Folklore studies / Study of myth Books

Book SynopsisThis is a book about English art like no other. Forget the tired rogues’ gallery of lords and ladies, forget the tall ships and haywains. These images cut to the heart of England’s psychic landscapes to portray an Albion unhinged, where magic and rebellion and destruction are the horses to which the country is hitched. On these fabled shores we are all castaways, whether our family has lived here for four thousand years or for four. Here you will find depictions of ancient trackways, chalk carvings and standing stones, of animal-masked community rituals, of streets set ablaze in protest, of occult dreams and psychedelic prophecies. There are over 200 images by artists ranging from William Blake, J.M.W. Turner and Samuel Palmer to Paul Nash, Louis Wain, Bill Brandt, Derek Jarman and Ithell Colquhoun to present-day visionaries such as Paula Rego, Cathy de Monchaux, George Shaw, Jamie Reid, Matt Collishaw, Tacita Dean, Lina Iris Viktor, Yinka Shonibare, Nick Waplington, Dan Hillier, Nicola Tyson, Sutapa Biswas and Chila Kumari Burman. The mind-blowing selection of images is accompanied by short texts by Mat Osman, exploring magic and mazes, ghosts and gardens, shipwrecks and cities. These poetic renderings of a spectral isle, together with Stephen Ellcock’s hallucinatory visual journey, reclaim Albion as an eternally inspiring and anarchic domain – an England on fire.Trade Review"Fascinating, vibrant, and overwhelmingly powerful, this is a unique look at England in its magical and rebellious glory ... A LoveReading Star book, England on Fire is truly beautiful, it’s astute, inclusive, and absolutely magical." - Liz Robinson, LoveReading.co.uk "Ellcock resurfaces the work of a wide range of artists, from overlooked 19th century printmakers to female surrealists. In the place of sedentary lords and ladies, he offers saturnalia. In the place of haywains; standing stones, the Cottingley fairies and scenes from anti-fascist marches." - India Bourke, New Statesman"England On Fire will change the way you see England, not for showing anything new, but for showing you what has been there all along." - Thomas Overlook, Exquisite Terror"not just mind blowing, but mind defining – approaching the heights of epiphanic beauty ... This deep, wild England also contains the euphoria of possibility – therein lies the importance and joy of this book, the pages of which mingle with our dreams." - Richard Cabut, International Times"England on Fire is definitely thought-provoking. As you flick through the pages, you really do get a sense of the subconscious and often poignant undercurrent of England's 'jousting and days out' heritage." - Love British History"A fantastical wander through English art, customs and rituals [...] an insightful visual map of a strange and fascinating world." – Sinéad Gleeson

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Book SynopsisExplore the sprawling network of culture to discover the incredible ways in which ideas connect to shape the world we see today. These mind-blowing essays dig down to the roots of stories, myths and literary genres, travelling from art to politics to history to folklore, and from high to popular culture and back again. Through an intricate web of sidenotes, embark on a voyage of discovery from the unluckiest book ever made to Viking horned helmets to the sex life of vampires …. or from mermaids frolicking in the margins to the ancient Amazons to the power of Amazon and on to Utopia and Atlantis … This is western culture as you’ve never seen it before.

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Book SynopsisMost people have no idea that we have scorpions, Aesculapian snakes, eagle owls, wallabies and many more unusual non-native species living and breeding in the British Isles.In An Unnatural History of Britain nature writer Kevin Parr travels the length and breadth of the country seeking out these rare creatures and exploring the myths and folklore which have emerged around them along the way.

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Book SynopsisHIGHLY COMMENDED: THE OWPG GUIDEBOOK AWARDS 2024Embark on an extraordinary journey through the British countryside, leading to mysterious sites, ancient wonders and legendary landscapes to uncover 50 of the most intriguing walks in Britain. Discover the Green Chapel of Arthurian legend deep in the Staffordshire moorlands. Take a magical stroll through the fairytale forest of Wistman's Woods on Dartmoor. Marvel at the surreal rock formations of Brimham Rocks in Yorkshire, or spot the Hogwarts Express crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands. With each walk ranging from two to eight miles in length and featuring beautiful photography, helpful directions and useful information, this book guarantees captivating experiences for walkers of all abilities, whether you're a casual stroller or seasoned hiker. Short Walks to Curious Places is your key to unlocking the secrets of the British countryside. With every step, you'll uncover the stories that shaped these extraordi

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Book SynopsisNiall Mac Coitir provides a comprehensive look at the folklore, legends and history of animals in Ireland, and describes their relations with people, being hunted for food, fur, sport, or as vermin, and their position today. A final section, inspired by stories of animal transformation, looks at twelve animals and how we can enrich our lives by visualising ourselves with their special qualities. This fascinating and beautifully illustrated compilation of folklore, legends and natural history will delight all with an interest in Ireland’s animals.Trade Review'Full of arcane and interesting facts' * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisThis powerful analysis of the 'wise women healer' from the oral traditions of Ireland's rural communities, is unique in its depth and perspective. Stories, told and retold, embedded in the texture of culture and community, collected and studied for many decades, are here translated and made available to the general reader for the first time. The figure of the 'wise woman', the 'hag', the Cailleach, or the 'Red Woman' are part of an oral tradition which has its roots in pre-Christian Ireland. In the hands of Gearoid O Crualaich, these figures are subtly explored to reveal how they offered a complex understanding of the world, of human psychology and its predicaments. The thematic structure of the book brings to the fore universal themes such as death, marriage, childbirth and healing, and invites the reader to see the contemporary relevance of the stories for themselves.Trade Review"This is a breathtaking book. It returns to Irish folk material the emotional depth and imaginative meaning which it always contained in its natural context but of which it has often been stripped by the more utilitarian and commonplace interpretations long in fashion. It reminds me once again why I am charmed and enchanted by this material, and more than that, why I regularly find in it answers to the deep-seated obsessions of my own. A real gem of a book, containing an exemplary methodology showing how the Irish folk tradition can be interrogated to find answers which are vitally important to our age and times." Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill "The Book of the Cailleach is not only ambitious, but courageous...this book will be indispensable to students of Irish vernacular culture and richly rewarding for readers from many other backgrounds." Angela Bourke

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Book SynopsisRuss Williams was raised on Wales's stories, like the one about a mountain that would send you mad or turn you into a gifted poet if you camped out on it, the one about the lost civilisation drowned by the sea and the one about the bottomless lake leading down to the Welsh Otherworld. Stories of witches and giants and heroic kings, dragons and mad doctors, ghostly women, giant beaver monsters, vampire furniture and pirate-fighting monks. As entertaining as it is informative,Where the Folkfollows Russ Williams as he travels in Griff, his creaky red Fiesta, in search of places associated with Wales's legends, folklore and urban myths. In this joyful travelogue, not only does Russ recount some of Wales's most interesting stories; he also explores the origins behind the myths, talking to experts and storytellers to find out how and why they might have come about, and what they tell us about Wales past and present.

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Book SynopsisExplore the most fascinating superstitions from around the world and marvel at the impact they have on our present-day lives. The Encyclopedia of Curious Rituals and Superstitions sheds light on the impact that superstitions have on our global society at large, world history, the pop culture we consume, the art we create, and even the way we think about marriage, death, prosperity, self-protection, and luck, to name a few. No matter where on Earth you live, superstitions have always been the infrastructure of societies since ancient times. They can be found in social rules of etiquette, in the vocabulary we communicate with, in rituals performed during holidays, in birthing rooms across time, at funerals, or just in our everyday habits. These mysterious practices provide an essential source of comfort, safety, and control. Even more fascinating is that they have been used since time immemorial to explain the unexplained. Unpack the lore and origins of cultural superstitions and how they have persisted throughout many generations. Discover how:  Celtic fairies are behind our compulsion to knock on wood  Norse mythology is responsible for our fear of the number 13 Taylor Swift finds the number 13 to be lucky  A quick death in Japan is thought to be ensured if you cut your toenails at night The evil eye is an important talisman in Jewish and Muslim cultures The meaning behind your birthstone can predict your personality Rabbits hold significance in some Asian and Indigenous cultures Finding a husband in Nebraska is as simple as 99 horses, a white mule, and a handshake Eating twelve grapes on New Year''s Eve in Spain and Central and South America can bring forth prosperity Beautiful illustrations further challenge the images your mind may have already held about the beliefs you instinctively carry throughout your life. You will be continually surprised and delighted by how superstitions not only define the bedrock of a culture but also demonstrate the nuanced ways in which we are all connected. Unlock a world of wonders in The Encyclopedia of Curious Rituals and Superstitions.The Wonderpedia series offers comprehensive, display-worthy illustrated references on a range of intriguing topics, including archeological discoveries, world mythology, pop culture, global superstitions, and the fascinating stories behind signs and symbols. A cross-cultural exploration of what makes humans tick, this series magnifies the connective threads between us across time and geography and demystifies the surprising, confounding sides of life.  

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Book SynopsisA deep exploration of the regenerative and magical secrets of sacred masculinity hidden in familiar myths both ancient and modern• Reveals the restorative fungi archetype of Osiris, the Orphic mysteries as an underground mycelium linking forests and people, how Dionysus teaches us about invasive species and playful sexuality, and the ecology of Jesus as depicted in his nature-focused parables• Liberates Tristan, Merlin, and the Grail legends from the bounds of Campbell’s hero’s journey and invites the masculine into more nuanced, complex ways of dealing with trauma, growth, and self-knowledgeLong before the sword-wielding heroes of legend readily cut down forests, slaughtered the old deities, and vanquished their enemies, there were playful gods, animal-headed kings, mischievous lovers, trickster harpists, and vegetal magicians with flowering wands. As eco-feminist scholar Sophie Strand discovered, these wilder, more magical modes of the masculine have always been hidden in plain sight. Sharing the culmination of eight years of research into myth, folklore, and the history of religion, Strand leads us back into the forgotten landscapes and hidden secrets of familiar myths, revealing the beautiful range of the divine masculine, including expressions of male friendship, male intimacy, and male creative collaboration. In discussing Dionysus and Osiris, Strand encourages us to think like an ecosystem instead of like an individual. She connects dying, vegetal gods to the virtuous cycle of composting and decay, highlighting the ways in which mushrooms can restore soil and heal polluted landscapes. Exploring esoteric Christianity, the author celebrates the Gnostic Jesus of the Gospel of Thomas, imagining the ecology that the Rabbi Yeshua would have actually been referencing in his nature-focused parables. Strand frees Tristan, Merlin, and the Grail legends from the bounds of Campbell’s hero’s journey and invites the masculine into more nuanced, complex ways of dealing with trauma, growth, and self-knowledge. Strand reseeds our minds with new visions of male identity and shows how each of us, regardless of gender, can develop a matured ecological empathy and witness a blossoming of sacred masculine powers that are soft, curious, connective, and celebratory.Trade Review“If we want to locate the underlying source of our civilization’s headlong rush to destruction, we must dig deeper than capitalism, deeper even than the Western worldview, until we encounter the bedrock of patriarchy. In this exuberant tableau of resurrection, Strand reveals how even our most archetypal myths have been molded and devitalized to fit the patriarchal straitjacket, and Strand lays the groundwork for a regenerated masculinity--one that is liberated to explore life-affirming possibilities grounded in the deep wisdom of long-buried ancient lore.” * Jeremy Lent, author of The Web of Meaning *“Sophie Strand’s beautiful and poetic book is a game changer. With The Flowering Wand as a tool, it is possible to rewrite the mostly traumatizing patriarchal narratives Western males so often base their identity in and reconnect them with the underlying story of a cultural and natural deep history of mutual transformation with other beings beyond all modern binaries.” * Andreas Weber, biologist, philosopher, and author of Enlivenment: Toward a Poetics for the Anthropoc *“Sophie Strand writes with the urgency of a prophet and the musicality of a bard. Weaving myth together with botany, history with theology, her virtuosic linguistic skeins would do her beloved mycorrhizae proud. In The Flowering Wand, the masculine appears as lover, as partner, as inspirer, as friend. This is a book important in its joy, powerful in its love--exuberant in its curiosity. Taking us by the hand, Strand leads us into a garden of delights: tarot cards, ancient scriptures, Shakespearean comedies, sky gods, the Minotaur, the Milky Way. Strand holds the gates of wonder open and love comes flowing out. These are the birth waters breaking. Rejoice! The masculine is reborn.” * Amanda Yates Garcia, author of Initiated: Memoir of a Witch *“A magnificent weave of ecology and myth--it is evident there’s some pretty rich dirt, culturally speaking as well as actual dirt no doubt, under the fingernails that have written this lyrical journey. A book filled with magical insight, revealing Strand’s wondrous curiosity and impressive learnings of the complex relationships between humans and nature.” * Sam Lee, musician and author of The Nightingale *“The wisdom in this book is almost beyond expression. Sophie Strand’s The Flowering Wand reveals the full potency and profligacy of myth.” * Manchán Magan, author of Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape *“Sophie Strand’s work is a must-read for lovers of mythology and the Earth. Her work is poetic yet practical. It’s whimsical and transportive, yet it’s describing the world around you, inviting you back home to the reality of this mystical life and world we inhabit.” * Annabel Gat, author of The Astrology of Love and Sex and The Moon Sign Guide *“The Flowering Wand is a ‘wild thing’ and seeks out other forms of recombination and transformative fusion and gives them life. The surprising conclusion is, we humans have always been more-than-human. Are you wild enough to find out why?” * Glenn Albrecht, Ph.D., philosopher and environmentalist *“Sophie Strand’s new book offers a luminous exploration of the radical mythic underpinning of the masculine narrative. Here the autocratic sky gods and sword-wielding dominators of people and landscapes are replaced by a dynamic ensemble of dancers, lovers, and liberators. Strand reminds us how these actors--from the Minotaur to Merlin--inspire people of all places and genders to break out of the straitjacket of patriarchal control and become more embodied, protean, dramaturgical, and emergent in our lives. Get entangled!” * Charlotte Du Cann, author of After Ithaca: Journeys in Deep Time *“Sophie Strand’s words embody both the chthonic depth of well-myceliated soil and the crystals, sharp with insight, among its hyphae. In The Flowering Wand, Sophie remediates the ground of western culture by rerooting the divine masculine--in all its fertility, magic and imagination-- back into the earth. Through Sophie‘s richly seeded prose and deep scholarship she shows us how reclaiming this fertile, soporific energy--an energy that lives within us all--can help heal our connection with the Animate Everything and nourish the re-flowering of the world.” * Asia Suler, author of Mirrors in the Earth *“Readers will feel the words in this book tendril around their hearts and minds, forming adaptive connections and creating conversations with the ‘Animate Everything’ in the wilds of their everyday worlds. Myths that stay the same don’t survive, Strand tells us; she waves a wand toward the earth and summons up vital wisdom for our time.” * Gavin Van Horn, author of The Way of Coyote *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Sword or the Wand PART 1Back to the Roots1 Sky, Storm, and Spore Where Do Gods Come From? 2 The Hanged Man Is the Rooted One Thinking from the Feet3 Between Naming and the Unknown Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night4 The Minotaur Dances the Masculine Back into the Milky WayMyths Need to Move5 The Moon Belongs to Everyone Lunar Medicine for the Masculine 6 Becoming a HomeThe Empress Card Embraces the Masculine 7 Dionysus Girl-Faced God of the Swarm, the Hive, the Vine, and the Emergent Mind 8 Merlin Makes Kin to Make Kingdoms A Multiplicity of Minds and Myths9 Joseph, Secret Vegetalista of Genesis Plants Use Men to Dream 10 Actaeon Is the King of the Beasts From Curse to Crown11 A New Myth for Narcissus Seeing Ourselves in the Ecosystem 12 Everyone Is OrpheusSinging for Other Species 13 Dionysus as LiberThe Vine Is the Tool of the Oppressed 14 Rewilding the Beloved Dionysus Offers New Modes of Romance 15 Grow Back Your Horns The Devil Card Is Dionysus PART IIHealing the Wound 16 Let Your Wings DryGiving the Star Card to the Masculine 17 Tristan and TransformationEscaping the Trauma of the Hero’s Journey 18 Boy David, Wild David, King David The Land-Based Origin of Biblical Kingship 19 Coppice the Hero’s Journey Creating Narrative Ecosystems 20 Merlin and Vortigern Magical Boyhood Topples Patriarchy21 Parzifal and the Fisher King The Grail Overflows with Stories 22 Sleeping Beauty, Sleeping World The Prince Offers the Masculine a New Quest 23 Melt the Sacred Masculine and the Divine Feminine into Divine Animacy The Sacred Overflows the Human 24 Resurrect the Bridegroom The Song of Songs and Ecology as Courtship 25 OsirisThe Original Green Man 26 What’s the Matter? A Mycelial Interpretation of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene 27 Knock upon Yourself The High Priestess Wakes Up the Masculine28 The Kingdom of Astonishment Gnostic Jesus and the Transformative Power of Awe 29 Healing the Healer Dionysus Rewilds Jesus 30 Making Amends to Attis and AdonisNo Gods Were Killed in the Making of This Myth 31 The Joyful Rescue Tolkien’s Eucatastrophe and the Anthropocene 32 Sharing the Meal Tom Bombadil Offers the Masculine Safe Haven 33 The Gardeners and the SeedsHealing the Easter Wound Conclusion A Cure for Narrative Dysbiosis Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics.The wolf thought to himself, What a tender young creature! what a nice plump mouthful she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.'This collection of much-loved folk tales features such familiar characters as daring Little Red Riding Hood, crafty Rumpelstiltskin and the ill-fated infants Hansel and Gretel. They are as magical and fascinating today as when they were first told, despite or because of the underlying darkness at their heart.Collected in a single volume by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, and first published in 1812, these stories are known and loved by adults and children alike, and have grown to be an invaluable part of our collective imagination.

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Book SynopsisMagic is all around us - in stones, flowers, stars, the dawn wind and the sunset cloud. All we need is the ability to see it, understand it, and apply it.

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Book SynopsisThe powerful gods of Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia, the more mystical deities of Buddhist and Hindu India, and the stern spirits of the African and American continents all reflect very different civilizations, yet they also demonstrate the unity of mankind in its fundamental need for explanations of the unknown. Arthur Cotterell sets out clearly the chief myths of the world and explains why different mythologies arose in different lands. * Comprehensive coverage in seven main sections of West Asia, South and Central Asia, East Asia, Europe, America, Africa, and Oceania * Clear and informative section introductions highlight the history and lifestyle of ancient peoples and the landscape in which they lived * Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and maps of each key area `An excellent reference book, as well as a good book for dipping into at leisure.'' Greek ReviewTrade ReviewAn excellent reference book, as well as a good book for dipping into at leisure. * Greek Review *

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Book SynopsisCompiled by an unknown scribe in Iceland around 1270, and based on sources dating back centuries earlier, these mythological and heroic poems tell of gods and mortals from an ancient era: the giant-slaying Thor, the doomed Völsung family, the Hel-ride of Brynhild and the cruelty of Atli the Hun. Eclectic, incomplete and fragmented, these verses nevertheless retain their stark beauty and their power to enthrall, opening a window on to the thoughts, beliefs and hopes of the Vikings and their world.

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Book SynopsisSteinbeck''s first posthumously published work, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights is a reinterpretation of tales from Malory''s Morte d''Arthur. In this highly successful attempt to render Malory into Modern English, Steinbeck recreated the rhythm and tone of the original Middle English.

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Book SynopsisThe Penguin English Library Edition of The Five Orange Pips and Other Cases by Arthur Conan Doyle''He is the Napoleon of crime, Watson ... He sits motionless, like a spider in the centre of its web, but that web has a thousand radiations, and he knows well every quiver of each of them''Sherlock Holmes, scourge of criminals everywhere, whether they be lurking in London''s foggy backstreets or plotting behind the walls of an idyllic country mansion, and his faithful colleague Dr Watson, solve these breathtaking and perplexing mysteries. In Arthur Conan Doyle''s The Five Orange Pips and Other Cases we encounter some of his most famous and devilishly difficult problems.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.

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Book SynopsisWho, or what, is the Green Man, and why is this medieval image so present in our precarious modern times? An encounter with a carving of the Green Man at an ancient church leads Nina Lyon on a search to track him down in all his various guises. Against a backdrop of mountains, forests, rivers and stone circles, a cult of the Green Man emerges, as Nina explores his meaning and how he came into being. Meanwhile, in the woods, from an overgrown Welsh railway line to leafy London suburbia, strange things are happening . . .

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Book SynopsisA renowned psychologist examines fairy tales through a Jungian lens, revealing what they can teach us about the darkest sides of human behavior Fairy tales seem to be innocent stories, yet they contain profound lessons for those who would dive deep into their waters of meaning. In this book, Marie-Louise von Franz uncovers some of the important lessons concealed in tales from around the world, drawing on the wealth of her knowledge of folklore, her experience as a psychoanalyst and a collaborator with Jung, and her great personal wisdom. Among the many topics discussed in relation to the dark side of life and human psychology, both individual and collective, are: ?How different aspects of the ?shadow??all the affects and attitudes that are unconscious to the ego personality?are personified in the giants and monsters, ghosts, and demons, evil kings, and wicked witches of fairy tales ?How problems of the shadow manifest differently in men and women ?What fairy tales say about the kinds of behavior and attitudes that invite evil ?How Jung?s technique of Active imagination can be used to overcome overwhelming negative emotions ?How ghost stories and superstitions reflect the psychology of grieving ?What fairy tales advise us about whether to struggle against evil or turn the other cheek Dr. von Franz concludes that every rule of behavior that we can learn from the unconscious through fairy tales and dreams is usually a paradox: sometimes there must be a physical struggle against evil and sometimes a contest of wits, sometimes a display of strength or magic and sometimes a retreat. Above all, she shows the importance of relying on the central, authentic core of our being?the innermost Self, which is beyond the struggle between the opposites of good and evil.

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Book SynopsisThe between days were days of pure white heat.Summer is swelling around the village. Heat is surging, people are whispering about a great hungry wave, and in the garden, Anna is kicking her dying dog on the grass.But someone is watching her. The girl. Ava.Outside, the brutal summer blisters on. Inside, over the course of one claustrophobic week, Anna and Ava become caught up in their own world. Become swallowed by each-otherness. But what does Ava really want?As faces fray and secrets splinter, the past casts the present anew, and Anna and Ava are forced to reckon with who they truly are. Because who we are, Ava Anna Ada warns us, is not always the same as what we are to each other.Braiding climate chaos, lust, poetry and violence, Ali Millar''s debut novel is a contemporary fable against images and their enduring hold on us. Attuned to the knotty texture of reality, Ava Anna Ada asks us to confront the way things lTrade ReviewKay Dick's They meets early Iain Banks or Ian McEwan in this novel of a near-future family meltdown. Every bit as gripping as it is horrifying. * Ian Rankin *So striking... like seeing our last few years through a distorted fever-dream. The precision and delicacy of the violence is uncanny * Lucy Caldwell *Shocking and uncompromising, but effortlessly and unpretentiously so, Millar's writing is visceral and vibrant; piercingly astute in rendering the inner thoughts and raw emotions of her protagonists, unearthing diamonds of humanity from the mire of brutality * Miki Berenyi *Tense, ruthless and fevered, Ava Anna Ada is a bracingly original tale of lust and malice amidst dementing heat, general unravelling, and the late nightmares of a screaming planet. * Rob Doyle *A work of exquisite strangeness, Ava Anna Ada is unsettling and arresting. It moves from character to character, page to page, with beguiling relentlessness. Ali Millar's writing is full of dark richness and fevered heat, but also cool stringency in its exploration of grief and femininity. * Wendy Erskine *Ava Anna Ada is both brilliantly stylish and horribly unnerving . . . an almost impossibly elegant evocation of violence, eroticism and derangement. A weird, furious, fucked-up fable. -- Keiran GoddardLove and lust are the dark forces that intertwine within Ava Anna Ada. Millar is a rare talent and has created a hypnotic, profound and mesmerising novel * Ewan Morrison *Ava Anna Ada is as brilliantly queasy as Nabokov's final novel, Look At The Harlequins! ... This is an unforgettable and unflinching book. Even though there are moments of ghastly comedy it manages to end with a moment of sublimity. But the sublime, as Blake described it, something overwhelming that reminds us of our mortality, of the 'terrible uncertainty of the thing' -- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *A perverse, dark tale of shifting identities, deceit and manipulation * Financial Times *'A work of exquisite strangeness, Ava Anna Ada is unsettling and arresting. It moves from character to character, page to page, with beguiling relentlessness. Ali Millar's writing is full of dark richness and fevered heat, but also cool stringency in its exploration of grief and femininity.' * Wendy Erskine *

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Book SynopsisThe identity of Robin Hood is one of the great historical mysteries of English history - until now.Trade ReviewImpeccably researched and highly original - David Baldwin is a brilliant historical detective' -- PHILIPPA GREGORY, author of THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL and THE WHITE QUEENUnmasks Robin of Leicester' * NOTTINGHAM POST *Table of ContentsPreface Prologue: Robin Hood's World 1. Tales of Robin Hood 2. Myth & Reality 3. The Robin Hoods of History 4. Friends, Foes & Gravestones 5. 'Bad' Kings - 6. - & 'Good' Outlaws 7. Henry III & Simon de Montfort 8. The Unlikely Saint 9. The Disinherited 10. Roger Godberd & Walter Devyas 11. The Real Robin Hood Appendix 1: Gamelyn & Adam Bell Appendix 2: Selected Documents The Principal Events of the Robin Hood Era Notes & References Bibliography List of Illustrations Index

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Book SynopsisA dictionary of the plants of the British Isles; their common names and folk associations, from custom and superstition to medicinal.Trade ReviewRoy Vickery's magisterial Folk Flora is based on a heroic lifetime of scholarship and full of wonderful details * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisLearn the compelling cultural histories behind some of the world's supernatural beliefs with The Book of Superstitions.Friday the 13th; rabbit feet; knocking on wood; walking under a ladder; the curse of the evil eye. We all have a superstition or two. Unveil the origins of some of the most universal and little known superstitions that have influenced cultures around the world for centuries. Including beliefs that gained a foothold in African and European folklore, notions from ancient Greece, legends of the British Isles, and beyond, this is a captivating read for people of all ages and backgrounds. Inside you'll find: Legends and cultural behaviors organized by region, so you can discover how cultural identity has impacted these beliefs over the years Beautiful illustrations of these fascinating concepts An analysis of how superstitions vary from country to country Discover why superstitions have bewitched us for centuries with The Book of Superstitions. Fingers crossed you'll love this book!

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Book SynopsisA classic, enchanting document of Scottish folklore about fairies, elves, and other supernatural creatures.Late in the seventeenth century, Robert Kirk, an Episcopalian minister in the Scottish Highlands, set out to collect his parishioners’ many striking stories about elves, fairies, fauns, doppelgängers, wraiths, and other beings of, in Kirk’s words, “a middle nature betwixt man and angel.” For Kirk these stories constituted strong evidence for the reality of a supernatural world, existing parallel to ours, which, he passionately believed, demanded exploration as much as the New World across the seas. Kirk defended these views in The Secret Commonwealth, an essay that was left in manuscript when he died in 1692. It is a rare and fascinating work, an extraordinary amalgam of science, religion, and folklore, suffused with the spirit of active curiosity and bemused wonder that fills Robert Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy and the works of Sir Thomas Browne. The Secret Commonwealth is not only a remarkable document in the history of ideas but a study of enchantment that enchants in its own right. First published in 1815 by Sir Walter Scott, then reedited in 1893 by Andrew Lang, with a dedication to Robert Louis Stevenson, The Secret Commonwealth has long been difficult to obtain—available, if at all, only in scholarly editions. This new edition modernizes the spelling and punctuation of Kirk’s little book and features a wide-ranging and illuminating introduction by the critic and historian Marina Warner, who brings out the originality of Kirk’s contribution and reflects on the ongoing life of fairies in the modern mind.

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Book SynopsisA very readable guide which fills the gap between academic analysis and less critical retellings of the myths and legends. Marytn Whittock provides an accessible overview while also assessing the current state of research regarding the origins and significance of the myths. Since all records of the myths first occur in the early medieval period, the focus is on the survival of pre-Christian mythology and the interactions of the early Christian writers with these myths. A wide-ranging and enthralling introduction to Celtic mythology, from the Irish gods before gods, the Fomorians, to the children of Llyr, the sea deity; from the hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill, whose exploits are chronicled in the Fenian Cycle, to Cu Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster; and from the Welsh heroes of the Mabinogion to Arthur, King of Britain, though the mythical, Welsh version who predates the medieval legends.

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Book SynopsisLong ago in Ireland, there lived a boy called Fionn, who wanted to know everything ... Fionn goes to live with the wisest man in Ireland, hoping to find answers to his many questions. But Finnegas has a secret. He knows how to get all the knowledge in the world, and it starts with a silver salmon swimming in the River Boyne.

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Book SynopsisAs featured in The New York Times...Throughout the history of civilisation, traditional crafts have been passed down from hand to skilled hand. Blacksmithing, brewing, beekeeping, baking, milling, spinning, knitting and weaving: these skills held societies together, and so too shaped their folklore and mythology.Exploring the folklore connected with these rural crafts, Telling the Bees examines the customs, superstitions and stories woven into some of the world’s oldest trades. From the spinning of the Fates to the blacksmith’s relationship with the devil, and the symbolism of John Barleycorn to a ritual to create bees from the corpse of a cow – these are the traditions upon which our modern world was built.Trade Review"A wonderful, eclectic collection of folklore essentials" -- Joanne Harris

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Book SynopsisThe county of Lincolnshire is a beautiful mixture of low-lying marshy fen land, modest hills and the steep valleys of the rolling Wolds; it is also home to a wealth of folklore, legend and intrigue.With one of the most interesting dialects in the country, this vast region is also rich in superstitions, songs and traditional games. A study of the daily life, lore and customs of Lincolnshire are here interspersed with stories of monstrous black hounds, dragon lairs, witches, Tiddy Mun, mischievous imps and tales of the people known as the Yellowbellies. This fully illustrated book explores the origins and meanings of Lincolnshire?s traditions and shows how the customs of the past have influenced the ways of the present.

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Book SynopsisSussex, though near London and nowadays extensively urbanised, has a rich heritage of traditional local stories, customs and beliefs. Among many topics explored here are tales linked to landscape features and ancient churches which involve such colourful themes as lost bells, buried treasures, dragons, fairies and the devil. There are also traditions relating to ghosts, graves and gibbets and the strange powers of witches. This book, when it was first published in 1973, was the first to be entirely devoted to Sussex folklore. This new edition contains information collected over the last thirty years, updated accounts of county customs and, alongside the original line drawings, is illustrated with photographs and printed ephemera relating to Sussex lore.

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Book SynopsisThe ancient Kingdom of Dal Riata stretched from County Antrim on the northeast coast of Hibernia up through the Hebrides to the Isle of Skye. The ghosts of the people that lived there can still be heard in the stories told of selkies, sea monsters, faeries, ancient battles and heroic deeds.

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Book SynopsisBe enchanted by the power and beauty of the natural world with this stunning colouring book, filled with 46 intricate illustrations by ink artist Stratten Peterson. From the courageous bear, a symbol of strength and healing, to the inquisitive deer, a manifestation of inner wisdom, discover how animals have long inspired spirituality, mythology and one’s connection with nature. Through insightful text, this book invites you to explore the significance of each mystic animal, then immerse yourself in the extraordinary artworks as you bring them to life with colour.Mystic Animals is brought to you by the publisher of the bestselling Kerby Rosanes colouring book series.

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Book Synopsis"All folktales have in common that they are the remains of a faith going back to the earliest times, a faith, a religion, that speaks of supersensible things in pictures. These pictures are like fragments of a shattered jewel that lie strewn on the ground overgrown with grass and flowers. Only the sharpest eye can discover them. Their meaning is long lost but can still be felt and gives the folktales their substance." -- Wilhelm Grimm In The Picture Language of Folktales, Friedel Lenz explores the meaning of twenty-five of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, originally collected and retold between 1812 to 1857. Lenz's interpretation draws on the ideas of anthroposophy and considers the stories in relation to the development of human consciousness. The tales considered range from the familiar, including Cinderella and Snow White, to the less well-known, including The Three Feathers, The Goose Girl and The Seven Ravens. Lenz's commentary illuminates the significance of these texts, making this a useful resource for Steiner-Waldorf teachers sharing these stories in the kindergarten and lower school, as well as for interested readers who want to understand these classic stories in a new way.

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Book SynopsisThis book is an ode to the mythological heritage of Bharatanatyam. The visual narrative captures the rich heritage of this temple dance and its original exponents, the Devadasis or ‘handmaidens of the deity’. Its repertoire of movements and moods bring alive the fascinating stories of Hindu gods and goddesses and their kaleidoscopic lives. In the following pages, the authors have traced the myths and legends that are cherished in our performing arts, to delight the culture-curious reader. And what is interesting is that in these stories, the reader will discover the inter-connectedness of ancient mythologies around the world. Perhaps such discoveries go a long way in validating the role that art plays in connecting civilisations. The book is designed to engage the reader without pedagogy or scholastic strictures, but with a lightness of touch, that entertains while it informs. Because the vision here is to weave information, anecdotes and trivia, together in the spirit of a popular cultural ranconteur. Replete with rare photographs curated from the Sohinimoksha World Dance and Communications archives, complemented by a lucid narrative that wraps facts in the language of romance and adventure, this book promises to be a collector’s item for those who value the legacy of India’s most celebrated dance form. For glimpses of some live performances by Sohini Roychowdhury, and her Sohinimoksha World Dance troupe, celebrating the music, dance, mythology of India and the World, go on-line to ‘Dancing With The God.... with Sohinimoksha World Dance’ at https://youtu.be/naR7p6SKiko

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Book Synopsis‘Immensely informative, wrapped in an engagingly casual tone, complemented by more than a dash of the bizarre. You’d be barking to miss it.’ Professor Michael Scott Can you tell your Odysseus from your Oedipus? In this unique introduction, Philip Womack leads his beloved lurcher Una (and us) on a fleet-footed odyssey through the classical world. From Aeneas to Cerberus to Polydorus, you’ll learn about the world of the Ancient Greeks and Romans and, with a bit of luck, you’ll be able to pass it on to your dog. But maybe best leave out that story of the hounds who tore their very own master limb from limb…Trade Review‘The strength of Womack’s book lies in the enthusiasm with which its author lays on the plate a vast range of material for dog and man… at any moment Brenda Hale, Donna Tartt, David Bowie, Molesworth, Stephen Fry or a reference to an obscure scholarly article… might leap from the page… There’s plenty here, then, to catch the attention and arouse the interest of the curious.’ * Literary Review *‘Engaging and funny and clever. Written with the verve of a novelist and the insights of a scholar. Illuminates the pleasures and relevance of the Classics today.’ -- Dr Harry Sidebottom, Oxford don and author of the bestselling Warrior of Rome series‘Philip’s whimsical tale of classical chats with his dog offers a new kind of introduction to the ancient world: immensely informative, wrapped in an engagingly casual tone, complemented by more than a dash of the bizarre. You’d be barking to miss it.’ -- Professor Michael Scott, Academic, Author and Broadcaster‘Mirabile dictu! Philip Womack and Una – his optima canis – are tremendous companions in their journey round the classical world. The ultimate vademecum…’ * Harry Mount, author of Amo, Amas, Amat… and All That *‘Una’s personality shines through and Womack’s enthusiasm is infectious.’ * Wunderdog *'Lively and informative.' -- Classics For All

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Book SynopsisThe first official companion book to HISTORY® network’s hit series Ancient Aliens®: a powerful journey through human history that explores fascinating unanswered questions about the origins of our civilizations.

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Book SynopsisTales of East Africa is a collection of 22 traditional tales from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.Welcome to a world of magical adventure—a place where a boy spares the life of a fearsome monster, a flock of doves brings a girl back from the dead, and a hare wreaks havoc among all the other animals. Translated and transcribed by folklorists and anthropologists in the early 20th century, these stories evoke the distinctive beauty and irresistible humor of East African folklore.• The tales come alive alongside bold, contemporary art in this special illustrated edition.• Each story transports readers to an enthralling world.• Part of the popular Tales series, featuring Tales of Japan, Celtic Tales, and Tales of IndiaTales of East Africa will enthrall fans of fairytales and captivate those interested in East Africa''s rich history and culture.Readers will encounte

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Book SynopsisMysterious lights in the sky. Alien abductions. Government cover-ups. Dedicated ufologists have spent years documenting unexplained phenomena from flying saucers to extraterrestrial life. Uncover the history of UFOs in this illustrated guide, which separates the science fiction from the facts. The mysterious history of flying saucers is explored in-depth, from potential alien visitors as far back as Stonehenge to UFO cults and the secrets of Area 51. Adam Allsuch Boardman details in his signature graphic style the aircraft and artefacts associated with the search for the truth about UFOs.Trade ReviewAdam Allsuch Boardman, shares his fascination with UFOs in this non-fiction collection of the people, literary estoerica and films dedicated to the phenomena. His aim is to bring context to the associated social history in this colourful picture book. * World Illustration Awards *With illustrations & details on everything from The Kecksburg Incident to the Pentagon's search this is the perfect gift for a budding ufologist. * Rare Mags *Super entertaining, informative and full of fantastic art. * Unexplained Scotland *

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Book SynopsisStep behind the veil of a rarely accessed culture with terrifying and mysterious ghost stories and lore as old and deeply enriched as the Appalachian Mountains themselves. Hosts of the leading, ever-popular horror podcast network, Eeriecast, guide the reader through the winding trails and thick forests of Appalachia, encountering the ghosts, creepy creatures, paranormal sounds, and mysterious mists that cloak and roam this rarely-accessed region. With an emphasis on the rich history and deep cultural roots that haunt the folklore unique to Appalachia, Darkness Prevails and Carman Carrion illuminates the darkest and creepiest stories that have shaped a cryptic and essential aspect of Americana, including:    Wampus Cat The Nûñnë'hï The Story of Spearfinger The Ghosts of Shut-in Creek The Scorched Man and more that demonstrate the tapestry of cultures that make up

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean if a cat sits and washes itself in your doorway? And why should women have their hair cut only when the moon is waxing? Belief in superstitions links us to a time when everyday events and objects had magical significance, and knowledge of these could change your fate. If you avoid anything with the number thirteen and cross the road to avoid walking under ladders, then you would be wise to learn about the many other signs that surround us. Whether you wish to increase your good fortune, ward off bad luck, or simply desire to know what today has in store, A Dictionary of Omens and Superstitions provides a complete guide to hundreds of portents, signs and customs from around the world, tracing the origins of our superstitions and explaining their rich symbolism.

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Book SynopsisThe mythology and folklore of England is as old as the land itself, rich in symbolism and full of tales of quests and heroic daring-do, ghosts and witches, romantic heroines and noble outlaws. Who hasn’t heard of the master sorcerer Merlin, Robin Hood and his merry men, or the legendary monster Grendel? Beginning with the great Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, English Myths explores the early legends of post-Roman England, many of which blend history and myth. The book goes on to examine the rich seam of Arthurian and romantic legends first told in the Medieval era, before looking at English folk heroes and the beasts, witches and ghosts that have haunted the land. Discover the brothers Hengist and Horsa, legendary leaders of the first Angles, Saxons and Jutes to settle in England; learn the tragic story of Cornish hero Tristan and his love for Irish princess Iseult; tremble at the Black Dog ghost, a nocturnal hellhound found stalking the country from Suffolk in the east to Devon in the west; and enjoy the tale of George and the dragon, who saved the nation from a rampaging serpent and became the patron saint of the country. Illustrated with 150 photographs and artworks, English Myths is an accessible, entertaining and highly informative exploration of the fascinating mythology underlying one of the world’s oldest and most influential cultures.Table of ContentsContents to include: ( [[]]=extracted box. ) Introduction Opener: Arrival of ‘Brutus’. 9C story of what already seemed ancient foundation by great grandson of Aeneas (from Historia Brittonum, and Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia...). Idea of England’s formation by successive waves of incomers/invaders. Tabula Rasa: England won’t really have been blank cultural slate, but we’ve no idea what stories were told through long centuries from end of Ice Age to arrival of Celts, c. 500 BCE. Cultural Conquest: Or, rather, of Celtic culture. Idea of cultural exchange/as against invasion. Veni, Vidi, Vici: Romans – real invasion, and conscious imposition of new culture and mythology. [[The Road Not Taken: Celtic myth pushed out to the margins (Wales, Scotland, Ireland), though much later, in modern times, brought back into the mainstream – most obviously with Victorian Arthurian revival.]] Christianity began to replace what had been state paganism of Romans – though NB this process not complete by time hold over Britain began to weaken in early 5th Century. 1. Anglo-Saxon Advent Romano-British culture in its turn replaced after arrival of Anglo-Saxons. (NB this too bit more gradual than word ‘invasion’ would suggest – brief history.) Hengist and Horsa (5C): Legendary brothers said to have led the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in their invasion of Britain in 5C; Horsa was killed fighting the Britons, but Hengist successfully conquered Kent, becoming the forefather of its Jutish kings. Who they were. Germanic mythology – pantheon (Woden, Frigg, Tunor, Tiw), folklore not unlike (but by no means identical to) famous ones of Viking myth. Elves, Nicor, Dragons. [[Romans would in retrospect be mythologized themselves: A-S poem The Ruin sees remains of Roman Bath as the ‘work of giants’.]] Some earlier, Celtic stories subsequently seen through A-S filter: Herne the Hunter; Wild Hunt. 2. Beowulf Beowulf is a legendary Geatish hero (so from Götaland in S. Sweden) in the eponymous epic poem, one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature in the English language. ‘Hwaet ...’: Bardic background. Mead-hall culture and the heroic (Homeric-style) storyteller. Importance of oral tradition. [[‘Gemunde ...’ (‘I remember ...’): Oral tradition in transmission of myth.]] Story itself: exploits of Beowulf and his battles, 1) with a monster named Grendel; 2) with Grendel’s revengeful mother; then, finally, 3) with a dragon, guardian of a hoard of treasure. His death and mourning follow. Scribal Censors? Poems like Beowulf and FF written down by Christian monks. Influence to some extent evident in texts (Biblical allusions etc). Just how much did they help shape these stories as we’ve come to know them now? 3. Danish Domination ‘Finnesburg Fragment’ – Anglo-Saxon poem about battle between Danes and Frisians (which is also described in Beowulf). Vikings, Dane’s especially, casting a long and growing shadow over Anglo-Saxon life and myth. Briefest of outlines of Viking origins, culture, religion and myth, esp. in sort of heroic (so bardic and Beowulf-like) aspects foregrounded in the Sagas. [[England in the ‘Iceland’ Sagas – basically, seen as part of a ‘greater Scandinavia’ at this time; point amplified by Beowulf (about Geats; FF Danes and Frisians).]] Myth and history not clearly demarcated at this time: mythic material crops up in supposedly historical narrative and vice-versa. Alfred the Great (849–899) a special focus for these stories: In 878, burns the cakes in Athelney, Somerset before defeating the Viking Great Heathen Army at the Battle of Edington. [[Hagiographic Hero: Religion brought a mythology all its own, especially in hagiography (saints’ lives). St Edmund, East Anglian King killed (or martyred) by GHA, 869.]] Battle of Brunanburh: real battle (937) that took on mythic status in Anglo-Saxon poem. ‘Never, before this,/were more men in this island slain/by the sword's edge – as books and aged sages/confirm – since Angles and Saxons sailed here...’ Murder of King Edward the Martyr (c. 962–78); Aethelraed the Unready (c. 966–1016; ‘Danegeld’); Denmark’s Cnut (c. 990–1035) and North Sea Empire (and quarrel with the tide). 4. Arthurian Legend Coming of Normans brought further overlayering of existing culture (cf. Romans, A- S, above), though more obviously at top of society than at bottom. Idea of chivalry brought in from continental courts. King Arthur (late 5th and early 6th centuries AD): a legendary leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led defence of Britain against Saxon invaders. But most of the stories that made it into the mythic legacy aren’t about this epic combat but the romances of the court, and the ‘Knights of the Round Table’. The Matter of Britain and the ‘Arthurian’ heritage of English myth. Central idea of Arthur and his Knights presented a sort of mythic centre around which endless other narratives could be woven. [[Other Matters: NB not just English writers but continental ones like Chrétien de Troyes, Gottfried von Strassburg, etc, wrote Arthurian works with British settings. There were other acknowledged story-cycles: Matter of France (or ‘Franks’ as we’d see it now, so stories of Charlemagne’s empire); Matter of Rome – again, not quite as we’d see it: more classical antiquity – Trojan War and rise of Alexander the Great.]] Many elements and incidents appear in Geoffrey's Historia ... (c. 1136), including Arthur's father Uther Pendragon; the magician Merlin; Arthur's wife Guinevere; the sword Excalibur; Arthur's conception at Tintagel; his final battle against Mordred at Camlann, and final rest in Avalon [[Joseph of Aramathea and Glastonbury]]. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Gawain accepts a challenge from a mysterious ‘Green Knight’ who dares any knight to strike him with his axe if he will take a return blow in a year and a day. [[Green Knight’s relation to Green Man as wider symbol of fertility and rebirth.]] Tristan and Iseult: Tragedy about the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Iseult. [[Celtic Connections: 14C romance Sir Launfal – exiled from Arthur’s court, and destitute, taken up by Fairy Queen as lover. Involvement of this supernatural dimension points to Celtic origins of story. These have been suggested for much Arthurian material.]] Tinged with nostalgia. Arthurian romances already involved the high-medieval reinvention of an early-medieval king (if he ever existed). We can’t help but read them now through a 19C filter. Victorian vogue: Tennyson, Pre-Raphaelite art, etc. 5. Noble Knights and Ladies Fair Arthurian stories only the most famous in a wider genre of chivalric romance ... For example, mid-13C King Horn, a chivalric romance in Middle English. Saint George and the Dragon: The legend goes that Saint George, a Roman soldier in the 10th century, came across a town plagued by an evil dragon about to kill the king of England’s daughter. George is said to have slain the dragon, freed the town and rescued the princess, thus becoming the patron saint of England. Myth became far removed from origins, George remodelled as a medieval knight. [[Naked Courage: Lady Godiva (dates to at least the 13th century): 12C English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked – covered only in her long hair – through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband imposed on his tenants.]] Guy of Warwick (dates to the 13th century): Legendary English hero of Romance popular in England and France from the 13th to 17th centuries. Fighting Back: Stories of dispossessed nobles having to fight for what’s rightly theirs. Gamelyn (14C); Fulk FitzWarin (c. 1180–1350). Shropshire nobleman cheated of lands by King John. Fought to get them back. Real-life figure but acquired semi- legendary status after death. Became sort of prototype figure for ... 6. Robin Hood ‘I cannot say my Pater Noster as perfectly as the priest does,/But I know my rhymes of Robin Hood ...’ First mention comes (in John Langland’s Piers Plowman) in the 1370s. Heroic outlaw of English folklore who, according to legend, was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. The folk hero became surrounded by a whole folk history (Richard I’s worthless brother John usurping his kingdom while warrior king away at Crusades; Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Guy of Gisborne his oppressive representatives on the ground), but NB this didn’t happen till 16C. RH traditionally depicted dressed in Lincoln green (cf. Green Man, above p. xxx) and living beyond the law in Sherwood Forest, reserved as royal hunting ground. [[The People’s Weapon: The Longbow.]] A yeoman (explain) in the earliest ballads, he is said to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Succession of stories introducing key Merry Men: Little John, Will Scarlet, Much the Miller’s Son, Allen a Dale, Friar Tuck (a late addition). [[Sherwood on Stage: associated with May celebrations, so late-medieval festive plays; popular dramas written in Elizabethan and Jacobean periods too.]] Archery Contest. A Woman’s Touch: RH’s Merry Men later (again 16C) joined by Merry Woman in enchanting shape of Maid Marian. Her addition marks growing sophistication and acceptance of story as romance (i.e. literary, more courtly pretensions), rather than straightforward folktale. RH’s comparative gentleness – and his gentility, his courteous way with ladies – an indication of this. Tendency culminates in RH’s elevation (in 1622 ballad by Martin Parker) to rank of Earl of Huntingdon, who has more in common with dispossessed aristocrats of previous chapter (‘Fighting Back’) than popular brigand we might have imagined. RH reinvented yet again in 19C by e.g. Chartists Thomas Miller (novelist) and W.J. Linton (poet); romantic patriot Walter Scott and followers: for both these groups RH became A-S freedom fighter battling Norman domination. [[Historicity, in so far as he has any: Loxley, Yorkshire; grave at Kirklees (and Little J’s at Hathersage).]] 7. From the Piskies to Puck Cornish Piskies: stories of piskie interactions with humans tell how they have the power to abduct, befuddle and lead people astray over the landscape. This conception of the fairy folk as malicious and often ugly an old, originally-Celtic one. Idea survives in Cornish (esp. West Penwith) tradition of the Spriggan. Just about makes it into modernity in wider English tradition in figure of Puck or Robin Goodfellow, often referred to in 16C but most famously now in Shakespeare’s portrayal of Puck, sometimes known as Robin Goodfellow, is a domestic and nature sprite, demon or fairy, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (c. 1595). Shakespeare’s Puck is mischievous and sometimes spiteful, but not actually evil. It’s in this play, moreover, that Shakespeare ‘invents’ the tiny, cute, benevolent fairies we think of nowadays. ‘Queen Mab’, in Romeo and Juliet (c. 1591), a sort of female version of Robin Goodfellow, seems to have originated in Shakespeare’s imagination. Generally, though, sense now creeping in that the fairies are a source of entertainment rather than of fear. Hence the story of ... Tom Thumb: The first fairy tale printed in English, Richard Johnson’s The History of Tom Thumb was published in 1621, though the character appears to have existed earlier in the folk tradition. Given ploughman father’s grief at his childlessness, mother seeks help from Arthur’s court magician Merlin. Tom, who’s delivered by fairy midwives, is no bigger than his father's thumb. His adventures include being swallowed by a cow, tangling with giants, and becoming a favourite of King Arthur. 8. Bogeymen and Beasts Jack o’ Kent: (16C, or earlier) a cunning figure from Herefordshire/Monmouth with an aptitude for outwitting the devil. The Lincoln Imp: Grotesque carving in Cathedral. Satan sent two imps to Earth to cause mischief. On reaching Lincoln, the imps began damaging the Cathedral before being stopped by an angel who turned one to stone. Witches: Heart on a wall above a window overlooking market square in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, supposedly marks the point at which it was struck by the heart of Margaret Read, which leapt from her body as she burned at the stake for witchcraft in 1590. Arguably whole story of witchcraft in England is a long and elaborate myth, but consequences – for men and (mainly) women, here and at e.g. Pendle, Lancashire, 1612, were all too real. Grindylow – This water-dwelling bogeyman from Yorkshire or Lancashire has long sinewy arms, and is famed for drowning children in bogs and pools. (NB associated with trad. of Grendel, p. xxx, above.) Jenny Greenteeth – Green-skinned with long hair and sharp teeth, she pulls children or the elderly into water to drown them. The Black Dog legend – In 16th century Suffolk, this calf-sized malevolent hound with saucer-sized glowing red eyes is a harbinger of doom and death. The black dog is essentially a nocturnal apparition, in some cases a shapeshifter, and is often said to be associated with the Devil or described as a ghost or supernatural hellhound. Beast of Bodmin Moor: a black panther-like beast seen roaming this wild and isolated landscape in Southwest England (and not usually a habitat for big cats). Spring-Heeled Jack, Victorian urban Legend. Diabolical figure, 10 ft tall, who hopped over houses. [[Hairy Hands of Dartmoor: Disembodied hands causing car accidents on B3212, Dartmoor, since 1910.]] Famous Phantoms: Anne Boleyn, Blickling Hall, Norfolk; Jane Seymour and Katherine Howard, Hampton Court; Sir Francis Drake, Buckland Abbey, Devon; Welsh rebel Owain Glyndwr, among several others, at Croft Castle, W. Midlands; Longleat’s Grey Lady; Roman Legionary, Treasurer’s House, Yorks ... [[The Cock Lane Ghost: an 18C sensation.]] Index

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Book of the Year ''Three and a half millennia of British Maritime history, from the Middle Bronze Age to the early 20th century ... This book is written with passion and sympathy. It will live with me for a very long time'' Francis Pryor, author of The FensIf Britain''s maritime history were embodied in a single ship, she would have a prehistoric prow, a mast plucked from a Victorian steamship, the hull of a modest fishing vessel, the propeller of an ocean liner and an anchor made of stone. We might call her Asunder, and, fantastical though she is, we could in fact find her today, scattered in fragments across the country''s creeks and coastlines. In his moving and original new history, Tom Nancollas goes in search of eleven relics that together tell the story of Britain at sea. From the swallowtail prow of a Bronze Age vessel to a stone ship moored at a Baroque quayside, each one illuminates a distinct phase of our adventures upon the waves; each brings us close to the people, places and vessels that made a maritime nation. Weaving together stories of great naval architects and unsung shipwrights, fishermen and merchants, shipwrecks and superstition, pilgrimage, trade and war, The Ship Asunder celebrates the richness of Britain''s seafaring tradition in all its glory and tragedy, triumph and disaster, and asks how we might best memorialize it as it vanishes from our shores.Trade ReviewElegantly combining a tour of Britain's ports, coasts and islands with a tour of an imaginary ship that contains fragments acquired across the centuries, Tom Nancollas has written an enchanting and thoughtful account of Britain's rich maritime heritage. -- David Abulafia, author of The Great Sea and The Boundless SeaTom Nancollas takes us aboard eleven historic vessels, covering three and a half millennia of British Maritime history, from the Middle Bronze Age to the early 20th century. Each ship has its own story to tell, which Tom brings to life with astonishing clarity. This book is written with passion and sympathy. It will live with me for a very long time. -- Francis Pryor, author of The FensA fascinating voyage of discovery * Spectator *Vivid... Poignant... Nancollas tells fine tales, rich with that sherrycask fragrance of a world so immediate, yet so very long ago * Tablet *The Ship Asunder is a first-class book. It is superbly readable and entirely serious, questioning not just how Britain thinks of its maritime past, and indeed itself, but how history is written, understood and enacted. It is a work of experiential historiography, if you like - and a delight * Times Literary Supplement *Fizzing with enthusiasm, Nancollas travels the country, exploring the stories of prows, masts, figureheads and propellers and visiting the sites of dockyards and ropehouses ... Sailors and landlubbers alike should love it * The Sunday Times Books of the Year *A gem of a book * The Times *

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Book SynopsisWAR DRAGONS. FEARSOME RAIDERS. A DAEMONIC WARLORD ON THE RISE.''5/5 stars'' SFX Magazine When the citizens of Black Keep see ships on the horizon, terror takes them because they know who is coming: for generations, the keep has been raided by the fearsome clanspeople of Tjakorsha. Saddling their war dragons, Black Keep''s warriors rush to defend their home only to discover that the clanspeople have not come to pillage at all. Driven from their own land by a daemonic despot who prophesises the end of the world, the raiders come in search of a new home . . . Meanwhile the wider continent of Narida is lurching toward war. Black Keep is about to be caught in the crossfire - if only its new mismatched society can survive. THE START OF AN UNMISSABLE FANTASY SERIES.''Vibrant and intricate worldbuilding'' Matthew Ward''Epic . . . powerful . . . I really, reaTrade ReviewVibrant and intricate worldbuilding -- Matthew Ward, author of LEGACY OF ASHExcellent characters and wonderful worldbuilding, with a wealth of interesting cultural collisions . . . I'm already excited for the next one! -- Django WexlerEpic . . . powerful . . . I really, really can't recommend this one enough -- Fantasy Inn

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Book SynopsisEssex - the witch hunting county - is especially rich in traditions, legends, dialect and stories that have been handed down through the ages. It is these traditions that are gathered together in this volume and whose origins and meanings are explored to create a sense of how the customs of the past have influenced the ways of the present. This fully illustrated study of folklore rediscovers those traditions that have either vanished, been ignored or hidden away. There are tales of dragons and warriors, literary folk and legendary folk, but always at the heart of Essex folklore are the traditional beliefs, stories, events and customs of the common people. Daily life itself contained numerous beliefs and maxims, omens and superstitions, as well as being full of music, dance and song.

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Book SynopsisThe ancient land of Cornwall is steeped in mysterious tradition, proud heritage and age-old folklore. Before books were widely available, wandering droll tellers' used to spread Cornish insight and humour to all parts of the Duchy exchanging their tales for food and shelter. Anthony James was one such droll teller, and this collection follows him as he makes his way around Cornwall one glorious summer. Richly illustrated with hand-drawn images and woodcuts, Cornish Folk Tales will appeal to anyone captivated by this beautiful land and its resident kindly giants, mischievous piskeys, seductive mermaids, bold knights and barnacle-encrusted sea captains.

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Book SynopsisThese Somerset tales, newly collected or retold with a strong sense of the land and the waters that shaped them, reflect our enduring interest in the natural landscape. Let these stories from the Summer Lands take you on a journey: across wind-wild moors that plummet to treacherous tides traversed by sea morgans; on a scramble from gorges shaped by the Devil's spite to caves dwelled in by bitter witches. Discover ancient mines and dragons' haunts, and emerge into forests and fields to be befriended by bees or bedevilled by fairies; then stroll beside ancient waterways, where willows walk and orchards talk. From Gwyn ap Neath to Joseph of Arimathea, your travelling companions will meet you from legend, history and living memory from the places where they were once known best. Sharon Jacksties has a sharp eye for the landscape of Somerset and the seen and unseen stories that it holds, a sympathetic ear for the dialect of the South West, and a playful wit that brings this collection of tales to vivid and delightful life.

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