Avian Aesthetics in Literature and Culture: Birds and Humans in the Popular Imagination closes the gap between ornithological and humanities knowledge. This book contains fifteen innovative essays that bridge various environment-focused perspectives and methodologies in order to include birds in current conversations within the field of animal studies. This collection challenges species centrism, advances a biodiverse ontology, and embraces bird-centered topics as diverse as gaming, comic strips, window collisions, conservation literature, youth birding, mourning theory, and the "Birds Aren't Real" movement.

The Irish folklore of the Otherworld is rich in its many manifestations of supernatural beings and personages. This is represented in many different genres of folklore, such as folktales, legends, ballads, memorates, beliefs and belief statements, and exists within the context of rich literary, historical and imaginative parallels. This book presents a new reading of Irish religious belief and legend in a meaningful socio-historical context, examining popular belief and narratives of sinful women and unbaptised children, as a way of understanding a particular worldview in Irish society. Blending postmodern approaches with traditional methodologies, the author reviews the representation of women, sin and repentance in Irish folklore. The author suggests new ways of seeing this legend material, indicating strong links between the Irish and the French, specifically Breton, religious tradition, and tracing the nature of this inter-relationship through the post-Tridentine Counter Reformation Roman Catholic Church and its teachings. In this way aspects of Ireland's popular religious and cultural inheritance are examined.

A sophisticated look into the eight Greek myths that remain the most relevant to us today, exploring their powerful cultural impact from their ancient origins to the present. The Greek myths have been retold countless times, first by the conquering Romans, then through the medieval and Renaissance eras of Europe, and finally finding new expression in masterworks of art, literature and cinema on the global stage. Classical scholar Richard Buxton explores the stories at the heart of this ancient mythology and how they have come to influence our society today. The Greek legends seem to speak to us universally, their deities tantalizingly human - often indulging in behaviours morally ambiguous at best and obscene at worst - and their heroes dealing with dilemmas and destinies that echo, if exaggeratedly, conflicts in our own lives. The dramatic choices that such figures as Prometheus, Medea and Oedipus face have resonated with audiences over thousands of years. Each chapter focuses on a mythical character and the powerful stories and interpretations that surround them. Yet the myths' relevance has not been uniform; they shift with the cultural tide. They have endured moments of censure, criticism, and even ridicule, but now their influence can be recognized almost everywhere, from opera to psychology, from fashion to contemporary art. How is it that these tales have retained their power to connect with our own fascinations, fears and desires, though they came from a world very different from our own? Here Buxton charts their cultural impact through a rich variety of re-imaginings, examining the many guises they have taken through the ages and the profound truths that they continue to illuminate.

'A coming-of-age story filled with magic in language and plot: beautiful and devastating' Observer, Books of the Year 'I felt consumed by this book. I loved it, you will love it' Daisy Johnson, author of Sisters 'A page-turning Appalachian coming-of-age story told in undulating prose that settles right into you' Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times 'Vivid and lucid, Betty has stayed with me' Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies 'I loved Betty' Fiona Mozley, author of Hot Stew 'Breahtaking' Vogue 'A GIRL COMES OF AGE AGAINST THE KNIFE' So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a white mother and a Cherokee father, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings: the world they inhabit in the rural town of Breathed, Ohio, is one of poverty and loss, of lush landscapes and blazing stars. Despite the hardships she encounters, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters and her father's brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all to which she bears witness - the horrors of her family's past and present - Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write.

The West Virginia University Mountaineer is not just a mascot: it is a symbol of West Virginia history and identity embraced throughout the state. In this deeply informed but accessible study, folklorist Rosemary Hathaway explores the figure's early history as a backwoods trickster, its deployment in emerging mass media, and finally its long and sometimes conflicted career - beginning officially in 1937 - as the symbol of West Virginia University. Alternately a rabble-rouser and a romantic embodiment of the state's history, the Mountaineer has been subject to ongoing reinterpretation while consistently conveying the value of independence. Hathaway's account draws on multiple sources, including archival research, personal history, and interviews with former students who have portrayed the mascot, to explore the complex forces and tensions animating the Mountaineer figure. Often serving as a focus for white, masculinist, and Appalachian identities in particular, the Mountaineer that emerges from this study is something distinct from the hillbilly. Frontiersman and rebel both, the Mountaineer figure traditionally and energetically resists attempts (even those by the University) to tame or contain it.

Fourteen Mind-Boggling Tales from the Badger State Was Joe Davis, Civil War veteran and Menominee Indian, really the son of Confederate president Jefferson Davis? What really happened the night that banker H. C. Mead was murdered inside the Exchange Bank of Waupaca? Did a flying saucer really land in Joe Simonton's yard, and did the aliens aboard ask for a jug of water and serve him pancakes? From pirate ships to pancakes from outer space, Myths and Mysteries of Wisconsin makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the state's most fascinating and compelling stories.

Headstrong heroines and hot-tempered chieftains, loch monsters and hill fairies, cattle raids and clan feuds, wise animals and foolish saints: the Scottish Highlands' folktales date back centuries and preserve the history and beliefs of a people deeply rooted in their land and culture. Oral traditions connect the modern world with the hearts and minds of Scottish Highlanders across the ages, bringing their world to life in vivid detail. This anthology includes new and approachable translations of folktales from the Scottish Highlands and Nova Scotia, providing extensive commentary on this rich storytelling tradition. Each story is annotated with information about its origins and any insights into its meaning. The original Scottish Gaelic texts, collected from a wide variety of rare and obscure sources, are provided in an appendix.

What 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.

Basic study by renowned folklorist; yarb doctors, charms, spells, witches, ghosts, weather magic, etc.

Why are the names of the chief characters in the biblical Book of Esther those of Mesopotamian deities? Stephanie Dalley argues that the narrative reflects real happenings in seventh-century Assyria, where the widespread belief that revenge belongs to the gods explains why Assyrian kings described punitive campaigns as divine acts, leading to the mythologizing of certain historical events. Ashurbanipal's sack of Susa, led by the deities Ishtar and Marduk, underlies the Hebrew story of Esther, and that story contains traces of the cultic calendar of Ishtar-of-Nineveh. Dalley traces the way in which the long-term settlement of lost tribes' in Assyria, revealed by the fruits of excavation in Iraq and Syria, inspired a blend of pagan and Jewish traditions.

"An illuminating contribution to scholarship on the vampire figure."-Slavic Review Even before Bram Stoker immortalized Transylvania as the homeland of his fictional Count Dracula, the figure of the vampire was inextricably tied to Eastern Europe in the popular imagination. Drawing on a wealth of previously neglected sources, this book offers a fascinating account of how vampires-whose various incarnations originally emerged from folk traditions from all over the world-became so strongly identified with Eastern Europe. It demonstrates that the modern conception of the vampire was born in the crucible of the Enlightenment, embodying a mysterious, Eastern otherness that stood opposed to Western rationality. From the Prologue: From Original Sin to Eternal Life For a broad contemporary public, the vampire has become a star, a media sensation from Hollywood. Bestselling authors such as Bram Stoker, Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer continue to fire the imaginations of young and old alike, and bloodsuckers have achieved immortality through films like Dracula, Interview with a Vampireand Twilight. It is no wonder that, in the teenage bedrooms of our globalized world, vampires even steal the show from Harry Potter. They have long since been assigned individual personalities and treated with sympathy. They may possess superhuman powers, but they are also burdened by their immortality and have to learn to come to terms with their craving for blood. Whereas the Southeast European vampire, discovered in the 1730s, underwent an Americanization and domestication in the media landscape of the twentieth century, the creole zombies that first became known through the cheap novels and horror films of the 1920s still continue to serve as brainless horror figures. Do bloodsuckers really exist and should we really be afraid of the dead? These are the questions that I seek to tackle, following the wishes of my daughter, who was ten when I started this project.

A cultural history of the representations of Sir Francis Drake, from contemporary accounts to the present day. For four hundred years Sir Francis Drake's exploits have fascinated, inspired and entertained. Every age has sought to reconstruct the narrative of the great Elizabethan seafarer: the basis of his fame has shifted continually overthe years, from single-handed victor over the Spanish Armada, to hero of commerce, explorer, and ruthless entrepreneur. In each incarnation, however, he has always been portrayed to answer the demands and anxieties of each new era. Here, for the first time, the history of Drake as a cultural icon, and of his myth, is explored, from his appearances in west-country folklore to Elizabethan poetry, from eighteenth-century garden architecture to Victorianpageants and twentieth-century films. There is a particular focus on the "long" nineteenth century, during which Drake's reputation underwent a rigorous reconstruction to present him as a hero of empire. BRUCE WATHEN gained his PhD from Exeter University.

Goddesses In You illuminates how archetypal patterns are the doorway into a hidden universe, the key to who you truly are. From Greta Thunberg to Jacqueline Kennedy, influential women of today can be understood by looking at the 12 ancient goddess archetypes. Together, they span the panorama of features, the fullness of femininity, that exists in human imagination and the collective unconscious. Using an intuitive blend of mythology, psychology, feminism and spirituality and as a psychic lens, Goddesses In You reveals how you can better connect with these powerful inner forces that shape our lives. With profiles of sixty well-known women from celebrities to activists, creatives to pioneers, Goddesses In You highlights how these underlying archetypes are the powerful invisible threads, the DNA, that shape the roles and govern the beliefs, drives, motivations, actions and emotions of most women at some stage in their lives. Discovering how these mythological goddesses from a patriarchal past and their feminine archetypes shape behaviour and personality, influence emotions and relationships, and are responsible for the major differences in women, can awaken us to a new way of seeing ourselves and the world around us. The truth is every woman is a goddess, and therefore innately divine. Goddesses In You will help you discover the myths and archetypes that are your reality.

Placing heroes from a wide range of medieval traditions shoulder to shoulder, this title provides the opportunity to examine what is common across medieval mythic, legendary, and folkloric traditions, as well as what seems unique. Myths of gods, legends of battles, and folktales of magic abound in the heroic narratives of the Middle Ages. Mythology in the Middle Ages: Heroic Tales of Monsters, Magic, and Might describes how Medieval heroes were developed from a variety of source materials: Early pagan gods become euhemerized through a Christian lens, and an older epic heroic sensibility was exchanged for a Christian typological and figural representation of saints. Most startlingly, the faces of Christian martyrs were refracted through a heroic lens in the battles between Christian standard-bearers and their opponents, who were at times explicitly described in demonic terms. The book treats readers to a fantastic adventure as author Christopher R. Fee guides them on the trail of some of the greatest heroes of medieval literature. Discussing the meanings of medieval mythology, legend, and folklore through a wide variety of fantastic episodes, themes, and motifs, the journey takes readers across centuries and through the mythic, legendary, and folkloric imaginations of different peoples. Coverage ranges from the Atlantic and Baltic coasts of Europe, south into the Holy Roman Empire, west through the Iberian peninsula, and into North Africa. From there, it is east to Byzantium, Russia, and even the far reaches of Persia. Each chapter begins with historical context, includes examination of key terms, and ends with suggestions for further reading A chronology and bibliography are also included

Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (1916) explores Hawaiian folktales and myths collected by W. D. Westervelt. Connecting the origin story of Hawaii to the traditions of other Polynesian cultures, Westervelt provides an invaluable resource for understanding the historical and geographical scope of Hawaiian culture. Beginning with the origin story of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, Westervelt introduces his groundbreaking collection of legends on the volcanic nature of the Hawaiian Islands. When the goddess Pele comes to the island of Hawaii seeking a permanent home, she finds Ai-laau, another god of fire, already in possession of the territory. Despite his fearsome power over creation and destruction, Ai-laau disappeared the moment he became aware of Pele's presence. Having traveled across the limitless ocean, her name was already known far and wide, along with her reputation for strength, anger, and envy. Establishing herself within the crater of Kilauea, Pele quickly took command over the gods, ghost-gods, and the people inhabiting the islands. Central to Hawaiian history and religion, Pele continues to be celebrated in Hawaii and across the Pacific today. With a professionally designed cover and manuscript, this edition of W. D. Westervelt's Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes is a classic of Hawaiian literature reimagined for modern readers. Add this beautiful edition to your bookshelf, or enjoy the digital edition on any e-book device.

Monstrous Tales is a collection of traditional folktales about bewitching and bloodthirsty creatures.

Translated and transcribed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these tales celebrate the diversity of―and surprising resonances among―folklore traditions around the world.

Welcome to a world of magical adventure: a mysterious wolf pursues a bridegroom through a dark forest, a princess is trapped in a monster's body, and a dragon is coming with a storm in its wake.

• The tales come alive alongside spellbinding contemporary art by Chinese illustrator Sija Hong.
• Each story transports readers to a different enthralling world.
• Part of the popular Tales series, featuring Tales of Japan, Celtic Tales, and Tales of India

As readers roam from Japan to Nigeria and Ireland to Guyana, they'll witness deadly pacts, heroic feats, and otherworldly journeys.

Features tales from Australia, China, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Sioux Nation, Guyana, Iceland, India, Inuit Nunangat, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Philippines, Pueblo of Isleta, Scotland, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine.

• A special illustrated edition, complete with an embossed, textured case and a ribbon marker
• Perfect gift for fairy tale and folklore lovers, fans of monsters and creatures, collectors of illustrated classics, adults and teens alike, and bibliophiles
• A visually gorgeous book that will be at home on the shelf or on the coffee table
• Great for those who enjoyed books like Through the Woods by Emily Carroll; The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke; and Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth by Carol Rose