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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Myths & mythology
Bees existed long before human beings, but our future is perhaps more reliant upon them than any other species. They pollinate 80 per cent of the world's crops and plants, but how much do we really know about them? Small, clever and mysterious, the honeybee in particular has long been celebrated in human culture as a sacred insect, a symbol of the sun, bridging the gap between our world and the next. They are expert communicators, skilled aviators and natural alchemists, turning fresh nectar into sweet, golden honey. They are also in trouble and need our help. This beautifully illustrated guide explores the honeybee's historic relationship with humans, the basics of beekeeping, and how we can help save the bees' dwindling population.
Monstrous Tales is a collection of traditional folktales about
bewitching and bloodthirsty creatures.
Did Jesus marry and have children with Mary Magdalene? If so, what happened to his family? Are descendants of Jesus still alive today? This extraordinary account of the potential family line that the author believes was born from Jesus Christ encompasses some of the most romantic, colourful and sacred territory of the past 2,000 years. From royal and suppressed archives, Gardner presents proof of the heritage of Jesus in the West and new findings on the long awaited discovery of the Holy Grail. Featuring all the charm and adventure of Arthurian romance, coupled with enthralling Rosicrucian and Templar disclosures, this work has a cutting edge of intrigue and exposure of conspiracy in the vein of Michael Baigent's international bestseller The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (Arrow). Bringing together revelatory insights into the descendant heirs of Jesus and his brother James, Gardner: Proves that there is an authentic line of succession from the sons of Jesus and James * Documents a hidden legacy of the Messiah and unveils hitherto guarded secrets about Mary Magdalene (was married to Jesus) and Joseph of Arimathea (was Jesus's brother). * Traces the sacred lineage through centuries of persecution and Inquisition, revealing a systematic suppression of authentic records and a strategic manipulation of the New Testament Gospels * The author was granted privileged access to royal and religious archives and repositories across Europe
This delightful collection makes the rich but little-known Slovak folk culture available for English-language readers. Most of the fifty tales assembled here from the collections of folklorist Pavol Dobsinsky are translated into English for the first time. The poetic qualities of the originals have been carefully preserved. The general reader will enjoy these tales immensely, and students will find an insightful introduction to the genres of the folktale and the specifics of Slovak tales. For expert readers, all of the tales have been classified according to the Aarne-Thompson index, and many include short commentaries that draw on the work of Viera Gasparikova.
Popolvar may not be as well known as Rumpelstiltskin, or Brother Birdie as well loved as the Ugly Duckling, but the folktales that feature these characters are as rich in charm and piquancy as any in the world. This volume makes the Slovak folk tradition available to English -language readers with fifty tales culled from the collections of master folklorist Pavol Dobsinsky. For the reader's delight, the translations preserve the poetic qualities of the original tales: Slovak rhymes have been replaced by English ones, puns have been repunned, proverbs have been rendered with proverbial concision, and the flexible Slovak folk idiom has been captured in colloquial English. All of which is to say, the reader will enjoy these tales immensely. And for those who wish to know more about Slovak folktales, the volume includes commentaries, tale classifications, an introduction to the Slovak tale tradition, and a concluding essay on tale collection.
The popular heroes of the Middle Ages were semi-mythical figures. This text explores not only the famous Robin Hood and William Wallace, but also some now forgotten rogues such as Gamelyn and Fulke Fitzwarin. Apart from William Wallace, the heroes of the outlaw legends were not men who played a leading role on the historical stage. Nevertheless, this book reveals how they were remembered in tradition for generations. This book explains the popularity of these figures and looks at how the stories appealed to the common people of the Middle Ages. The author also discusses their origins, spirit and background. In this re-issue of "The Outlaws of Medieval Legend", a new introduction is provided to set the book in the context of recent work on these characters, The titles of which are: "England in the Later Middle Ages" (Routledge, 1975); "Heraldry" (Yale UP, 1986) and "Nobles, Knights and Men at Arms in the Middle Ages" (Hambleden Press, 1996).
A collection of proverbial sayings of the modern Egyptians, printed first in Arabic, then translated into English, and followed by a commentary or explanation of the sense or idiom.
Reprinted by popular demand, this book tells the story of St Joseph of Arimathea and the legend of his journey to Britain as a metal merchant seeking tin. Tradition states that on this journey he was accompanied by none other than Jesus, who at this stage was a young boy. This title reveals the events of St Joseph's time at Glastonbury, and explores the legend behind this intriguing story. Britain is proverbially rich in monuments of the past, but of all the ancient places with outward and visible links with antiquity this little Somerset town is unique. For it is not only bestowed with visible evidences, wrought in stone, of generations long departed, but it is also steeped in fascinating legend and tradition. One of these later traditions states that Glastonbury was the very cradle of English Christianity, where an infant church was planted by those who personally knew Jesus. This is a truly fascinating and innovative perspective on the story of St Joseph of Arimathea, which promises to enthral the reader.
'A mere metaphor', 'only symbolic', 'just a myth' - these tell tale
phrases reveal how figurative language has been cheapened and
devalued in our modern and postmodern culture. In God and the
Creative Imagination, Paul Avis argues the contrary: we see that
actually, metaphor, symbol and myth, are the key to a real
knowledge of God and the sacred. Avis examines what he calls an
alternative tradition, stemming from the Romantic poets Blake,
Wordsworth and Keats and drawing on the thought of Cleridge and
Newman, and experience in both modern philosophy and science.
Elves and elf-belief during the Anglo-Saxon period are reassessed in this lively and provocative study. Helps illuminate Anglo-Saxon social attitudes towards the supernatural, health and gender, and shows how texts can be as important in the shaping of social realities as they are in recording them. HISTORICAL JOURNAL Anglo-Saxon elves (Old English aelfe) are the best attested non-Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe, but current interpretations of the evidence derive directly from outdated nineteenth- and early twentieth-century scholarship. Integrating linguistic and textual approaches into an anthropologically-inspired framework, this book reassesses the full range of evidence. It traces continuities and changes in medieval non-Christian beliefs with a new degree of reliability, from pre-conversion times to the eleventh century and beyond, and uses comparative material from medieval Ireland and Scandinavia to argue for a dynamic relationship between beliefs and society. In particular, it interprets the cultural significance of elves as a cause of illness in medical texts, and provides new insights into the much-discussed Scandinavian magic of seidr. Elf-beliefs, moreover, were connected with Anglo-Saxon constructions of sex and gender; their changing nature provides a rare insight into a fascinating area of early medieval European culture. Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award 2007. ALARIC HALL is Lecturer in Medieval English Literature at the University of Leeds.
The blind mendicant in Ukrainian folk tradition is a little-known social order, but an important one. The singers of Ukrainian epics, these minstrels were organized into professional guilds that set standards for training and performance. Repressed during the Stalin era, this is their story.
Who was Merlin? Is the famous wizard of Arthurian legend based on a real person? In this book, Merlin's origins are traced back to the story of Lailoken, a mysterious 'wild man' who is said to have lived in the Scottish Lowlands in the sixth century AD. The book considers the question of whether Lailoken belongs to myth or reality. It looks at the historical background of his story and discusses key characters such as Saint Kentigern of Glasgow and King Rhydderch of Dumbarton, as well as important events such as the Battle of Arfderydd. Lailoken's reappearance in medieval Welsh literature as the fabled prophet Myrddin is also examined. Myrddin himself was eventually transformed into Merlin the wizard, King Arthur's friend and mentor. This is the Merlin we recognise today, not only in art and literature but also on screen. His earlier forms are less familiar, more remote, but can still be found among the lore and legend of the Dark Ages. Behind them we catch fleeting glimpses of an original figure who perhaps really did exist: a solitary fugitive, tormented by his experience of war, who roamed the hills and forests of southern Scotland long ago. |
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