The Greek myths, refined by the great poets and playwrights of Ancient Greece, distil the essence of human life: its brief span, its pride, courage and insecurity, its anxious relationship with the natural world - earth, sea and sky, represented by powerful gods and monsters. Taking inspiration from the incomparably beautiful and intense poetry of Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, Spurling - a lifelong classicist and an award-winning playwright and historical novelist - spins five more myths for contemporary readers. These captivating tales centre on male-female pairs - Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and the sorceress Medea, Oedipus and his daughter Antigone, Achilles and his mother Thetis, Odysseus and Penelope - that destroyed dynasties, raised and felled heroes, and sealed the fates of men.

J.D. Lewis-Williams, a leading South African archaeologist and ethnographer, examines the complex myths of the San-Bushmen to create a larger theory of how myth is used in cultures worldwide. Exploring ethnographic, archival and archaeological lines of research, he extracts the `nuggets', the far-reaching but often unspoken words and concepts of language and understanding that are opaque to outsiders, to establish a more nuanced theory of the role of these myths in the thought-world and social circumstances of the San. The book draws from the author's own work, the unique 19th-century Bleek & Lloyd archive, more recent ethnographic work, and San rock art and includes well-known San stories such as The broken string, Mantis dreams, and Creation of the eland.

"Allow me to introduce myself." But he needed no introduction. "Anansi the spider!" said Anansi the boy. "The tales were true!" "Traditional tales are always true," the spider answered, laughing. "Nothing lasts so long as truth, nor travels quite so far." Now in paperback! Award-winning author of Ghana Must Go, Taiye Selasi, reimagines the story of Anansi, the much-loved trickster, for a new generation. Kweku has grown up hearing stories about the mischievous spider Anansi. He is given the nickname Anansi by his father because of his similarly cheeky ways. On a holiday to visit his beloved Grandma in Ghana, Anansi the spider and Anansi the boy meet, and discover a magical pot that can be filled with whatever they want. Anansi fills it again and again with his favourite red-red stew, and eats so much that he feels sick. Will he learn to share this wonderful gift? This charming retelling of a West African story teaches readers about the dangers of greed, and the importance of being kind. Tinuke Fagborun's colourful illustrations bring the magic and wonder of the tale to life. When you've finished sharing the story, you can also find out more about the origins of Anansi folktales. This beautiful storybook is one that children will treasure forever.

The intriguing tales of the plants that have been used to heal and cure our bodies, brought to life with beautifully surreal illustrations from Alice Smith. Since the dawn of time, people have used plants as remedies, to both positive and deadly effect. These herbal treatments have become enshrined in folklore, in old wives' tales and in the curious names we have given local species. Many have also found their way into modern medicine cabinets - but not always in the form you would expect. This book imagines a physick garden of healing plants that have been used across the globe by different generations. But were Italian Renaissance women dicing with death when they dropped belladonna in their eyes? Can comfrey really be used to heal broken bones? And can St John's Wort scare away more than bad spirits? Taking you around the body, from the brain to the bowels, The Physick Garden introduces 80 plants with curious medicinal pasts. With striking illustrations and lively tales, this book will show thatsometimes there is method in the madness.

Sally Castle's beautifully hand-lettered and illustrated edition of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince sets the story among Reading's parks, squares, rooflines and churches - the town that's shaped her and her artwork and where Oscar spent an unhappy period in gaol. This enchanting combination of fairy story with concrete urban reality, a tale of sacrificial love written with a flourish and swirl, turns a simple book into a gem as precious as the large red ruby that glowed on the Prince's sword-hilt. With an introduction by Michael Seeney, author and collector of Wilde's work.

Laurence Coupe offers students a comprehensive overview of the development of myth, showing how mythic themes, structures and symbols persist in literature and entertainment today. This introductory volume:

• illustrates the relation between myth, culture and literature with discussions of poetry, fiction, film and popular song
• explores uses made of the term myth within the fields of literary criticism, anthropology, cultural studies, feminism, Marxism and psychoanalysis
• discusses the association between modernism, postmodernism, myth and history
• familiarizes the reader with themes such as the dying god, the quest for the Grail, the relation between chaos and cosmos, and the vision of the end of time
• demonstrates the growing importance of the green dimension of myth.

Fully updated and revised in this new edition, Myth is both a concise introduction and a useful tool to students first approaching the topic, while also a valuable contribution to the study of myth.

The tales contained in this unique collection were translated and taken down soon after the Second World War by C. G. Campbell, a major in the British army. Major Campbell was not just a soldier but also an Arabist who took a great interest in the life and culture of the Arabs. At the time of this collection's publication, the well known writer and Middle East expert of the time, H. St. John Philby, described the tales as "A work which can fairly be called a masterpiece."

First published in 2007. This classic work draws together the whole rich field of Jewish Folklore- the popular beliefs, practices, superstitions and traditional wisdom relating to all aspects of life. Dr. Rappaport has organised the book around four main themes: nature, the heavenly bodies and mythological an cosmological motifs; fauna and flora; human life including birth, marriage, illness and death, omens and portents; and supernatural and natural powers including demons and spirits, witchcraft, charms and spells. There are chapters on folk medicine, demonology, customs and practices, as well as a selection of Jewish legends and folktales, and a collection of Hebrew and Yiddish proverbs and popular sayings.

For many, birds represent freedom and spirituality since they are created to be free. Although this may be true for people as well, we are of course not able to be as truly free as our winged friends. Looking out of his office window and seeing the birds flying, emphasising his confinement indoors and the unnecessary complexities of life in general, the author regrets his lost freedom. Life tends to be over-complicated and many would advocate following a simpler life. Birds, on the other hand, live the life they are destined for and this book shows how a common love of birds bridges cultures and distance. The Birds are our Friends is a wonderful and enlightening collection of essential information, curiosities, myths and folklore of birds and people. The author has discovered the role that birds play in people's imagination, and their significance for various cultures. People's accounts of birds give an insight to themselves - what they strive for, what they are afraid of and what they find important. Some birds predict the weather and construct unbelievably sophisticated nests or engage in elegant mating rituals. The author provides new insights on these facts and myths which confound some widely-held assumptions of their activities. Yessengali has a deeply personal connection and relationship with some birds. His fondest memories from childhood or young adulthood are associated with cuckoos, storks, and other birds that remind him of love and friendship. He hopes that these stories will interest readers, remind them of their spirituality and also evoke fine memories. In any event, it is a book that illuminates the world of birds from a slightly different viewpoint.

In the ancient myth, Oedipus ceased to be king when he discovered his crimes. Nonetheless, since the Renaissance, he has ruled the kingdom of the imagination. The twentieth century begins with the Oedipus complex in Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams" and the power of the Oedipus myth continued to manifest itself in an astonishing range of artistic and intellectual work.
As a volume in the "Gods and Heroes" series, this book explores a key figure in ancient myth incisively and accessibly, yet with enough scholarly detail to be an 'all-you-need-to-know' for lower level courses, a platform for further study at a more advanced level or as a reference book of key information for researchers/academics.

A good book, a good friend. (Italian)
Neither love nor a cough can be hidden. (Roman)
Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it. (Arabian)
One enemy is too many, one hundred friends is not enough. (Indian)
The Routledge Book of World Proverbs invites the reader to travel the globe in search of the origins of such words of wisdom, experiencing the rich cultural traditions reflected in each nation's proverbs. This collection contains over 16,000 gems of humor and pathos that draw upon themes from our shared experiences of life. And we are not just invited to learn about other cultures; proverbs are 'bits of ancient wisdom' and thus teach us about our shared histories.
This book draws together proverbs that transcend culture, time and space to offer a collection that is both useful and enjoyable, making this book one of enduring interest.

Covering a wide range of issues which have been overlooked in the past, including mystery, cult and philosophy, Richard Seaford explores Dionysos - one of the most studied figures of the ancient Greek gods.

Popularly known as the god of wine and frenzied abandon, and an influential figure for theatre where drama originated as part of the cult of Dionysos, Seaford goes beyond the mundane and usual to explore the history and influence of this god as never before.

As a volume in the popular Gods and Heroes series, this is an indispensible introduction to the subject, and an excellent reference point for higher-level study.

First published in 1960. Over a century ago the Chinese discovered in a sealed-up cave in the west of China a collection of manuscripts dating from the fifth century to the end of the tenth. These included many specimens of popular literature of a kind that was not previously known to exist. Although the find was made long ago, only two or three of these pieces had been translated before. Arthur Waley here translates, whole or as extracts, twenty-six pieces, making an invaluable addition to world literature.

Myths and legends of this rebellious god, who defied Zeus to steal fire for mankind, thrive in art and literature from ancient Greece to the present day. Prometheus' gifts to mortals of the raw materials of culture and technological advancement, along with the curse of despair that followed the enlightenment of humankind, have formed the basis of a poetic and powerful embodiment of the human condition.
Seeking to locate the nature of this compelling tale's continuing relevance throughout history, Carol Dougherty traces a history of the myth from its origins in ancient Greece to its resurgence in the works of the Romantic age and beyond. A Prometheus emerges that was a rebel against Zeus's tyranny to Aeschylus, a defender of political and artistic integrity to Shelley and a symbol of technological innovation during the industrial revolution, his resilience and adaptability illuminating his power and importance in Western culture.
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the Prometheus myth, emphasizing the vitality and flexibility of his myth in a variety of historical, literary, and artistic contexts of the ancient Greeks, the Romantics, and twentieth-century English poet, Tony Harrison. It is an essential introduction to the Promethean myth for readers interested in Classics, the arts and literature alike.

After a terrible storm, the Kingdom of Birds is looking for a leader. Will it be the bird with the loveliest song, or the brightest plumage? The fastest in the air, or underwater? The bird who flies highest, or those who stick together and work as a team? All across the sky, birds are flocking together. Nightingales and robins, barn owls and blackbirds. The eagle, the flamingo, the birds of the moor. Curlews and cuckoos and herons and hoopoes. And Wee Jenny Wren. Let the contest begin!

"Gawain: A Casebook" is a collection of 12-15 classic and original essays on the hero of Arthurian legend that investigates the figure of Gawain as he appears in major medieval traditions, as well as modern literature and film. As with other volumes in the "Arthurian" "Characters and Themes" series, this casebook includes an extended introduction examining the character's evolution from the earliest tales to his most recent appearances in popular culture, as well as an extensive annotated bibliography. Students, scholars, and anyone interested in medieval legend will find a wealth of insight into the mystery of this most poignant and perplexing of Arthurian heroes.

Judith is a successful novelist, but she's a little sensitive. She's from a good family, even if that family favours her more beautiful sister. She loves a drink (or three) but isn't sure if she loves the handsome doctor who is courting her. She yearns for a romance to yield to but remains a virgin. Judith receives visions from the saints. Then Judith meets Gavin, a handsome and charming baron, at a wedding on the Cornish coast. His love transforms her from a plain, lonely girl into a beautiful, glamorous woman overnight. After a whirlwind honeymoon in Paris, he whisks her away to a Gothic castle in the countryside. But soon her perfect marriage begins to fall apart and she finds herself trapped in a nightmare, as her husband's mysterious nature, and his alternation of charm and violence, become more and more confusing and frightening. And then there are those whispers amongst the staff, unsettling rumours from London, and strange rattlings from the crypt...

Swifts live almost entirely in the air. They eat, drink, sleep, mate and gather their nesting materials on the wing, fly thousands of miles across the world, navigating their way around storms, never lighting on tree, cliff or ground, until they return home with the summer. Sarah Gibson has written a fascinating story of discovery, exploring what is known about these mysterious birds, their ancient ancestry and how they have been regarded through history. But the swifts are in real danger: often unintentionally, we are sealing our homes against wildlife of any kind. Cracks, gaps and crevices which for thousands of years have offered nesting space in buildings, are being closed off, while new housing rarely offers entry holes for nesting birds. Loss of breeding places is considered to be a significant factor in the steep decline of these birds over the last twenty years. Thankfully, there are people in the UK and across Europe striving to ensure a future for swifts. Their actions and stories are woven into the narrative, demonstrating how change is brought about by passionate, determined individuals, whose actions show that everyone can do something to keep these superb birds screaming through our skies.

The academic study of folklore is a worldwide, interdisciplinary field spanning the humanities and the social sciences. It is very much tied to nationalism and national identity and for this reason it has often been the smaller countries that have led the way in terms of providing theory and method. There are many significant articles, mostly written by European folklorists, which remain essentially unavailable to most folklore students. Many appear in periodicals, which are not readily available, such as fabula (folktale studies) and proverbium (proverb studies). This set of volumes provides students and researchers with a comprehensive collection of articles covering the principal theoretical and methodological concepts.

From Alice Hemming, the bestselling author of The Midnight Unicorn, comes a brand-new unicorn fairytale. An evil king, a fearsome warrior, a fight for freedom. If you were granted three wishes, what would you wish for? For Marie, that dream becomes a reality when she stumbles across a magical unicorn deep in the forest. But when Marie - who is so kind and trusting in nature - decides to tell her father Jacob about the wishes bestowed upon her, he tricks her into giving the wishes to him. Driven by greed, he enslaves the unicorn by demanding for never-ending wishes. Unable to say no, the unicorn submits... Years later, the Kingdom of Quessia has slowly fallen into poverty and ruin under the rein of King Jacob. A spiteful and careless king, Jacob is disliked by all of his subjects, but little does he know that a revolution threatening his throne and his life is not too far in his future... Will King Jacob keep the Blazing Unicorn enslaved forever and retain his throne? Will Marie ever be able to right the wrongs of her past? As exciting as it is gripping, this unicorn fairy tale from Alice Hemming will be your next favourite read. Enchanting dark fairy tales with magical unicorns, fearsome villains and inspiring heroines Perfect for fans of SKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF Great for people who love fairy tales, Disney and unicorns DARK UNICORNS - COLLECT THEM ALL! The Midnight Unicorn Paperback eBook The Darkest Unicorn Paperback eBook The Cursed Unicorn Paperback eBook The Blazing Unicorn Paperback eBook Coming Soon: The Frozen Unicorn Paperback eBook

Myths are the expression of a form of knowledge essential to life. Including mainly previously unpublished work by A.M. Hocart the book examines such issues as: Why a queen should not have been married before; why a guest is sacred; why people are believed to have been turned into stone; how money originated. These issues are considered as part of a socio-religious complex embraced in many parts of the world, both East and West. (There are chapters on the UK, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Fiji, Egypt, and Ancient Greece).

Designed to provoke controversy, the papers in this volume concentrate on two main themes: the study of myth and totemism. Starting with an English translation of La Geste d'Asdiwal, which is widely considered to be the most brilliant of all of Levi-Strauss's shorter expositions of his technique of myth analysis, the volume also contains criticism of this essay. The second part of the volume discusses how far Levi-Strauss's treatment of totemism as a system of category formation can be correlated with the facts that an ethnographer encounters in the field. First published in 1967.

Katharine Briggs enjoys an unchallenged reputation in the world of folklore studies. The theme of this volume, the witch figure as a malevolent intermediary in folk belief, was chosen to reflect that aspect of Briggs's scholarship exemplified in her study of witchcraft, Pale Hecate's Team. The contributors draw on the disciplines of archaeology, comparative religion, sociology and literature and include: Carmen Blacker, H.R. Ellis Davidson, Margaret Dean-Smith, L.V. Grinsell, Christina Hole, Venetia Newall, Geoffrey Parrinder, Anne Ross, Jacqueline Simpson, Beatrice White, John Widdowson. Originally published in 1973.

Eight outstanding essays, from leading academics, deconstruct perennial problems of rationality, imagination and narrative to trace the influence of myth in our own beliefs, origins and potential futures. Thinking Through Myths attempts to reconcile the opposed claims of pragmatism and beauty, calling for the acknowledgement of myths in everyday experience.

Step away from sunny Jersey's present day and into the sinister shadows of the past ... the island's history is filled with dark deeds and restless spirits. Collected here for the first time are stories that have endured through centuries to chill the blood. This unique anthology gathers together the most famous tales, such as the Ghost Bride and the White Lady, along with lesser-known tales, such as The Lake. Erren Michaels' and Noah Goats' skilful storytelling, along with Ryan Thomas' detailed illustrations, beautifully combine to relate these haunting tales of murder and vengeance that refuse to be forgotten.