even on Japanese money. Meet the predecessors to Pokemon, Power Rangers, scary J-horror girls, and all of the strange creatures that pop up in Japanese video games. "Night Parade" will turn anyone with a passing interest in Japanese folklore into a full-blown yokai expert!

    People literally put themselves into the skin of the "savage," in masquerades that stretch back centuries. By becoming a bear, a goat, a stag, a wild boar, a man of straw, a devil, or a monster with jaws of steel, these people celebrate the cycle of life and seasons. The costumes amaze with their extraordinary diversity and prodigious beauty. Work on this project took leading French photographer Charles Fréger to eighteen European countries in search of the mythological figure of the Wild Man.

    Driven to it by colleagues, friends and students, writing this little book is an act of stubborn devotion to a fading culture. This deceptively simple system of folk magic has come down to modern Southern culture through the immigrants and natives who called these blue hills home. Written in an easily accessible style and filled with insights and stories, Staubs and Ditchwater: a Friendly and Useful Introduction to Hillfolks Hoodoo is part memoir, part workbook.

    Described as a large, hairy man-like creature, it’s said to haunt the vast Sulphur River Bottoms as it travels the secluded waterway known as Boggy Creek.Over the years, the creature has been seen by numerous witnesses including respected citizens, experienced hunters, famous musicians, and even a police officer. The encounters were often so shocking, they served as inspiration for the classic horror film, The Legend of Boggy Creek, by Charles B. Pierce.Tales of the creature have long existed in scattered pieces across news clippings, memoirs, police reports, and movies, but it is only now that the complete history of the Fouke Monster has been assembled in one place. This book collects all the facts, theories, and amazing sighting reports, and weaves them into a fascinating tale about this undeniable southern mystery, one that lives on, as frightening encounters with the Beast of Boggy Creek are still being reported today!

    Some of the stories here were collected by folklorists during the last two centuries, while the others are reworkings of oral tales by four of the greatest writers in Russian literature: Nadezhda Teffi, Pavel Bazhov, Andrey Platonov, and Alexander Pushkin, author of Eugene Onegin, the classic Russian novel in verse. Among the many classic stories included here are the tales of Baba Yaga, Vasilisa the Beautiful, Father Frost, and the Frog Princess.

    New for this year is Elizabeth Barrette's insightful introduction to thirteen magical stones that includes spells and rituals. You'll also find fun, fresh ways to celebrate the sacred seasons and enhance your practice-inspiring Sabbat musings (Ellen Dugan), tasty Sabbat recipes (Susan Pesznecker), and Moon rituals (Ember Grant). For spellwork, there's astrological information and daily colours. Also included are in-depth articles on good energy (Tess Whitehurst), cauldron magic (James Kambos), rainy day magic (Melanie Marquis), and many more.

    Within the West Country, the popular belief in witchcraft and its attendant charms, magical practices and traditions continued to be observed and survived long after such ways had faded in most other parts of the British Isles. Described within The Black Toad is a collection of some of the fascinating magical practices and lore of the West Country’s cunning folk and early modern witches; ways that have survived and evolved within the rarefied Craft of the area’s modern day witchcraft practitioners of the old persuasion. As this book affirms, these ways of the Old Craft and Cunning Arte include a belief in and working relationship with the spirit forces of the land, the Faerie, animal and plant lore, as well as the magical use of Psalms to cure or curse, the invocation of Christ and the power of the Holy Trinity.“For all those who are interested in learning about the Old Path as it is taught and practised today by West Country witches this book of practical magic and sorcery will be a revelation. As the late Cecil Williamson, founder of the witchcraft museum in Boscastle, North Cornwall and a modern cunning man himself, said and Gemma Gary’s excellent book proves – “It still goes on today.”Michael HowardHardback edition is presented as a black case binding in Royal format with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, ‘Old Gold’ warm yellow endpapers, and black and yellow head and tail bands.

    

    She examines Hoodoo culture and history by tracing its emergence from African traditions to religious practices in the Americas. Working against conventional scholarship, Hazzard-Donald argues that Hoodoo emerged first in three distinct regions she calls "regional Hoodoo clusters" and that after the turn of the nineteenth century, Hoodoo took on a national rather than regional profile. The spread came about through the mechanism of the "African Religion Complex," eight distinct cultural characteristics familiar to all the African ethnic groups in the United States. The first interdisciplinary examination to incorporate a full glossary of Hoodoo culture, Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System lays out the movement of Hoodoo against a series of watershed changes in the American cultural landscape. Hazzard-Donald examines Hoodoo material culture, particularly the ""High John the Conquer"" root, which practitioners employ for a variety of spiritual uses. She also examines other facets of Hoodoo, including rituals of divination such as the ""walking boy"" and the ""Ring Shout,"" a sacred dance of Hoodoo tradition that bears its corollaries today in the American Baptist churches. Throughout, Hazzard-Donald distinguishes between ""Old tradition Black Belt Hoodoo"" and commercially marketed forms that have been controlled, modified, and often fabricated by outsiders; this study focuses on the hidden system operating almost exclusively among African Americans in the Black spiritual underground.

    Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain, for we've received orders for to sail for old England but we hope in a short while to see you again. One of the great English popular art forms, the folk song can be painful, satirical, erotic, dramatic, rueful or funny. They have thrived when sung on a whim to a handful of friends in a pub; they have bewitched generations of English composers who have set them for everything from solo violin to full orchestra; they are sung in concerts, festivals, weddings, funerals and with nobody to hear but the singer. This magical new collection brings together all the classic folk songs as well as many lesser-known discoveries, complete with music and annotations on their original sources and meaning.

    A collection of forty interwoven stories, conversations, and teachings about Western Cherokee life, beliefs, and the art of storytelling, the book orchestrates a multilayered conversation between a group of honored Cherokee elders, storytellers, and knowledge-keepers and the communities their stories touch. Collaborating with Hastings Shade, Sammy Still, Sequoyah Guess, and Woody Hansen, Cherokee scholar Christopher B. Teuton has assembled the first collection of traditional and contemporary Western Cherokee stories published in over forty years. Not simply a compilation, Cherokee Stories of the Turtle Island Liars' Club explores the art of Cherokee storytelling, or as it is known in the Cherokee language, gagoga (gah-goh-ga), literally translated as he or she is lying. The book reveals how the members of the Liars' Club understand the power and purposes of oral traditional stories and how these stories articulate Cherokee tradition, or teachings, which the storytellers claim are fundamental to a construction of Cherokee selfhood and cultural belonging. Four of the stories are presented in both English and Cherokee.

    They gathered in sorrow, since they had been, for so very long, deprived of a king.Thus begins the magical adventure of these wayfaring birds. With encouragement from their wise guide, the hoopoe bird, they overcome fears, physical handicaps, and their own inner weakness in order to reach the heights of the mountain to meet their King.Children and adults alike will relate to this inspiring tale about conquering one's faults and practicing the virtues of humility, patience, detachment from worldly goods, and courage.Lavishly illustrated and based on an 800 year old classical tale, this fascinating and beautiful book will delight children and provide parents with a wonderful tool for teaching children about moral development.Ages 6 and up.-from the jacket flap

    In From the Cauldron Born, you are invited not only to read the story but to live it. You are invited to resonate with the magic of the witch mother Cerridwen and her cauldron of inspiration. You are invited to become Taliesin, the prophetic spirit with the radiant brow. You are invited to awaken to a lucidity of spirit born from the archetypes of sacred myth.Join Kristoffer Hughes on a yearlong journey of rituals based on one of Wales's most profound legends. With deeply transformative exercises and lyrical wisdom, you will experience beauty and knowledge, imagination and creation as never before.Praise: If you are captivated by the exploration of Welsh and Celtic myth, Kristoffer Hughes's in-depth, scholarly work belongs on your bookshelf.--Ellen Dugan, author of Seasons of WitcheryIn this book, Kris Hughes takes up his Druid's staff and guides us through the winding paths of the tale of Taliesin with insight, learning, and inspiration so that we too may drink the magical brew in the cauldron of Cerridwen and emerge transformed.--Anna Franklin, author of The Sacred Circle Tarot

    By means of a genial blend of reason and imagination, logic and fantasy, profound academic insight and good old common sense, Lewis has challenged the modern world to re-examine the claims of Christ, the Bible, and the Church, re-experience the goodness, truth, and beauty of literature, and re-expand its vision of God, man, and the universe. In each 600-word entry, Markos enlist Lewis’s aid in the study, both theoretically and practically, of a topic of perennial interest to humanity and of particular interest to the early 21st century.

    In the course of the exposition, the concepts of the Initiatic Dream are traced to furthest antiquity, epitomized by the participatory nature of the Mystic within the Oneiric Realm. The axiomata of Dream Reification and Rarefaction are introduced as defining processes of this twilight pilgrimage, both of a gnostic and illuminative character. At the time of his matriculation, Chumbley had already established a solid reputation as an occult author and practitioner of widely varying spiritual disciplines. His highly-acclaimed books Azoëtia (1992) and Qutub (1995) arose not only from the solid foundation of magical practice and theory, but also from a highly complex mystical dream-praxis, perfected for many years. Though forming the core of his coursework, 'Mysticism' - together with the bulk of his SOAS essays - were written in a transcendent dialogist style altogether in concord with the body of his occult work. Drawing upon sources as diverse as the dream-vision of the Christian saints, Sufic oneiric texts, and Bonpo termas, Chumbley here presents an arcane cartography of the dream as the eternal vessel for the perichoresis of matter and spirit.Three Hands Press Occult Monographs is a new esoteric reference series. The vision of the project is to produce, in limited edition, a serial compendium of authoritative occult monographs by contemporary writer-practitioners. The works are drawn from a deep well of authorial talent, featuring some of the most influential names in magic and occult mysticism today. Each single-author monograph concerns a single subject from the dual perspective of empirical inquiry and magical practice. Many of the titles will not be available elsewhere. 6-8 monograph titles will be released per year. Many titles will be illustrated.

    Perrault's Cinderella echoes the elegance and luxury of the French court of King Louis XIV, and it's from his version that we get the famous glass slippers. Sarah L. Thomson's beautiful retelling of the classic fairy tale is matched with the uniquely stunning artwork of Nicoletta Ceccoli. This is a picture book to treasure.

    When he encounters a poor Jewish shoemaker full of faith that everything will turn out just as it should, the shah grows curious. Vowing that no harm will befall the poor man, he decides to test that faith, only to find that the shoemaker’s cheerful optimism cannot be shaken. But the biggest challenge of the poor man’s life is yet to come! Ann Stampler’s retelling of this classic Afghani Jewish folktale is enriched by Carol Liddiment’s charming and vivid paintings.

    A wise grey wolf helps Ivan in his quest.

    has been invaded – if many dozens of eyewitnesses are to be believed – by upright, canine creatures that look like traditional werewolves and act as if they own our woods, fields, and highways. Sightings from coast to coast dating back to the 1930s compel us to ask exactly what these beasts are, and what they want.Researcher, author and newspaper reporter Linda S. Godfrey has been tracking the manwolf since the early 1990. In Real Wolfmen she presents the only large-scale cataloguing and investigation of reports of modern sightings of anomalous, upright canids.  First-person accounts from Godfrey’s witnesses – who have encountered these creatures everywhere from outside their car windows to face-to-face on a late night stroll – describe the same human-sized canines: They are able to walk upright and hold food in their paws, interact fearlessly with humans, and suddenly and mysteriously disappear.Godfrey explores the most compelling cases from the modern history of such sightings, along with the latest reports, and undertakes a thorough exploration of the nature and possible origins of the creature.

    Deluxe cloth boards with folio. Edition limited to 222 copies.Collection of 25 short stories: 10 by John Howard (all original) and 15 by Mark Valentine (12 original, 3 reprint).Baltersan’s Third Edition - Mark Valentine Secret Byzantium - Mark Valentine The Silver Eagles - John Howard Silence and Fire - Mark Valentine The Other Salt - Mark Valentine The White City - John Howard The Baltic Circles - John Howard The Girl with the Violin - Mark Valentine The Goat-Eyed - Mark Valentine The Lion of Chaldea - Mark Valentine Westenstrand - John Howard The Unrest at Aachen - Mark Valentine Prince Aziz - Mark Valentine The Hunting Castle - John HowardThe Atelier at Iaşi - Mark Valentine A Minor Official - Mark Valentine The Way of the Sun - John Howard Wandering Paths - John Howard A Lantern for Carpathia - Mark Valentine The High Places - John Howard The Fall of Ashes - Mark Valentine Cabaret Zoltaire - Mark Valentine The Waltz of Masks - John Howard The Second Percussionist - Mark Valentine A Gift for the Emperor - John Howard

    Was there ever such a beast as the monstrous Kraken? Did a Welsh prince discover America, centuries before Columbus? What happened to the missing crew of the Mary Celeste? Along the way, they recount the stories that are an integral part of our coastal heritage, such as the tale of Drake’s Drum, said to be heard when England was in peril, and the mythical island of Hy Brazil, which for centuries appeared on sea charts and maps to the west of Ireland. The result is an endlessly fascinating, often surprising journey through our island history.

    Quiller-Couch, a distinguished Cambridge don, recounts seven tales of enchantment: "Minon-Minette," "Felicia, or The Pot of Pinks," "Rosanie, or The Inconstant Prince," "The Man Who Never Laughed," "John and the Ghosts," "The Czarina's Violet," and the title tale. The stories are illuminated by 23 color plates by Kay Nielsen, a Golden Age of Illustration artist whose Art Nouveau images recall the style of Aubrey Beardsley.

    Including the children's play song "Shortenin' Bread," the fiddle tune "Bonaparte's Retreat," the blues "Another Man Done Gone," and the spiritual "Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down," these performances were recorded in kitchens and churches, on porches and in prisons, in hotel rooms and school auditoriums. Documented during the golden age of the Library of Congress recordings, they capture not only the words and tunes of traditional songs but also the sounds of life in which the performances were embedded: children laugh, neighbors comment, trucks pass by.Musician and researcher Stephen Wade sought out the performers on these recordings, their families, fellow musicians, and others who remembered them. He reconstructs the sights and sounds of the recording sessions themselves and how the music worked in all their lives. Some of these performers developed musical reputations beyond these field recordings, but for many, these tracks represent their only appearances on record: prisoners at the Arkansas State Penitentiary jumping on "the Library's recording machine" in a rendering of "Rock Island Line"; Ora Dell Graham being called away from the schoolyard to sing the jump-rope rhyme "Pullin' the Skiff"; Luther Strong shaking off a hungover night in jail and borrowing a fiddle to rip into "Glory in the Meetinghouse."Alongside loving and expert profiles of these performers and their locales and communities, Wade also untangles the histories of these iconic songs and tunes, tracing them through slave songs and spirituals, British and homegrown ballads, fiddle contests, gospel quartets, and labor laments. By exploring how these singers and instrumentalists exerted their own creativity on inherited forms, "amplifying tradition's gifts," Wade shows how a single artist can make a difference within a democracy.Reflecting decades of research and detective work, the profiles and abundant photos in The Beautiful Music All Around Us bring to life largely unheralded individuals--domestics, farm laborers, state prisoners, schoolchildren, cowboys, housewives and mothers, loggers and miners--whose music has become part of the wider American musical soundscape. The hardcover edition  also includes an accompanying CD that presents these thirteen performances, songs and sounds of America in the 1930s and '40s.

    Then you take and hold that over running water at midnight till the Devil he come to you and pull you over the water… and then you be a witch and you kin dew all mander of badness to people and her power over 'em."So spoke Tilly Baldry of Huntingtoft, an English wise-woman of the 19th century, describing the ritual of obtaining the witches amulet known as the toad-bone. Known to rural folk magicians and secret societies such as the Society of the Horseman's Word, the exacting ritual of killing a toad to obtain the bone of power has been documented in various forms and cultural milieus for two millennia, though its origin is likely far older. Focusing on extant forms in Britain and Europe, Chumbley traces the metamorphosis of the toad-bone amulet from its beginning as a talisman for controlling animals to its ultimate manifestation as a conduit of diabolic power of the 'Toad-Witch'. The first academic study of this little-known aspect of folk magic, The Leaper Between is here presented in unabridged form, newly typeset in several fine bindings worthy of its fascination. It will be of interest to students of comparative religion, magic, and folklore alike.

    That’s what Waldo was thinking as he watched his best friend turn into a Were-bear by the moonlight. Waldo had no idea that a string of events would unwind all because he and Bobby Bear were caught going after the milk in the fridge by James, a stay-at-home dad trying to write his first book. Nothing happens in the teddy world that the Council doesn’t find out about because of the Teddy Network; and "no moving in front of a human" is the first rule of the Teddy Code. It’s only a matter of time before a punishment is determined for the two bears - but what and when? Sometimes the waiting can be worse than the punishment itself. Fluffy hasn’t been heard from since he was caught moving. James begins to write about the daily adventures of Bobby Bear and Waldo not realizing the harm that he may be causing to the Secret Teddy Society. Waldo’s timing for breaking the Code couldn’t have been worse! The teddy world had been quiet for the last hundred years or so, but that is about to change. The Teddy Council is facing the evils of power and corruption, a product of human influence. Ballinger is convinced that Theodore is too old to run the Teddy Council and will stop at nothing to prove it. This book provides a rare look inside a secret culture we know very little about.

    Far less is known about the people, who have occupied these islands for millennia but whose deep indigenous culture is today under threat from a multitude of external forces.This volume is a collection of 80 traditional short stories and legends selected from the large corpus of stories in the local oral tradition, and translated and illustrated by the author who is the foremost authority on the language and anthropology of the Maldives. These folk tales offer keen insights both into the history, culture and beliefs of the people of the Maldives and into the world they live in. The close relationship the Maldivians have with their environment is clear, likewise the syncretic nature of their Islamic faith, the tales bustling with spirits, sorcerers and monsters as well as local people, seabirds, etc.Would-be travellers to the Maldives will find this a unique insight into the real country behind the tourist brochures. For scholars, the folk tales and analytical material offer a wonderful literary/folklore resource as well as fresh perspectives on the effects of globalization.

    The collection reflects the truly multi-disciplinary nature of monster studies, bringing in scholars from literature, art history, religious studies, history, classics, and cultural and media studies. The companion will offer scholars and graduate students the first comprehensive and authoritative review of this emergent field.

    These authentic stories offer an entertaining and insightful window into Middle Eastern culture from one of region’s most beloved folk heroes.

    They are all amazing characters who manage to carry a deep knowledge of their chosen species within a distinctly quirky shell. Other animals making an appearance include otters , house sparrows, robins , owls, bats, badgers, dolphins, toads, dragonflies, moths, foxes and adders.Hugh Warwick, animal enthusiast and hedgehog fanatic, writes a series of affectionate and quirky homages to the animals of the British Isles, composed of fieldwork and interviews with the people who love and conserve them.

    The animals formed a council; someone had to seek help from the Creator. Rainbow Crow, a most colorful bird, was selected because he had a beautiful voice that would surely impress the Creator. He flew into the heavens and won fire from above. But on the way back the fire began to burn his plumage black and destroy his beautiful voice. But Rainbow Crow persevered, bringing the life-saving fire safely back to his friends.

    As Just Seeds said of the first edition, "In the age of endless and vacuous graffiti coffee table books with no written content and no sense of history beyond 1980s NYC subway cars, this is a massive breath of fresh air." Gold.It's possible Bill Daniel is the most inspiring filmmaker of our day. With an impressive filmography that includes work on Craig Baldwin's Sonic Outlaws and as Vanessa Renwick's long-time collaborator, Daniel has crafted a remarkable book to go with his twenty-years-in-the-making Who Is Bozo Texino?—a documentary about modern day hobos, rail workers and a forgotten outsider subculture. It's full of obscure railroad nostalgia—the result of a 25 year obsession with hobo and railworker folklore. Freight riding stories, interviews with hobos and boxcar artists, historical oddities and tons of photos of modern day boxcar tags are all presented in the guise of a vintage rail fanzine.

    Encompassing their iron-age beginnings, European colonization, the various strands of ‘Celticness’ (race, politics, and culture), as well as the Celtic Tiger of today, this encyclopedia gets to the very heart of Celtic origin and meaning, as well as delving into the cultural and mythical background that draws so many to claim their Celtic roots today.Including:• The Celtic People and Their Way of Life• Celtic Places• Celtic Religion• Myths, Legends, and Stories• Symbols, Ideas, and Archetypes• Celtic Twilight and RevivalAccompanied by illustrations and maps, which show the spread of Celts across the globe, as well as the symbols of Celtic mythology and religion

    The Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius was one of the first works composed in response to the Arab invasions and the establishment of the Muslim empire in the seventh century. In a matter of decades, it was translated from its original Syriac into Greek and from Greek into Latin. (Both the Greek and Latin texts are presented here.) The Apocalypse enjoyed immense popularity throughout the Middle Ages, informing expectations of the end of the world, responses to strange and exotic invaders like the Mongols and Turks, and even the legendary versions of the life of Alexander the Great. An Alexandrian World Chronicle (Excerpta Latina Barbari) was considered important by no less a humanist than Joseph Scaliger. He recognized it as a representative of an early stage in the Christian chronicle tradition that would dominate medieval historiography. The original Greek text may have been a diplomatic gift from the court of Justinian to a potential ally among Frankish royalty, translated two centuries later by the Franks themselves in their efforts to convert the pagan Saxons. In addition to presenting a universal chronicle with a comprehensive ethnography and geography, the Excerpta offer a Euhemeristic narrative of the gods and another account of Alexander.

    Jake sees the riches as his chance to buy back the family sailboat and restore a piece of the life he enjoyed before his father was critically injured in an accident. Desperate to find the treasure, Jake teams up with Zach, his nemesis and class bully, and two girls in a clue-hunting chase across the Dingle Peninsula. Dodging would-be thieves, exchanging wisecracks with Zach, and concocting ingenious devices to get them out of scrapes, Jake leads the team as they connect piece after piece to the more than 400-year-old mystery. Jake, a 14-year-old gadget whiz, didn't plan on a summer full of treasure, thieves, and danger. He just got lucky.

    With chapters on ritual, altars, journeying, and communicating with deities, this short book has provided seekers with tools for their spiritual work for nearly twenty years. This new edition offers a much improved pronunciation guide for the Irish and Scots Gaelic in the text, and a new foreword that offers context for the book's historical place in the emergence of Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan spirituality.

    The book designer adapted the work to the printed page, keeping the intense blood red and ebony black. Each double-page spread takes on an exciting life of its own. A note provides background information on the tale, and an afterword tells the story of the illustrations with photographs of the original cloths. This unusual multicultural pairing packs a powerful punch." - Kirkus Reviews"I'm the fastest animal in the forest!" boasts Kanchil the trickster mouse deer. "And I challenge any animal to race me!" Who will step forward to accept this challenge, and can Kanchil be beaten?Illustrated in the exquisite Mata-ni-Pachedi style of ritual textile painting from Gujarat. The Great Race is the third story in the Kanchil series by Nathan Kumar Scott, preceded by the popular Mangoes and Bananas and The Sacred Banana Leaf.US Grade Level Equivalent: 1US Guided Reading Level: J

    She befriends a fortune-telling gypsy girl; returns a child stolen by the selkies to his true mother; confronts a banshee and receives a message from a ghost; helps a village girl outwit--and out-dance--the Faerie Queen; travels beyond the grave to battle a dastardly undead Highwayman; and meets a hound so loyal he fights a wolf to the death to protect the baby prince left in his charge. All fine material for six tales, but it is the seventh tale, in which Trinket learns her father's true fate, that changes her life forever. The Seven Tales of Trinket is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012

    

    But in the original legends and accounts of the hungry dead and man-beasts, there is no sympathy to be found, only savagery and horror. Dread Souls seeks to redress the balance and rediscover the essence of the authentic vampire and the genuine werewolf. In this book, nineteen terrifying accounts have been plucked from the pages of history and retold in modern English, so that contemporary readers may appreciate the dark and nightmarish roots of these most persistent of horrors. This book restores the vampire and the werewolf to their true aspect, as demonic manifestations of bloodlust, cruelty and murder.

    This practical manual explains and teaches ancient and modern methods for predicting future events by means of Scottish speal bones, American pyromantic furculomancy, Yoruban obi, Shona hakata, Mongolian shagai, British fortune telling dice, the Gypsy domino oracle, the Persian standing bone oracle, Alabama 'Possum bones, Virginia Chicken bones, Zulu-style sangoma bone reading, and more.Slaughter-Bone OraclesMathematical Systems of Bone ReadingSortilege Systems with BonesSpirit-Led Interpretive Bone Reading

    This Delphi edition offers a comprehensive range of Lang’s prolific works, with thousands of beautiful illustrations, as well as the usual bonus texts.Features:* the complete Fairy Books, all fully-illustrated with their original Victorian artwork – first time in digital print* special contents table for the Fairy Books* ALL the novels, with contents tables* images of how the books first appeared, giving your Kindle a taste of the Victorian texts* many other short story collections* ARABIAN NIGHTS fully illustrated – first time in digital print* 13 poetry collections, with contents tables* special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry – find that special poem quickly and easily!* features 29 non-fiction books, each with contents tables* includes two biographical essays on Lang – explore the writer’s literary life!* many images relating to Lang’s life and works* scholarly ordering of texts in chronological order and literary genres, allowing easy navigation around Lang’s immense oeuvre* UPDATED with correct images being displayed throughout the eBookCONTENTS:The Fairy BooksTHE BLUE FAIRY BOOKTHE RED FAIRY BOOKTHE GREEN FAIRY BOOKTHE YELLOW FAIRY BOOKTHE PINK FAIRY BOOKTHE GREY FAIRY BOOKTHE VIOLET FAIRY BOOKTHE CRIMSON FAIRY BOOKTHE BROWN FAIRY BOOKTHE ORANGE FAIRY BOOKTHE OLIVE FAIRY BOOKTHE LILAC FAIRY BOOKThe Fairy TalesLIST OF THE FAIRY TALES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDERLIST OF THE FAIRY TALES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDEROther Story CollectionsMUCH DARKER DAYSIN THE WRONG PARADISE AND OTHER STORIESHETHE GOLD OF FAIRNILEEPRINCE PRIGIOTHE TRUE STORY BOOKPRINCE RICARDO OF PANTOUFLIAANGLING SKETCHESTHE BOOK OF DREAMS AND GHOSTSARABIAN NIGHTSTHE DISENTANGLERSTHE RED TRUE STORY BOOKTALES OF TROY AND GREECETHE ANIMAL STORY BOOKTHE BOOK OF ROMANCETHE RED ROMANCE BOOKTHE RED BOOK OF HEROES by Mrs. LangTALES OF ROMANCETHE STRANGE STORY BOOK by Mrs. LangThe NovelsTHE MARK OF CAINTHE WORLD’S DESIREPARSON KELLYThe Poetry CollectionsBALLADS, LYRICS, AND POEMS OF OLD FRANCETHE ODYSSEYTHEOCRITUS BION AND MOSCHUSBALLADS IN BLUE CHINAHELEN OF TROYTHE ILIADRHYMES A LA MODEAUCASSIN AND NICOLETEA COLLECTION OF BALLADSGRASS OF PARNASSUSBAN AND ARRIERE BANTHE NURSERY RHYME BOOKNEW COLLECTED RHYMESThe PoetryLIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDERLIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDERThe Non-FictionOXFORDTHE LIBRARYCUSTOM AND MYTH‘THAT VERY MAB’BOOKS AND BOOKMENLETTERS TO DEAD AUTHORSMYTH, RITUAL AND RELIGIONINTRODUCTION TO POPULAR TALESLETTERS ON LITERATURELOST LEADERSHOW TO FAIL IN LITERATURE; A LECTUREOLD FRIENDS, EPISTOLARY PARODYON THE SUBLIMECOCK LANE AND COMMON-SENSEROBERT F.

    These benefits could be obtained by wearing the stone on a ring, bracelet, or pendant; through massage treatments with the stone; or by reducing the gem into a powder and drinking it mixed with water or wine. Drawing from a wealth of ancient Arabic, Greek, Jewish, and European sources--from the observations of Pliny the Elder to extremely rare texts such as the Picatrix and Damigeron’s Virtue of Stones--Claude Lecouteux provides a synthesis of all known lore for more than 800 stones. He includes such common examples as the emerald, which when engraved with the figure of a harpy holding a lamprey in its claws will banish panic and nightmares, and beryl, which when appropriately carved can summon water spirits or win its owner high renown, as well as more exotic stones such as astrios, a stone celebrated by ancient magicians and whose center glows like a star. Lecouteux also examines bezoars--stones formed in animals’ bodies--as well as “magnets” that attract materials other than iron, such as gold, flesh, cotton, or scorpions. This comprehensive dictionary of sacred and magical gem lore, drawn from the rarest sources of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, represents a one-of-a-kind resource for gem enthusiasts and magical practitioners alike.

    Lomax’s camera was a constant companion, and his images of both legendary and anonymous folk musicians complement his famous field recordings.These photographs—largely unpublished—show musicians making music with family and friends at home, with fellow worshippers at church, and alongside workers and prisoners in the fields. Discussions of Lomax’s life and career by his disciple and lauded folklorist William Ferris, and a lyrical look at Lomax’s photographs by novelist and Grammy Award-winning music writer Tom Piazza, enrich this valuable collection.

    Haunted by her mother's death, Máire McNair is lured by the selkie myth to the promise of the Alaskan wilds to fulfill her dream of finding acceptance. Cunning and determination get her there in the guise of teaching at the Tlingit Indian mission. But Alaska proves more complex and difficult than she imagined, and the hope that this new place would transform her is elusive as ever. The censorious Mrs. Paxson, the wife of the trading post manager, constantly finds fault with Máire's efforts to instruct the native children. She has her own plans and Máire is in the way. Will Máire be able to forge her own way and make a success of her teaching? And what should she do about the handsome yet moody Lieutenant Green who is aggressively courting her? Natsilane is the Tlingit erstwhile mission protégé. Troubled and disaffected, he finds himself battling Máire's naive views and prejudices as he seeks to regain his own cultural identity by resuming a traditional lifestyle that draws from the Tlingit myth. But he cannot escape his past with the mission, nor can he or Máire escape the mutual attraction they feel. In a world that permits no rule breakers, will the power of myths trump all?

    W. M. Reynolds, Wagner, the Wehr-WolfThis collection brings together fifteen chilling stories of lycanthropy and murder written from 1838 to 1896, all taken from their original appearances in Victorian periodicals and story collections, many of them reprinted here for the first time. This edition includes a new introduction by Alexis Easley and Shannon Scott, explanatory notes, and numerous rare Victorian werewolf illustrations.This collection contains: "Hugues, the Wer-Wolf" (1838) by Sutherland Menzies, "The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains" (1839) by Frederick Marryat, "A Story of a Weir-Wolf" (1846) by Catherine Crowe, excerpts from Wagner, the Wehr-Wolf (1846-47) by George W. M. Reynolds, "Lycanthropy in London; or, The Wehr-Wolf of Wilton-Crescent" (1855) by Dudley Costello, "The Gray-Wolf" (1871) by George MacDonald, "The Were-wolf of the Grendelwold" (1882) by F. Scarlett Potter, "The White Wolf of Kostopchin" (1889) by Gilbert Campbell, "A Pastoral Horror" (1890) by Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Mark of the Beast" (1890) by Rudyard Kipling, "The Were-Wolf" (1890) by Clemence Housman, "Dracula's Guest" (ca. 1892) by Bram Stoker, "The Other Side: A Breton Legend" (1893) by Eric Stenbock, "Morraha" (1894) by Joseph Jacobs, and "Where There is Nothing, There is God" (1896) by William Butler Yeats. An appendix of contextual materials is also included, featuring nonfiction articles from Victorian periodicals dealing with lycanthropy, Rosamund Marriott Watson's poem "A Ballad of the Were-wolf" (1891), excerpts from Sabine Baring-Gould's "The Book of Were-Wolves" (1865) and Laurence Housman's illustrations for Clemence Housman's "The Were-wolf" (1896).

    Cenerentola. Cendrillon. Ashenputtle. Chernuska. Cinderella. These are just a few of the names of one of the best known and most beloved fairy tale characters in the world. The tale is known in countless variations throughout Europe and Asia as well as Africa and the Americas. The tales share the familiar story of a persecuted heroine who finally triumphs over oppressed circumstances through her virtue and the assistance of a magical helper. Whatever name she is given, the character has inspired countless generations and remains a vibrant part of modern popular culture. A discussion of the Cinderella Cycle is provided in the introduction, explaining how seemingly unrelated tales are considered part of the Cinderella family. A brief history of Cinderella scholarship is also included, detailing why the tale was once considered the key to understanding how stories were disseminated around the world. Building upon Marian Roalfe Cox's seminal work with Cinderella over 120 years ago, this collection offers more than 150 full length Cinderella tales and over 200 summaries of other variants from around the world. Some of the tales are new translations, a few appearing for the first time in English. Many of the stories are clearly related to each other, but with some the relationship is less obvious. Whether you are a student of folklore or an armchair enthusiast, this anthology offers a diverse array of tales with a unifying theme that both entertains and educates, all gathered for the first time in one impressive collection.

    We specialize in bringing back to live rare, historical and ancient books. This includes manuscripts such as: classical fiction, philosophy, science, religion, folklore, mytholog

    Raised in a place where the powers of animals are studied and practiced, Wong Long tries to fit in and learn kung fu.Forever bested by the exotic animal styles of the other students, Wong Long runs away from the temple. That summer, he discovers and befriends a small praying mantis. Naming the mantis "Teacher", Wong Long is inspired to create an entirely new style of self-defense. When he returns to Shaolin Temple with his own unique style, the young monk is redeemed, history is made, and a kung fu legend will live on forever.Little Monk and the Mantis is the thrilling tale of one boy's search for self-expression, courage and the peaceful, non-violent teachings that are at the root of true martial arts.

    Features the art of the award-winning Xavier Garza

    Knock before entering. Be careful where you walk. Don’t step on graves or sit on tombstones. Always ask before taking anything—even stones, flowers, sticks and leaves. Never leave trash, always greet the gatekeeper and always come prepared with a pocket full of pennies, silver dimes and a bottle of rum or whiskey. The important thing to remember is that you never just walk in and take something. You must always treat the spirits with respect; both the spirits of the deceased, as well as the guardians of the cemeteries and the psychopomps. Workin’ in da Boneyard is a primer for conjurers seeking a tangible connection to their past, their ancestors and the Spirit World by working with graveyards and graveyard dirt. From practical issues of safety, choosing a cemetery, locating ancestral graves, reading gravestone signs and symbols, avoiding haints and hauntings, to gathering graveyard dirt and making goofer dust, Workin’ in da Boneyard has the information needed for working effective graveyard conjure, as well as words of caution for the ill-prepared.

    

    Here are four original stories told in the form of folktales. The Tinker and the Enchanted PoolThe Tinker is drawn to a mysterious pool. He half-remembers he once loved a princess. When she appears by the water, he learns they have fourteen days to lift a curse or lose each other forever.The Tailor and the ChangelingThe Tailor has a 21st century mindset and a 14th century problem. Goblins have stolen his baby daughter and left a changeling. The Goblin King sets three tasks to be completed by the next full moon. There’s a win-win solution if the Tailor can find it.The Soldiers and Mistress Gefn's GardenTwo Vikings fleeing relentless pursuers, enter the strange garden of Mistress Gefn. They are set the task of rebuilding a wall. They wonder if they can leave. There are two exits.The Sailor and the Sea QueenThe Sailor’s wife died in childbirth and he is unable to love his daughter. The moor-folk steal uncared-for children. When his daughter disappears, he tracks her down to the Isle of the Sea Queen where he is presented with a life-or-death choice.

    Descended from an oral tradition, much of their knowledge was retained in memories and passed down the generations. Yet, with the introduction of the alphabet, the way of life they portray is rapidly becoming extinct.The translation is derived from the manuscripts of Russian collectors working out of the Russian Empire in the late nineteenth century and from the Soviet Union in the mid-twentieth century. The text is a mixture of prose and verse, reflecting how the legends would have been performed by storytellers within the culture.This volume includes a map, bibliography, appendix, glossary, keyword and theme analysis, and references.David Hunt is an expert of Caucasus folk literature. He was awarded the McDowell Prize from the Folklore Society in 2008.

    Campion traces beliefs about the heavens among peoples ranging from ancient Egypt and China, to Australia and Polynesia, and India and the Islamic world.Addressing each religion in a separate chapter, Campion outlines how, by observing the celestial bodies, people have engaged with the divine, managed the future, and attempted to understand events here on earth. This fascinating text offers a unique way to delve into comparative religions and will also appeal to those intrigued by New Age topics.

    When Set hosts a huge banquet for Osiris, Isis is worried. Osiris falls for Set's trickery, and is separated from his beloved Isis. Will Isis be able to save Osiris?

    He spent his days in the forest, collecting wood to trade for food. One day, the boy made a wondrous discovery: a magic stone that caused his money jar and rice crocks to overflow, both of which he shared with the poor villagers.But strange things began to happen. It no longer rained. The crops died. The rivers dried up. A terrible drought had struck and would not release its grip. The brave young boy, full of dreams of a white, water-spewing Dragon, took his magic stone on a journey—and discovered how to save his village.

    These tales are not about deaths caused by poisonous plants. Rather, they are strange stories and legends in which plants are intertwined with a human’s passage to another state of being. ... While this little book is hardly comprehensive on the subject, it is a choice sampler of a rather specific and arcane aspect of botanical lore." People turning into plants.... Sheryl Humphrey's THE HAUNTED GARDEN is an informal collection of mysterious old botanical myths and legends. Explore this dark garden of folklore and the ancient tales of metamorphosis into flowers, trees, and herbs.Book is available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/118819081.

    Television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer represents a different kind of epic--the heroine's journey, not the hero's. This provocative study explores how Buffy blends 1990s girl power and the path of the warrior woman with the oldest of mythic traditions. It chronicles her descent into death and subsequent return like the great goddesses of antiquity. As she sacrifices her life for the helpless, Buffy experiences the classic heroine's quest, ascending to protector and queen in this timeless metaphor for growing into adulthood.

    Harris offers many angles on his subject, interweaving traditional religious interpretations, academic Bible scholarship, psychological and sociological analysis, feminist readings, and more. Combining deep respect for the biblical text with a willingness to question received tradition, Harris reveals a complex Moses whose life story gives us important tools for better understanding issues like religious fundamentalism, intermarriage, identity confusion, civil disobedience, gay and lesbian equality, and the nature of sacred mythic storytelling. Written in a refreshing, plainspoken voice for people of all faiths or none, the result is a volume of creative, thought-provoking, and exciting readings of the Bible. Endorsements: "Moses is one of the most famous personalities among the Abrahamic religions, but how well do we really know the biblical Moses? In this wonderfully engaging book, Harris lifts the veil of centuries of interpretation to show us Moses in a new light. Harris has succeeded in doing what few others can-he has brought Moses into the twenty-first century!" --S. Tamar Kamionkowski, PhD Associate Professor of Bible, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Wyncote, Pennsylvania "Moses will never be the same again! Jewish insiders and outsiders alike have much to learn from this energetic exploration of the man Moses. Each chapter brings new delights, in turn inspiring, challenging, consoling. Rabbi Harris is both pastoral and prophetic. Above all, he is a consummate storyteller. Not only will you meet Moses in multiple new ways, you will also have a glimpse of the twenty-first-century rabbinate at its most caring and creative best." --Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer, PhD Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College "Moses: A Stranger among Us challenges its readers to read the Bible with new eyes. The book combines insights from contemporary Bible scholarship, traditional commentaries, and Harris's own fresh readings of Exodus to respond to moral and religious challenges-both contemporary and eternal ones. People comfortable with the world as it is and their religious and moral lives as they are will not enjoy reading this book. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously but not literally and is concerned with the opportunities and challenges facing Judaism and Christianity will find this book thought provoking and refreshing." --Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD Wiener Professor of Contemporary Jewish Civilization, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College Author of A Guide to Jewish Practice: Everyday Living (2011) "Writing for a wide range of readers, Rabbi Harris mines the Moses saga in the Bible and unearths its relevance to many contemporary issues. Throughout, this fresh and thought-provoking study models engagement with the text that responsibly bridges its ancient and modern contexts. Moses (re)emerges as one of the Bible's most fascinating figures!" --Jacob L. Wright, PhD Professor of Hebrew Bible, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia Author Biography: Maurice Harris is a rabbi and writer living in Eugene, Oregon. A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, he has worked as a congregational rabbi and religious educator.

    This book presents to all the people of Cornwall the full exposition of the yearly cycle that forms such an important part of our culture. Celebrating together leads to strong communities and positive sense of identity, by adopting, reviving or preserving this heritage we take giant steps towards ensuring the future of the Cornish culture into the 21st Century and beyond.

    Visit Burlington's Spinning Top Museum and recoil at the worm shower of Palmyra. Take a look at Highway 13's Reptile Man, see the World's Largest Six Pack, then get spooked over the haunted bridges of Stevens Point. From Madison's Loony Lawyer to the Wily Wizard of Waukesha, this indispensible guide takes you on a journey you'll never forget.

    "The way we tell it, hoodoo started way back there before everything. Six days of magic spells and mighty words and the world with its elements above and below was made." Hurston. 1935. Mules and Men. In hoodoo, "All hold that the Bible is the great conjure book in the world." The Bible, however, is not just a source of spells but is itself a conjuring talisman. Hoodoo, also known as conjure, and its practioners as conjurers or rootworkers, is a type of folk magic developed by African American Slaves. It is not a religion as it has no hierarchy or clergy and is tied inextricably within Christianity with the bible as its main source of spells and magic. Its practitioners are usually found within the Christian community and their Hoodoo knowledge is passed down orally from generation to generation. Voodoo is a religion. Hoodoo is a system of magic and spells. They are different, yet can be complementary. Taken from the hundreds of slave interviews carried out by the Federal Writers Project.

    Vishnu appears as a small fish that growsand grows, obliging the king to find larger and larger aquariums to hold him.Eventually, Vishnu reaches a gigantic size and enters the ocean. He announces that a terrible flood will drown the world and that Manu should fill an ark with plants and animals of every species. As in the biblical tale, the floods eventually subside and peace returns to the earth.Emma V. Moore’s elegantly simple storytelling, complemented by her dazzlinglyluminous artwork, is an ideal introduction to this universal wisdom tale.

    . . DEVIL HOUNDS. DEMON DOGS. PHANTOM CANINES FROM HELL. THEY DO EXIST! One nearly scared to death eyewitness proclaimed after the beast loomed in front of him: “It was the biggest bloody ‘dog’ I have ever seen in my life!” Legends of black dogs and phantom hounds are widespread throughout the United Kingdom as well as in the United States. Though presented in novelized form, Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based his most popular detective thriller on true accounts of a mysterious black beast with blazing red eyes who is said to have attacked those crossing the moors. Some were lucky to have gotten away with their lives. Perhaps there are others who disappeared and their bodies were not accounted for. Who can say for certain? In addition to presenting the number one classic detective thriller of all time in its unabridged, fully illustrated, form, this work goes way beyond the boundaries of fiction into the realm of the supernatural. Today’s top paranormal researcher’s delve into stories of the bloody beast who comes in various sizes and apparently even has the ability to shape shift into a more hideous creature when cornered. As England’s leading cryptozoologist, Nick Redfern, points out, “There is one important factor to remember: Conan Doyle did not invent Britain’s phantom, fiery-eyed hounds. He merely brought them to the attention of the public in spectacularly entertaining style. In reality, the creature had been prowling around the British countryside for centuries; and particularly so Dartmoor – the fictional home of the world’s most famous hound of horror in all its awful glory.” According to Redfern the same area the imaginary Sherlock Holmes conducted his investigation around, is also, in reality, rife with ancient tales and legends of a group of diabolical and unholy creatures known as the Wisht Hounds – fearsome devil-dogs with glowing eyes and large fangs. “They are said to have a taste for both human flesh and human souls, and ride with the Devil himself, as he crosses the windswept wilds of Dartmoor late at night - and atop a headless, black horse, no less.” According to legend, the Wisht Hounds inhabit the nearby Wistman’s Woods – a sacred grove where, in centuries past, ancient druids held pagan rituals in honor of a veritable multitude of old Earth gods and goddesses. Here are dozens of accounts of devilish, gruesome, repugnant “monsters” – some of whom stand eight feet tall – who are said to be Satan’s watch dogs protecting the portals to another dimension or realm where no mortal should be made to tread!

    The illustrations included in this edition were created in the early 20th century by the renowned Russian illustrator and stage designer Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin.

    Magical transformations, enchanted mirrors, talking animals, familiar tales in unfamiliar guises, all these and more are found in the pages of THE LAST SELCHIE CHILD.Retellings of archetypal myths and fairy tales and the nature of storytelling itself are explored in this new collection of poems by Jane Yolen.

    Lewis shaped the field of Appalachian studies by emphasizing community participation and challenging traditional perceptions of the region and its people. Helen Matthews Lewis: Living Social Justice in Appalachia, a collection of Lewis's writings and memories that document her life and work, begins in 1943 with her job on the yearbook staff at Georgia State College for Women with Mary Flannery O'Connor.Editors Patricia D. Beaver and Judith Jennings highlight the achievements of Lewis's extensive career, examining her role as a teacher and activist at Clinch Valley College (now University of Virginia at Wise) and East Tennessee State University in the 1960s, as well as her work with Appalshop and the Highland Center. Helen Matthews Lewis connects Lewis's works to wider social movements by examining the history of progressive activism in Appalachia. The book provides unique insight into the development of regional studies and the life of a dynamic revolutionary, delivering a captivating and personal narrative of one woman's mission of activism and social justice.

    Ghost Islands of Nova Scotia is a virtual encyclopedia of our coastal past—a look back at a rugged, adventurous, dangerous, often lonely and sometimes tragic way of life.

    A newly illustrated edition of Juan Sauvageau's touching tale of ghostly bonds between mother and daughter, from his seminal collection Stories That Must Not Die.

    The famous poem Thomas the Rhymer.

    The material contained in this publication which includes recorded sound, photographs and manuscript transcriptions is drawn from National Folklore Collection/Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann in University College Dublin. It is edited by Ríonach uí Ógáin and Tom Sherlock and published by Comhairle Bhéaloideas Éireann.A number of illuminating aspects of popular tradition are addressed such as the connection between the supernatural and excellence in the performance of music and song, the dangers inherent in engaging with the fairies, the fear of abduction or loss, benign supernatural encounters, the existence of otherworldly creatures such as the banshee or the leprechaun and the physical landscape as perceived in inherited oral knowledge. There are encounters that reflect the blending of Christian and non-Christian ideas. This is a book for both the general reader and scholars of folklore.The inclusion of contemporary performers alongside older archival material is testament to the fact that the National Folklore Collection continues to grow and remains the most important repository of Irish vernacular culture.The songs, music and lore contained in this publication are the foundation stone upon which the book rests and this material reflects the circumstances, hopes, anxieties, fears, beliefs, modes of entertainment and sometimes the sense of mischief of Irish people, both urban and rural. The selected examples are illustrated with numerous black and white photographs many of them taken by the original collectors. There can be little doubt that the full spectrum of human experience is better comprehended with an understanding of traditional lore and belief. The Otherworld: Music & Song from Irish Tradition addresses an important aspect of that human experience and seeks to encourage just such an engagement.

    Witches were blamed for causing the ill health and death of people and their animals. Those accused of witchcraft often found themselves being ostracized and beaten by their neighbors. Magical practitioners known as cunning-folk drove a thriving trade not only in curing the bewitched, but also in detecting lost property, inducing love, and predicting the future. Astrologers and fortune-tellers were also widely consulted.This ebook is a fascinating exploration of the lives of all those who were caught up in the world of magic witches and their victims, and occult practitioners and their clients. It will appeal to anyone with a general interest in witchcraft, rural history, folklore or the history of Somerset.A People Bewitched is part of The Paranormal, a series that resurrects rare titles, classic publications, and out-of-print texts, as well as publishes new supernatural and otherworldly ebooks for the digital age. The series includes a range of paranormal subjects from angels, fairies, and UFOs to near-death experiences, vampires, ghosts, and witchcraft.

    Also includes unique clarification by the Editor on Points of Interest, and expansions throughout the text, as well as linked Table of Contents, Chapter connections back to the Table of Contents, Formatting and Layout Improvements.But what of the Stories?From dirty footed heroes, to weasels who say thank you, a journey with the fairies to rescue (or kidnap, depending on your point of view) a daughter of the King of France, dancing corpses, boiling a head until the ears drop off, an awfully polite giant who happens to be the son of the Old God Balor, a pope with a surprisingly Irish accent, and making babies with a single kiss - this collection of Irish Gaelic Folk stories has it all. Add to this the meticulous collection, translation and explanation of a man famed for his Irish language expertise and passion (who later became the first President of Ireland); and the skilled, careful compilation, editing, and formatting by an established current authority on Irish Heritage, which brings this invaluable Irish Research resource right into the modern digital publishing age. Now we have an accessible, pleasant to read and easy to understand, treasure trove of Irish Stories.Are you interested in Irish history, heritage, folklore, and language? Are you sick of having to trawl through badly formatted versions of the old texts just to find the bit you want? Or do you just love a good oul story, told in a way that the Irish do best? If the answer to any of that is Yes, then this book (and the Irish Research Series) is for you. Enjoy!~~~Originally collected and translated by Douglas Hyde (1890).Original Foreword by Alfred Nutt (1910)Compiled, edited and formatted by Lora O'Brien (2012). Annotated sections on the Irish Research Series, and a Bio of Douglas Hyde added to this edition. Some Notes from the Editor through the text.

    Left unchecked, this new predator could call down a Covenant strike team on the state, endangering the lives of uncounted innocent cryptids. Faced with this immediate threat to the cryptid community, the Healy family has no choice but to send a representative to check it out. And as the youngest Healy, Jonathan inevitably draws the short straw.Naturally, things can't be as easy as "take the train to Arizona, find out what's killing people, make it stop, go home." There's the desert heat to contend with, along with over-friendly locals, a traveling circus that seems to follow the predator's path, and a golden-haired trick rider who may or may not know more than she's letting on. It's enough to drive a gentleman cryptozoologist to distraction—and that's before the mice get involved.That's really not addressing the fact that anything with a taste for human flesh is likely to regard Jonathan himself as potential prey, and he is, after all, so very, very far from home..."The Flower of Arizona" was originally published in the DAW anthology Westward Weird, released in February of 2012. Copies are available from a bookstore near you.

    Until one day, a prince discovers the maiden and finds a way to reach her…but what will happen when the witch finds out about the prince?Simple text and beautiful illustrations capture the wonder of this timeless classic. With a lovely charm necklace to keep.

    Cities burn, armies pillage, and warlords struggle for domination. In the shadow of Rome's fall, the land of Britannia is divided and bleeding.Uther Pendragon and his allies journey to the heart of the dying empire, lead great armies, and forge a fragile alliance, the last hope to preserve the fading light of civilization. Amidst the ruins of Roman power and glory, the free peoples of Britannia make their last stand against the forces of darkness. On blood-soaked battlefields and before towered fortresses under siege, Uther and his warriors wage the final war for the future of Britannia. Before King Arthur, before the round table, before Camelot...there was Uther Pendragon, Britannia's greatest warrior. This is his story.

    

    Riveting ghost stories with history from all the major engagements of the warIncludes Manassas, Shiloh, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Petersburg, and AppomattoxChilling accounts from haunted Civil War prisons--Johnson's Island, OH; Point Lookout, MD; and Andersonville, GAField investigations with witnesses and EVP recordingsNesbitt's previous Haunted Pennsylvania and The Big Book of Pennsylvania Ghost Stories have sold more than 24,000 copies

    It relates the adventures of the fox at the court of the king of beasts, the lion, and details with great spirit and humor the cunning modes in which the hero contrives to outwit his enemies and to gain the favor of the trusting king. This Kindle edition, equivalent in length to a physical book of approximately 28 pages, includes an adaptation by Willis Pone Hazard (1861) as well as a special adaptation for young folks by elementary educators Harriette Taylor Treadwell and Margaret Free (1914).CONTENTSI. Introduction: About the Story of “Reynard the Fox”II. The Story of “Reynard the Fox”III. The Story of “Reynard the Fox” for Young FolksSample passage:Once, when the woods were green, and the earth was covered with her fairest mantle of flowers, and the sweet birds entertained with the delight of their songs, the Lion, the Royal King of Beasts, made solemn proclamation that all quadrupeds whatsoever should attend his court, and celebrate a great festival. Now, when the King had assembled all his subjects together, there was no one absent save Reynard the Fox, against whom many grievous accusations were laid. First came Isegrim the Wolf, with all his family and kindred, who, standing before the King, complained loudly how that Reynard had ill-treated his wife and children. Then there came a little hound named Curtis, who accused the Fox of having stolen his pudding in the extreme cold wintertime, when he was nigh dying of starvation. But scarcely had the hound finished his tale, when, with a fiery countenance, in sprang Tibert the Cat, and accused Curtise of having stolen this pudding from himself, and declared that Reynard had righteously taken it away.

    A newly illustrated edition of Juan Sauvageau's famous tale of hidden treasure, from his seminal collection Stories That Must Not Die.

    Surveying an eclectic spectrum of feline anomalies existing both within and far beyond the perimeters of cryptozoology, here are homing cats and demon cats, king cheetahs and woolly cheetahs, ligers and leopons, winged cats and horned cats, belligerent nundas and evanescent marozis, the mythology of the tailless Manx cat and the origins of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat, latter-day sabre-tooths and feline deities from around the world, dream cats, snow cats, and psychic cats, displaced panthers and out-of-place pumas, Janus cats of the double visage and the lost constellation of Felis, marsupial lions and Queensland tigers, green kittens and Runcible Cats, albinistic leopards and melanistic tigers, servalines, cheetalines, aquatic yaquarus, even a cat-headed serpent or two - and much, much else besides.

    Over 150 short but tall tales of spectral hounds - perfect reading for Halloween or any other dark and spooky evening! With illustrations by Claire Colvin.

    B.E.K.S. Are they a diabolical threat or the stuff of urban legend."Just let us in, this won't take long."Strange children are appearing around the world.Attired in old fashioned clothing, their skin is pale and their mannerisms awkward.Their most startling trait however, is their solid black eyes.They are knocking on doors and rapping on windows. Their voices are monotone and demanding and they have one simple request:They want to come in.

    Desi quickly learns that she has not won the war, Norridi and Garner escaped her trap and are still continuing the war against her and her friends. Meanwhile Teucoi learns about the city in the centre of the Lea and the Dæmons that besiege it constantly. Each side of the War races back in time trying to secure the timeline for themselves in a conclusion that redefines the very nature of reality.

    Here, premier storyteller Cynthia Moore Brown tells 17 old-timey favorites, each one including a special home-style recipe connected to the story. As for the lore, avoid a brush with death in Wait Until Spring, discover the dark secret a little bunny is hiding in Bee Keeper, root for Jack and his animal friends as they come face to face with Wild Hair Willy in Jack and the Robbers, and rediscover a mountain classic, told as only Cynthia can tell, in Simple Jack. This series of folktales is beautifully put to paper by mythologist, Theresa Bane, with a foreword presented by Etta Skaggs Reid, genealogist and historian. Drawings are by T. Glenn Bane, winner of a silver medal in the national Benjamin Franklin awards. So bake a batch of biscuits or brew some Southern Brunswick Stew as you curl up to some mighty exciting stories heard for generations!

    He has eaten at the same restaurant, had the same friends and attended the same church for as long as he could remember. When a most out of the ordinary daydream takes him into the reality of a small town legend, he is faced with a quest for truth that forces him to question the life he has always known. With his childhood friends Case and Wayne, along with the new girl Noel Peterson, Boone finds himself using hidden symbols to unearth a secret from long ago. They must use the clues disguised in the symbols to lead them on an epic journey of adventure to a forgotten world that will set Boone face to face with an enemy and a decision that could change his ordinary life forever. Ages 8+

    It features close-up photographs of dream catchers; covers their history, legends, lore and cultural symbolism; and presents a stunning collection of dream catchers that are at once craft and high art. The text is suitable for a popular audience while also thorough, rigorous and valuable in research. This edition has been redesigned with a new jacket.The exact genesis of dream catchers is unknown and origin stories vary as do beliefs about how they work. One legend has it that a medicine woman made a circle from a willow branch and used sinew to weave a spider-web pattern across the hoop. The circular talisman was hung over the bed of a sick child where it would "catch" bad dreams and protect the child, or it would catch good dreams to bless the child. However it worked, the child would recover by morning. Purchasers of dream catchers might find such a story attached to it.Dream catchers made by artists and artisans vary in their design and decoration, and range from craft to high art. Making dream catchers is a popular project for craft groups; conversely, dream catchers are exhibited at museum and galleries where they can fetch a high price.Each element of a dream catcher carries a meaning and function, and these are discussed in the book.Part 1: Legend and Distribution -- Origins; Algonquian Cultures; DreamingPart 2: Net Charms -- Power in Lines and Knots; Non-Algonquian Cultures; Dream Catchers TodayPart 3: Scale -- Fascination with "Indians"; Marketing; Artists and Manufacturing; The Future. More than 40 color photographs feature contemporary dream catchers and artifacts with captions that identify and comment on the different patterns and their significance. The book features original works by Nick Huard, who creates dream catchers in his studio in Kahnawake near Montreal.

    Each story is followed by information about the featured culture, enriching readers' understanding of the diverse peoples who make up Mexico.Fabricio VandenBroeck's lush art portrays the richness of the many peoples, animals, and places that make up Mexico.Includes a map of Mexico, showing the location of each indigenous group. Back matter includes a glossary and tale sources, as well as an index and a bibliography.