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

    The Pandava brother, Bheema, was lucky to have him as a son, for he saved his life more than once. And if it were not for this brave young rakshasa, the Kauravas may well have been the victors of the famous battle of Mahabharata.

    Travel to ancient Troy with the irrepressible angel Mercury as he masterminds the most unnecessarily complicated sneak attack in history! Never read any of the Mercury books? Start here! Already read one or more of the books? Also OK! There's no wrong way to read this story, unless you're using a spatula and a bowl full of goose feathers.

    Without Vishnu, he was afraid, chaos would ensue. So he and his son Narada, the wandering sage, set in motion a plan to get Vishnu to return to earth.A talking anthill, an arrogant sage, an irate cowherd, and even the asura king Ravana, each have their parts to play in these stories that describe the founding of the Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati. Set amongst the lovely Tirumala hills, this temple to Lord Vishnu, is one of the most beautiful temples in the world. It is said that more than 50,000 people visit this shrine every day, to pray to Venkateshwara to wash away their sins.

    She was the sister of Samuel Gordon, the writer, and married Myer Jack Landa, a British Jewish writer. Together they published a number of novels and plays. She wrote a children's column in the Jewish Chronicle and published a book, Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends (1919). "The very cordial welcome given to my earlier volume of "Jewish Fairy Tales and Fables" has prompted me to draw further upon Rabbinic lore in the interest, chiefly, of the children. How the wise Rabbis of old took into account the necessities of the little ones, whose minds they understood so perfectly, is obvious from such legends as those dealing with boyish exploits of the great Biblical characters, Abraham, Moses, and David. These I have rewritten from the stories in the Talmud and Midrash in a manner suitable for the children of to-day

    There is tremendous variety in this volume including the stories of Kuay Yin, the compassionate Buddhist goddess; Durga, the fierce Hindu warrior goddess; lx Chel, an ancient Mayan goddess; Changing Woman, the man-faceted Navajo deity, and more. Each story in this dynamic collection is accompanied by an exquisite portrait by the late, supremely gifted illustrator Trina Schart Hyman

    Capitol Building all have in common? Will the first Antichrist rise again? Will ancient Babylon once again become a prominent player in the Last Days? Will America be the catalyst through which both return? Why do the actions of our presidents, the iconography on the back of the U.S. one dollar bill, and the monuments of Washington, DC all seem to indicate that it will be? Find out in this updated and expanded edition of Babylon Rising: And The First Shall Be Last.

    The guns of the Civil War are silent thanks to a tense cease fire between North and South. California is shattered by the Great Quake of '68, a new superfuel called ghost rock is revealed in the flooded channels and buried in the cliff faces that loom above. Powerful Rail Barons strive to be the first to complete a transcontinental railroad, and the Great Rail Wars exact a bloody toll on an American frontier divided between not only the Union and Confederacy, but the Sioux Nation, the Mormon state of Deseret, and the Independent Commonwealth of California. Amid the chaos, fortunes can be made by those bold enough to make their way West. These brave souls have more than plain old human violence to contend with. Something's going on in the West, something downright nasty. Fear stalks the land like a hungry beast, and abominations from man's myths and nightmares haunt the High Plains. Legends tell of ancient and powerful beings that thrive on the fear created by these horrific creatures. All around, the night grows darker and the shadows grow longer as evil twists the land. Arrayed against the forces of darkness are the heroes of the Weird West: Grim gunslingers, spell slinging hucksters, brilliant mad scientists, and wizened Indian shamans stake their souls and fortunes on the battle against the evils of the frontier, and often lay down their very lives for the cause of righteousness and light. And sometimes, death is not the end. Back in the Saddle! Deadlands: The Weird West returns, with the popular Savage Worlds game engine under the hood. Within these pages, you'll find all the rules you need to build a posse of heroes, and all the dirt the Marshal (that's the game master, partner) needs to bury 'em. We've also got a whirlwind tour of the Weird West, complete with a whole passel of nasty varmints and critters to vex adventurous souls. If your posse's the ambitious t

    Katharine Pyle's masterly retelling of well-loved folk tales from around the world.The Meester Stoorworm - A Story from ScotlandJean Malin and the Bull Man - A Louisiana TaleThe Widow’s Son - A Scandinavian TaleThe Wise Girl - A Serbian StoryThe History of Ali Cogia - From the Arabian NightsOh! - A Cossack StoryThe Talking Eggs - A Story from LouisianaThe Frog Princess - A Russian StoryThe Magic Turban, the Magic Sword and the Magic Carpet - A Persian StoryThe Three Silver Citrons - A Persian StoryThe Magic Pipe - A Norse TaleThe Triumph of Truth - A Hindu StoryLife’s Secret - A Story of BengalDame Pridgett and the Fairies

    The essays cover a wide range of topics, from magic and trance healing to cockfighting and seaweed farming. The author, who has lived on Bali for 28 years, is widely recognized as a self-taught guru of Balinese folk traditions.

    It gained popularity in the 1970s across Europe and North America and is still thriving today, sought out for its non-dogmatic structure and emphasis on individuality, hospitality, and community-based values. Ásatrú for Beginners is a newcomer’s guide to this spirituality. It breaks down everything from the history and traditions to the gods and goddesses, ancient texts, sacred rituals, and the use of runes with simple language anyone can dive into. It’s an inclusive and practical guide that makes it easy to apply Ásatrú in your modern-day life and find greater spiritual satisfaction. Ásatrú for Beginners offers: See yourself more clearly—Ásatrú centers around ideas like friendship, community, and sharing. Discover what’s important to you and how to worship in a way that fits your life. What’s old is new again—Explore the thousand-year-old roots of the original Ásatrú religion and what makes its recent rebirth so powerful. Gods and goddesses—Find wonder, purpose, and inspiration in the stories and poems about gods like Thor, Loki, and Frigg. Enter the world of Ásatrú with a simple guide that puts you on the path to spiritual health.

    The book is part of a series on myths and legends.

    , 546 pages, 448 pages with index in English followed by Hyms in Hindi, colour and black and white illustrations

    Many of the trees have been cleared, but connection with the wildwood remains. It is a place of danger, adventure and transformation, where anything could happen. Here is a collection of traditional folk tales of oak, ash and thorn, hunting forests and rebellion, timber and triumph in battle, wild ghosts and woodwoses. Lisa Schneidau retells some of the old stories and relates them to the trees and forests in the landscape of our islands today. These stories are essential reading for all those who feel a pull towards the wild in the landscape, and at the edge of our lives.

    Contents include: The Beginning of Things / How Odin Lost His Eye / Kvasir's Blood / The Giant Builder / The Magic Apples / Skadi's Choice / The Dwarf's Gifts / Loki's Children / The Quest of the Hammer / The Giantess Who Would Not / Thor's Visit To the Giants / Thor's Fishing / Thor's Duel / In the Giant's House / Balder and the Mistletoe / The Punishment of Loki.