Description
Book SynopsisA Pulitzer-nominated author and one of the great public intellectuals of Slavic culture bring to life the unfamiliar myths and legends of the Slavic world. Slavic cultures are far-ranging, comprising of East Slavs (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), West Slavs (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland) and South Slavs (the countries of former Yugoslavia plus Bulgaria), yet they are connected by tales of adventure and magic with deep roots in a common lore. In this first collection of Slavic myths for an international readership, Noah Charney and Svetlana SlapÅak expertly weave together a retelling of the ancient stories with nuanced analysis that illuminates their place at the heart of Slavic tradition. Though less familiar to us than the legends of ancient Egypt, Greece and Scandinavia, in the world of Slavic mythology we find much that we can recognize: petulant deities, demons and faeries; witches, the sinister vestica, whose magic may harm or heal; a supreme god who can summon storms and h
Trade Review'Combines analysis with celebration, context with storytelling, academic debate with new versions of some of the great folktales which emerged long, long ago from the crucible of the Carpathian Mountains ... a welcome entree into the intricate world of Slavic mythology, with plenty of esoteric facts to get your teeth into, stories to be read aloud at the witching hour, and memorable back-and-white woodcut illustrations' - Sir Christopher Frayling
'Delightfully dark and whimsical, this collection of eight folk tales from Slavic mythology unearths the bones of the original stories, boldly forcing us to question what we know about a mostly oral tradition that has been silenced for far too long' - Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author of THE WITCH AND THE TSAR
'A compelling and illuminating introduction to Slavic mythology, through a rich medley of stories, discussion and striking illustrations' - Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken Legs
'This book, with its dramatic illustrations, will go a long way to enlarging western ideas about Eastern Europe … great things have come from [Slavic myths] in the past and will do in the future' - The Irish Catholic
Table of ContentsIntroduction
The Slav Epic: How the 19th Century Established Slavic Mythology
“Black Butterfly”
Vampires
“At Stake”
Werewolves
“Threshold”
Libuse and Women at the Threshold
“Do Not Weep”
Don’t Mess with a Goddess: Three Versions of the Great Goddess Among the Slavs
“Ilya Muromets in Defense of Kiev”
Perun: The Supreme God in Heaven and the Heroes on Earth
“The Waterman”
Creatures of the Waters
“Firebird”
Slavic Magic: Spells, Magicians, Enchanted Animals, Plants and Treasures
Conclusion
