Examining the origins of the Arthurian legend and major trends in the portrayal of Arthur from the Middle Ages to the present, this collection focuses on discussion of literature written in English, French, Latin, and German. Its 16 essays, four published here for the first time, deal with such matters as the search for the historical Arthur; the depiction of Arthur in the romances "Erec" and "Iwein" of Hartmann von Aue; the way Arthur is depicted in 19th-century art and the Victorian view of manhood; and conceptions of King Arthur in 20th-century literature. Six of the essays, originally published in French and German, are translated into English especially for this book. Two essays have been substantially revised. An introduction offers a general discussion of the development of the legends in the countries of Europe.
Works discussed include medieval and Renaissance chronicles (Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae," Wace's "Roman de Brut," Polydore Vergil's Anglica Historia, Scottish vernacular and Latin chronicles), medieval romances (the "Lancelot en prose," the "Mort Artu," the Post-Vulgate "Roman du" "Graal," and works of Chretien de Troyes, Hartmann von Aue, and Sir Thomas Malory), Spenser's "Faerie Queene," Tennyson's "Idylls of the King," and T.H. White's "Once and Future King." A bibliography lists selected major secondary studies of King Arthur as well as major reference works.

'A twisting gothic tale of darkness, intrigue, heartbreak and revenge' Jennifer Saint, author of ARIADNE ''This story of bewitchment and revenge weaves a spell over you, and won't quite let go' Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of PANDORA 'Stunning. Perfect for lovers of folklore and gothic fiction' Elizabeth Lee, author of CUNNING WOMEN 'This book will haunt and bewitch you' AJ Gnuse, author of GIRL IN THE WALLS 'Read this book. Pre-order it, read it, scream about it. It's gripped me and it won't let me go' 5* Reader Review When Chloe turns the key to Small Angels, the church nestled at the edge of Mockbeggar Woods where she is to be married, she is braced for cobwebs and dust. What she doesn't expect are the villagers' concerned faces, her fiance's remoteness, or the nagging voice in her head that whispers to her of fears she didn't even know she had. Something in the woods is beginning to stir, to creep closer to the sleeping houses. Something that should have been banished long ago.

Through a mixture of original stories and traditional tales, Adventures in Nature offers an abundance of ways for families to connect with the earth. As our ancestors did before us, the book follows the seasons contained in the 'Wheel Of The Year', with each entry focusing on a story that brings us closer to the natural world, accompanied by simple craft projects, activities and mindful moments. In our busy, modern lives we have become increasingly disconnected from the world around us, and stories are an age-old way of re-establishing that link, nurturing a love for the environment and embedding awareness and respect for the planet within our culture. This book allows you to discover your very own adventures in nature through story.

Japan is one of the most urbanised and industrialised countries in the world. Yet the Japanese continue to practise a variety of religious rituals and ceremonies despite the high-tech, highly regimented nature of Japanese society. Ceremony and Ritual in Japan focuses on the traditional and religious aspects of Japanese society from an anthropological perspective, presenting new material and making cross-cultural comparisons.
The chapters in this collection cover topics as diverse as funerals and mourning, sweeping, women's roles in ritual, the division of ceremonial foods into bitter and sweet, the history of a shrine, the playing of games, the exchange of towels and the relationship between ceremony and the workplace. The book provides an overview of the meaning of tradition, and looks at the way in which new ceremonies have sprung up in changing circumstances, while old ones have been preserved, or have developed new meanings.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203429540

The familiar stories of the book of Genesis affirm that God made the universe, planet earth, and you and me. However, various anomalies in the text clue us that we are not reading the original version of these stories. So what were the original narratives and what did they say about who we are and where we all came from? What was the earlier story of human origins, almost obliterated from the Hebrew Scriptures in the 6th century BC, and suppressed from Christian writing in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD? And what does any of this have to do with Extra Terrestrials? Escaping from Eden will take you on a journey around the world and into the mythologies of ancient Sumeria, Mesoamerica, India, Africa, and Greece to reveal a profound secret, hidden in plain sight in the text of the Bible. Far reaching and deeply controversial, this book points to truths about ourselves, the universe and everything that you may have long suspected but not dared to speak!

"Destroy a nation, but its mountains and rivers remain."--"Japanese proverb"
This is a collection of 200 Japanese proverbs with illustrations and explanations for each saying.
Go beyond speaking Japanese-peek into the soul of Japan. "Japanese Proverbs: Wit and Wisdom" is a delightfully illustrated compilation of traditional Japanese proverbs and sayings. Some of the classic Japanese quotes and quotations, like "Fall down seven times, get up eight," capture the dogged perseverance of the Japanese heart. Others, such as "A red lacquer dish needs no decoration" illuminate both a universal truth and Japan's unique, aesthetic traditions. "Japanese Proverbs: Wit and Wisdom" has proverbs of great cultural significance as well as proverbs on matters of daily life and customs.
Pleasing to expert and new-comer alike, the 200 traditional proverbs in this unique collection are presented in Japanese script ("kana and kanji") and romanized ("romaji") form, along with direct English translations. Similar proverbs are given from English, and the "sumi-e" style ink drawings are a delight in their own right.
You'll speak Japanese with the verve and nuance of a native when you use these apt and witty expressions.

The best scholarship focused on shoes and everyday dress accessories from the Middle Ages. Indispensable. SPECULUM Until recently, very little was known about medieval shoes. Glimpses in manuscript illustrations and on funerary monuments, with the occasional reference by a contemporary writer, was all that the costume historian had as evidence, not least because leather tends to perish after prolonged contact with air, and very few actual examples survived. In recent years, however, nearly 2,000 shoes, many complete and in near-perfect condition, have been discovered preserved on the north bank of the Thames, and are now housed in the Museum of London. This collection, all from well-dated archaeological contexts, fills this vast gap in knowledge, making it possible to chart precisely the progress of shoe fashion between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries.

Hidden in the margins of history books, classical literature, and thousands of years of stories, myths and legends, through to contemporary literature, TV and film, there is a diverse and other-worldly super community of queer heroes to discover, learn from, and celebrate. Be captivated by stories of forbidden love like Patroclus & Achilles (explored in Madeleine Miller's bestseller Song of Achilles), join the cult of Antinous (inspiration for Oscar Wilde), get down with pansexual god Set in Egyptian myth, and fall for Zimbabwe's trans God Mawi. And from modern pop-culture, through Dan Jones's witty, upbeat style, learn more about 90s fan obsessions Xena: Warrior Princess and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Neil Gaiman's American Gods and the BBC's Doctor Who. Queer Heroes of Myth & Legend brings to life characters who are romantic, brave, mysterious, and always fantastical. It is a magnificent celebration of queerness through the ages in all its legendary glory.

All societies have their own customs and beliefs surrounding death. In the West, traditional ways of mourning are disappearing, and although Western science has had a major impact on how people die, it has taught us little about the way to die or to grieve. Many whose work brings them into contact with the dying and the bereaved from Western and other cultures are at a loss to know how to offer appropriate and sensitive support. Death and Bereavement Across Cultures 2nd Edition is a handbook which meets the needs of doctors, nurses, social workers, hospital chaplains, counsellors and volunteers caring for patients with life-threatening illness and their families before and after bereavement. It is a practical guide explaining the religious and other differences commonly met with in multi-cultural societies when someone is dying or bereaved. In doing so readers may be surprised to find how much we can learn from other cultures about our own attitudes and assumptions about death. Written by international experts in the field the book: Describes the rituals and beliefs of major world religions; Explains their psychological and historical context; Shows how customs are changed by contact with the West; Considers the implications for the future The second edition includes new chapters that: explore how members of the health care professions perform roles formerly conducted by priests and shamans can cross the cultural gaps between different cultures and religions; consider the relevance of attitudes and assumptions about death for our understanding of religious and nationalist extremism and its consequences; discuss the Buddhist, Islamic and Christian ways of death. Death raises questions which science cannot answer. Whatever our personal beliefs we can all gain from learning how others view these ultimate problems. This book explores the richness of mourning traditions around the world with the aim of increasing the sensitivity and understanding which we all bring to the issue of death and bereavement.

Fragments of ancient belief have been incorporated into folklore and Christian dogma with the result that its original tenets have merged with the myths and psychologies of the intervening years. Hilda Ellis Davidson sifts through centuries of cultural and religious influences to locate evidence of these "lost" pagan beliefs.
Davidson illustrates how northern pagan religions have been represented and misinterpreted by the Christian tradition and throws light on the nature of such beliefs and how they have been preserved. "The Lost Beliefs of" "Northern Europe" stresses both the possibilities and the difficulties of investigating pre-Christian faiths and emphasizes the need to separate speculation from scientific proof.
This book will be a useful tool for students with a serious interest in archaeology as it illustrates with examples how objectivity is not necessarily the driving force in forming our supposedly scientific view of the past. It will also appeal to the general reader who wants to understand the true nature of Northern European pagan belief as opposed to the oversimplified view popularized by the media.
"The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe" argues for intellectual rigorousness rather than romanticization of the past, and challenges the reader to rethink accepted interpretations.

Rediscover the magic of Russian folktales in a breathtaking illustrated edition. This collection of traditional stories will sweep you away to the birch forests and ornate palaces of Russia. You'll meet a mysterious girl born from the snow, a terrifying Baba Yaga, and a series of dauntless heroines and heroes willing to fight dragons and cross fiery rivers. Blending whimsical magic with magnificent drama, these tales come to life alongside intricate contemporary art in this special illustrated edition. POPULAR SERIES: The Tales series gives new life to traditional stories. Celebrating the richness of folklore around the world, and featuring the work of beloved contemporary illustrators, these books are treasured by adults and teens alike. ICONIC STORIES: Russian stories hold a special place in the hearts of fairy tales fans. Unforgettable characters like Baba Yaga and the Fire-Bird have captured imaginations for generations. In this collection, readers are sure to find old favorites and discover something new. GORGEOUS SPECIAL EDITION: With a mesmerizing full-page illustration for each story, as well as creamy paper, a ribbon page marker, and a handsome hardcover design, this edition is perfect for gifting and display. Perfect for: * Fans of fairy tales and folklore * Readers with Russian heritage or interested in Russian culture * Illustration and art lovers * Adults and teens * Collectors of illustrated classics * Fans of the illustrator Dinara Mirtalipova

Gorgeous Collector's Edition. India, one of the great, ancient civilizations, spawned a fascinating canon of myths and legends. With multiple gods, and a riot of colour and character, this fantastic new book, Indian Myths & Legends, explores the themes and landscapes that created the tales, and reveals the boundless energy that brought us the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, retelling the stories of Krishna, Buddha and Shiva, and some of the many different versions of creation. Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction, authors, myths and tales without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new introduction and a Glossary of Terms.

Goth has become a permanent fixture in mainstream culture, but there are a lot of misconceptions about the people who choose to embrace the lifestyle. "Gothic Charm School" is the ultimate, fully-illustrated handbook for day-to-day Gothic living and an 'insider's look' at the subcluture for people who are curious about, but not necessarily part of the subculture. Jillian Venters, aka 'The Lady of the Manners', was a fairly spooky and morbid child, with parents who never objected to her eccentric taste in clothing. Her father raised her to be his revenge upon the universe, while her mother rolled her eyes a lot and frequently had an air of amused patience. When the Lady of the Manners discovered the existence of the whole Gothic subculture, she clapped her hands with glee. Eventually the Lady of the Manners came to realise that excellent clothes were not, contrary to popular opinion, a substitute for excellent manners, and that being a Black-Clad-Freak didn't have to mean being depressed and snarly. (Witty, sarcastic, and possibly a touch cynical, yes. Mean-spirited, sullen, and rude, no.) Since then, the Lady of the Manners has spent a not-inconsiderable amount of time trying to gently persuade others in her chosen subculture that being Goth and being polite is much, much more subversive than just wearing black t-shirts with 'edgy' sayings on them.

After centuries of mystery, the mythical Magical Unicorn Society has published its official handbook.

These learned lovers of unicorns have created a treasure chest of unicorn lore - the facts, the fiction, the where, why and what of these elusive beasts. This is the ultimate gift for anyone who truly believes.

Discover the myth of the Gold and Silver Unicorns, and the legendary stories of the seven unicorn families. Find out about their unique powers, where they live around the world, what unicorns eat and how to have the best chance of spotting one. Learn about the history of the Magical Unicorn Society - from its foundation to the present day - and how to become a member.

With breathtaking artwork from Helen Dardik and Harry and Zanna Goldhawk (Papio Press), and stunning design and production, this special book gallops through a history of these mythical creatures and looks at their magical future.

Imagine stepping into someone else's shoes. Walking back in time a century ago, which shoes would they be? A pair of silk sensations costing thousands of pounds designed by Yanturni of Paris, or wooden clogs with metal cleats that spark on the cobbles of a factory yard? Would your shoes be heavy with mud from trudging along duckboards between the tents of a front-line hospital or stuck with tufts of turf from a football pitch? Would you be cloaked in green and purple, brandishing a 'Votes for Women' banner, or would you be respectably dressed, restricted by your thigh-length corset? Great War Fashion opens the wardrobe of women in the years before the outbreak of war to explore the real woman behind the stiff, mono-bosomed ideal of Edwardian society, and closes it on a new breed of women who have donned trousers and overalls to feed the nation and work in munitions factories and who, clad in mourning, have loved and lost a whole generation of men. The journey through Great War Fashion is not just about the changing clothes and fashions of the war years - it is a journey into the lives of the women who lived under the shadow of war and were irrevocably changed by it. Using material from her own extensive collection, renowned costume expert Lucy Adlington brings an inspiring generation of women to life with rare and stunning images alongside a narrative that is both deeply poignant and laugh-out-loud funny.

'This book is unsettling, in the most enjoyable way. ''Home'' has long been a scholarly obsession, but where others try to pin down its ''meaning'', this collection revels in its multiplicity. By viewing home-making as practiced and mobile, these essays emphasise the 'interactional achievement' of people, spaces and things. It examines its scale - from man-caves to nations - its spatiality - on public transport as much as in residences - and its temporality - as constant re-creation. This approach flags the contradictory and ambivalent nature of home-making as individual and collective projects of identity. In a world marked by a ''crisis of home'', this collection examines the relation between agency and power as we struggle for coherence and continuity.' Greg Noble, University of Western Sydney, Australia Asking us to think differently about the home, this book challenges the notion of a closed-off and self-sufficient place and reimagines home to be where we find our connections to others and the world. By exploring home in relation to the figure of the stranger and public space, as well as with a focus on practices of dwelling and materialities, the authors demonstrate that thinking differently about home advances our understanding of belonging as a social process in which we are all implicated. Interrelated chapters challenge traditional, convenient and stereotypical notions of 'home'. Specifically, the book provides a state-of-the-art cross-disciplinary conceptual framework; contributes to national and international discussions on the changing economic and social meanings of home; and provides analysis of areas and locations that are rarely thought of as involved in 'home-making', e.g. man caves; mobile homes; the home in public; senses of home; the migrant citizen/stranger. This book is an essential resource for those involved in housing policy, issues around migration policies and to researchers working in other arenas such as cultural heritage. It is of particular interest to academics of sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, and those whose research investigates questions of domestic space and the politics of home. Contributors include: A. Alund, J. Browitt, A. Deslandes, N. Ebert, M. Giuffre, O. Hamilton, E. Honeywill, J. Humphry, L. Kings, J. Lloyd, Y. Musharbash, S. Redshaw, C.-U. Schierup, A. Stebbing, S. Supski, I. Vanni Accarigi, E. Vasta

Explore the fascinating and often inexplicable tales of strange ghostly events in this western state. From coastal Cannon Beach and Newport to Salem, Bend and La Grande and many places in between, these stories of fright-filled folklore are sure to delight.

In the name of the Father, not a word of this. Her letters are forbidden. Beatrice is the convent's librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts. Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent's walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice's hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own. But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters' lives - or her obsession. Beatrice must decide. The book's voice is growing stronger. An ancient power uncoils. Will she dare to listen?

Combining the concepts and methods of classical ethology with those of social-cultural anthropology, "Navajo Infancy" describes the major sources of change and continuity in Navajo infant development as a vehicle for discussing the relationships between human nature and culture. The theoretical framework includes adaptation and natural selection as key background variables, but in the important context of recent advances in evolutionary biology, which argue for a high degree of developmental plasticity in human ontogeny and the unique adaptive value of human epigenetics and socialization.

The Mysticism and Magic of Tarot Cards and the Passion of Italian Illustration in One Enchanted Deck#1 New Release in Mysticism Tarot cards, witchcraft, and magical folklore. There is an invisible population living in our midst-enchanted "little people" including elves, fairies, and other magical creatures. They exist all over the world, and while they may be called by a variety of names, their mystical qualities are the same. Rider-Waite tarot deck quality. This exquisitely illustrated set of 78 tarot cards made in the Rider-Waite-Smith standard reveals the magical stories of these mystical creatures to help us better understand both them and ourselves. Illustrated by Otto Gabos, a celebrated Italian comic artist and illustrator, Faeries and Enchanted Creatures is a unique gift for collectors and tarot card enthusiasts. Tarot card magic from a scholar. The guidebook that accompanies the tarot cards describes the peculiarities of the magical creatures in the card deck in detail. It is authored by Francesca Matteoni, a scholar with expertise in the history of religion, anthropology of magic and witchcraft, and mysticism and magic in the Renaissance. She teaches at American universities in Florence, Italy and holds workshops on tarot cards, fables, and poetry. In this 78 tarot card deck and guidebook, find: Creatures related to well-known traditions, such as the Leprechaun-Magician or the Anguana-High Priestess in the twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana Tarot card expertise and Italian craftsmanship An ideal companion for self-exploration and insight If you are new to tarot card magic or a fan of The Rider Tarot Deck, Light Seer's Tarot, or The Modern Witch Tarot Deck, Faeries and Enchanted Creatures: Tarot Card Magic and Mysticism (78 Tarot Cards and Guidebook) is for you.

*An Oprah Magazine Most Anticipated Book of 2021* *A Woman & Home Top Four Literary Read* *A lovereading.co.uk Star Book* And they lived happily ever after . . . didn't they? Cinderella married the man of her dreams - the perfect ending she deserved after diligently following all the fairy-tale rules. Yet now, two children and thirteen-and-a-half years later, things have gone badly wrong. One night, she sneaks out of the palace to get help from the Witch who, for a price, offers love potions to disgruntled housewives. But as the old hag flings the last ingredients into the cauldron, Cinderella doesn't ask for a love spell to win back her Prince Charming. Instead, she wants him dead. Endlessly surprising and wildly inventive, The Charmed Wife is a sophisticated literary fairy tale for the twenty-first century that weaves together time and place, fantasy and reality, to conjure a world unlike any other. Nothing in it is quite what it seems, and the twists and turns of its magical, dark, swiftly shifting paths take us deep into the heart of romance, marriage and the very nature of storytelling. 'Dark and dreamy. Inside the plot, magic comes and goes. But inside the reader, it's all magic - all of us happily caught in Grushin's hypnotic spell.' - Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and The Jane Austen Book Club 'Fall under its charms, I dare you' - Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked A powerful, provocative and quite wonderful modern literary fairy tale. I danced through the deep dark magic of The Charmed Wife - long live the fairy tale that lives beyond "happily ever after".' - lovereading.co.uk 'Surprising, darkly comedic and enchanting' - CNN 'Genre-bending and darkly comic, Grushin's fourth novel is a weird and wonderful triumph.' - Oprah Magazine

The perfect bed-time story for all those who hate the dark. Zhazha the porcupine and Duoduo the bear cub live in the DARK MUSHROOM FOREST. They are scared of the night. Awu the elephant arrives in the forest. Awu loves to eat darkness.He sucks it right up his trunk. 'It's yummier than bananas, crunchier than bamboo,' says Awu.'And it's got my name on it.' But when there's no darkness left lurking anywhere, everyone starts to yawn. Even the tigers lose their roars and the Dark Mushroom Forest becomes an annoying, yawning place. -A gorgeous picture book. The story and illustrations perfectly match and are quirky and charming. Feels like a classic! This book has SOUL! Sophie Anderson, The House with Chicken Legs -"This is a lovely bedtime story, full of beautiful images and reassuring thoughts, to send children happily off to sleep." - Parents in Touch

Every encounter begins with a greeting. Be it a quick `Hello!' or the somewhat longer and gracious `Sula manchwanta galunga omugobe!' shaking hands or shaking, well, rather more private parts of our anatomy, we have been doing it many times daily for thousands of years. It should be the most straightforward thing in the world, but this apparently simple act is fraught with complications, leading to awkward misunderstandings and occasionally even outright violence. In the illuminating and entertaining One Kiss or Two? Andy Scott goes down the rabbit hole to take a closer look at what greetings are all about. In looking at how they have developed, he discovers a kaleidoscopic world of etiquette, body-language, evolution, neuroscience, anthropology and history. Through in-depth research and his personal experiences, and with the help of experts, Scott takes us on a captivating journey through a subject far richer than we might have expected.