Description
Book SynopsisEnchanting tales of the gods, kings, and monsters that populated the Anglo-Saxon world.
An atmospheric collection of 30 folk tales exploring stories of cosmology, monsters, conflicts and courtship from the Seven Kingdoms to Middle Earth. This is an entertaining portal into a world overflowing with mythology, magic and all manner of beguiling creatures, which has inspired everything from the Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones.
The book is divided into 3 parts:
• Scop is a set of stories told by the Anglo-Saxon storyteller Scop, from the creation to the destruction of the world. It explores what remains of the gods and monsters of the Anglo-Saxon cosmology.
• Wreccan is pagan stories exploring self-discovery and development through exile. Variations of these tales would have told by the Anglo-Saxons themselves, including Sigemund's rebellion and the trials of Beowulf.
• Bretwalda stories revolve around Bretwalda the chief Anglo-Saxon king who ruled over the majority of the Seven Kingdoms. These stories reflect a period when both the old gods and Christianity existed simultaneously.
Remarkable illustrations by Jesús Sotés breathe new life into these tales of the past.
Trade Review‘It is easy, reading Stratford’s vibrant retellings, to understand where Tolkien drew his inspiration from and this fine book should find a similar, enthusiastic readership’ Observer Alexander Larman ‘Grab yourself a cuppa, open the covers and enjoy the atmospheric tales told within’ The Countryman
Table of ContentsScop – the Age of Gods
- Moon over Middle Earth
- Tue and the Binding of Helle
- Woden and the Wyrm
- Thunner, Dinne and Heofenfyr
- Frig and the Elven King
- The Burning Time of Waellende Wulf
- The Vessel of Death
Wreccan – the Age of Heroes
- Of Sheaf & Shield, of Geat & Mathilde
- Sigemund Victory-hand
- Heremod, Hoarder of Rings
- Wada’s Dream
- Wade Waefre
- Wade in the Water
- Weyland Smith
- The Dance to the Music of Mimming
- Finn’s Last Stand
- The Stallion and the Horse
- The Harm of Grendel
- What has Ingeld to do
- The Death of Beowulf
-
Bretwalda – the Age of England
- The Beginning of Wonders
- The Avenging of Arilda
- The Altars of Raedwald
- Penda’s Hoard
- The Rumwold Prophesy
- The Hind of Domne Aefe
- Snake-stone and Cattle-song
- The Urith Sacrifice
- Cuthbert’s Demons
- The Evengloom of the Gods
- Osgyth and the Stag
- The Vision of Dryhtehlm
- Guthlac turns Wodwo
