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Of all the characters in myths and legends told around the world it s the wily trickster who… provides the real spark in the action causing trouble wherever he goes This figure shows up time and again in Native American folklore where he takes many forms from the irascible Coyote of the Southwest to Iktomi the amorphous spider man of the Lakota tribe This dazzling collection of American Indian trickster tales compiled by an eminent anthropologist and a master storyteller serves as the perfect companion to their previous masterwork American Indian Myths and Legends American Indian Trickster Tales includes more than one hundred stories from sixty tribes many recorded from living storytellers which are illustrated with lively and evocative drawings These entertaining tales can be read aloud and enjoyed by readers of any age and will entrance folklorists anthropologists lovers of Native American literature and fans of both Joseph Campbell and the Brothers Grimm
Over the course of its history, the state of Michigan has produced its share of folktales and lore. Many are… familiar with the Ojibwa legend of Sleeping Bear Dunes, and most have heard a yarn or two told of Michigan's herculean lumberjack, Paul Bunyan. But what about Detroit's Nain Rouge, the red-eyed imp they say bedeviled the city's earliest residents? Or Le Griffon, the Great Lakes' original ghost ship that some believe haunts the waters to this day? Or the Bloodstoppers, Upper Peninsula folk who've been known to halt a wound's bleeding with a simple touch thanks to their magic healing powers? In Michigan Legends, Sheryl James collects these and more stories of the legendary people, events, and places from Michigan's real and imaginary past. Set in a range of historical time periods and locales as well as featuring a collage of ethnic traditions--including Native American, French, English, African American, and Finnish--these tales are a vivid sample of the state's rich cultural heritage. This book will appeal to all Michiganders and anyone else interested in good folktales, myths, legends, or lore.
From medieval bestiaries to Borges s "Book of Imaginary Beings," we ve long been enchanted by extraordinary animals, be they… terrifying three-headed dogs or asps impervious to a snake charmer s song. But bestiaries are more than just zany zoology they are artful attempts to convey broader beliefs about human beings and the natural order. Today, we no longer fear sea monsters or banshees. But from the infamous honey badger to the giant squid, animals continue to captivate us with the things they can do and the things they cannot, what we know about them and what we don t. With "The Book of Barely Imagined Beings," Caspar Henderson offers readers a fascinating, beautifully produced modern-day menagerie. But whereas medieval bestiaries were often based on folklore and myth, the creatures that abound in Henderson s book from the axolotl to the zebrafish are, with one exception, very much with us, albeit sometimes in depleted numbers. "The Book of Barely Imagined Beings "transports readers to a world of real creatures that seem as if they should be made up that are somehow more astonishing than anything we might have imagined. The yeti crab, for example, uses its furry claws to farm the bacteria on which it feeds. The waterbear, meanwhile, is among nature s extreme survivors, able to withstand a week unprotected in outer space. These and other strange and surprising species invite readers to reflect on what we value or fail to value and what we might change. A powerful combination of wit, cutting-edge natural history, and philosophical meditation, "The Book of Barely Imagined Beings" is an infectious and inspiring celebration of the sheer ingenuity and variety of life in a time of crisis and change. "
The larger-than-life character of John Henry and his incredible strength provide readers with a special introduction to the fantasy element… of legend. The rewards of hard physical labor are also described in this exciting adventure of man vs. machine.
From ancient times to the present day, the story of England has been laced with drama, intrigue, courage, and passion-a… rich and vibrant narrative of heroes and villains, kings and rebels, artists and highwaymen, bishops and scientists. Now, in Great Tales from English History, Robert Lacey tells those remarkable stories as only a great writer can: combining impeccable accuracy with the timeless drama that has made these stories live for centuries.This volume begins in 7150 BC with the life and death of Cheddar Man and ends in 1381 with Wat Tyler and the Peasants' Revolt. We meet the Greek navigator Pytheas, whose description of the woad-painted Celts yielded pretanniki ("the land of the painted people"), which became the Latin word Britannia. We learn what the storytellers really meant when they described Lady Godiva's "naked" ride through town. And we discover the truth behind the tales of King Arthur and the infamous Hobbehod, later known as Robin Hood.With insight, humor, and fascinating detail, Robert Lacey brings brilliantly to life the stories that made England. From Ethelred the Unready to Richard the Lionheart, the Venerable