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Showing 1 - 20 of 36 items
By Christa C. Jones. 2023
Djeha—also known as Juha, Jeh’a, and Ch’ha, among many variations—is an iconic figure, the trickster hero of an oral folktale…
tradition that has existed for centuries. The famous Maghrebian prankster is a poor, cunning, and resourceful character that delights in immoral behavior. Orientalists Auguste Mouliéras (1855-1931) and René Basset (1855-1924) were among the first Frenchmen to collect and translate popular Berber folktales. Today, trickster folktales from Algeria’s mountainous Kabylia region are not well known in the Anglophone world, even though they continue to be highly popular in France and in North Africa. Djeha, the North African Trickster is an annotated, critical translation of Auguste Mouliéras’s folktale collection Les Fourberies de Si Djeh’a, first published in French in 1892.The volume contains sixty tales and an in-depth introduction in which Christa C. Jones discusses jocular literature in Islam, the widespread oral folktale tradition linked to Djeha and his Turkish twin brother Nasreddin Hoca, and the impact of colonialism on the gathering and dissemination of the tales. The trickster is at the center of six themed chapters: “Family and Kinship”; “Animal Tales"; “Faces, Places, or Daily Life in the Village"; “Foodways”; “The Intricacies of Hospitality: Beware of Friends and Foes!"; and “Religion, Death, and the Afterlife.” Each chapter contains ten folktales preceded by a short introduction that contextualizes the pieces using historical, folkloristic, literary, and ethnographical sources. Ultimately, the book contributes to the preservation of an ancestral oral heritage, delivering this enduring character to new audiences.By Geoffrey Ashe. 2020
"The legend of King Arthur and his castle Camelot has gripped people's imagination for centuries. It has inspired numerous poems…
- from Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur in the 5th Century to Tennyson's Idylls of the King in 1859 - novels, books and paintings. On into the modern age, it has been filmed and refilmed, with the iconic imagery of the sword, the magician Merlin, Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table. But who was Arthur? Did he ever exist and if so, where was Camelot? In this classic study, drawing upon myriad sources both literary and historical, the world's leading Arthurian scholar Geoffrey Ashe digs deep into the important 12th century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth to trace the origins of the myth. Through brilliant historical detective work, he shows that much of Monmouth's history, which sets out to describe 5th-century Britain, was based on fact. After challenging previous assumptions about where Arthur's court and other remnants can be found Ashe identifies the "real" King Arthur and provides powerful evidence to support his theory. Ashe is a leading proponent of the theory that Camelot was actually located in Somerset, rather than Cornwall, citing an archaeological dig which found remains beneath Cadbury Castle. "I would say there must have been a tradition about the hill and its powerful overlord, handed down from the Dark Ages". Throughout The Discovery of King Arthur, the sweep and grandeur of a tumultuous era in British history is vividly recounted as Ashe investigates how the character of Arthur evolved, and how the ideals of chivalry and heroism he personifies came to occupy such a dominant place in British history." -- AmazonBy Frédérick Gersal. 2003
"Depuis la nuit des temps, le destin de l'homme est étroitement lié à celui de l'animal. Chacun sait que grâce…
à lui l'homme s'est nourri, habillé, a pu labourer ses terres. C'est grâce à l'animal également qu'il a pu se déplacer et repousser les frontières de l'espace qui l'entourait. Parfois l'animal est hostile à l'homme, d'autres fois il le protège mais toujours il l'accompagne. Mais ce que l'on ignore souvent, c'est le rôle joué par les animaux dans l'Histoire. Que serait Rome sans la louve qui sauva Remus et Romulus, Troie sans son cheval, Hannibal sans ses éléphants, ou, plus proche de nous, la Conquête de l'Espace sans la petite chienne Laïka? C'est le récit de cette part mythique ou avérée prise par les animaux dans l'Histoire que nous propose Frédérick Gersal, l'auteur de ce livre passionnant et singulier." -- 4e de couvBy Peter B Mires, Peter B. Mires. 2020
Perched on the side of a mountain in the Nevada desert, Virginia City existed for one reason only: to make…
money. The mining frenzy of the mid-nineteenth century uncovered veins of precious metals that would be expressed in billions today, attracting the enterprising madam Cad Thompson, the charismatic highwayman Nickanora and a plethora of swindlers. Miners, flush with their wages, supported a healthy economy of gambling, drinking and prostitution and even launched a few political careers. Sam Clemens, who became Mark Twain while reporting for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, called it "the livest town that America had ever produced." Join author Peter B. Mires as he explores the seamy side of this quintessential mining boomtown. AdultBy Steve Lally, Paula Flynn Lally, James Patrick Ryan. 2018
In the four provinces of Ireland there are thirty-two counties. Each county and its people have their own traditions, beliefs…
and folklore – and each one is also inhabited by the Sidhe: an ancient and magical race. Some believe they are descended from fallen angels, whilst others say they are the progeny of Celtic deities. They go by many names: the good folk, the wee folk, the gentle people and the fey, but are most commonly known as ‘the fairies’.These are not the whimsical fairies of Victorian and Edwardian picture books. They are feared and revered in equal measure, and even in the twenty-first century are spoken of in hushed tones.The fairies are always listening.Storyteller Steve Lally and his wife singer-songwriter Paula Flynn Lally have compiled this magnificent collection of magical fairy stories from every county in Ireland. Filled with unique illustrations that bring these tales to life, Irish Gothic Fairy Stories will both enthral and terrify readers for generations to come.By Elisheva Baumgarten, Rella Kushelevsky. 2017
In the thirteenth century, an anonymous scribe compiled sixty-nine tales that became Sefer ha-ma’asim, the earliest compilation of Hebrew tales…
known to us in Western Europe. The author writes that the stories encompass “descriptions of herbs that cure leprosy, a fairy princess with golden tresses using magic charms to heal her lover’s wounds and restore him to life; a fire-breathing dragon . . . a two-headed creature and a giant’s daughter for whom the rind of a watermelon containing twelve spies is no more than a speck of dust.” In Tales in Context: Sefer ha-ma’asim in Medieval Northern France, Rella Kushelevsky enlightens the stories’ meanings and reflects the circumstances and environment for Jewish lives in medieval France. Although a selection of tales was previously published, this is the first publication of a Hebrew-English annotated edition in its entirety, revealing fresh insight. The first part of Kushelevsky’s work, “Cultural, Literary and Comparative Perspectives,” presents the thesis that Sefer ha-ma’asim is a product of its time and place, and should therefore be studied within its literary and cultural surroundings, Jewish and vernacular, in northern France. An investigation of the scribe's techniques in reworking his Jewish and non-Jewish sources into a medieval discourse supports this claim. The second part of the manuscript consists of the tales themselves, in Hebrew and English translation, including brief comparative comments or citations. The third part, “An Analytical and Comparative Overview,” offers an analysis of each tale as an individual unit, contextualized within its medieval framework and against the background of its parallels. Elisheva Baumgarten's epilogue adds social and historical background to Sefer ha-ma’asim and discusses new ways in which it and other story compilations may be used by historians for an inquiry into the everyday life of medieval Jews. The tales in Sefer ha-ma’asim will be of special value to scholars of folklore and medieval European history and literature, as well as those looking to enrich their studies and shelves.By Howard Pyle. 1984
The second of a four-volume retelling of the legends of King Arthur and his companions. Here we learn of the…
knighting of Sir Launcelot of the Lake; of Sir Tristram and his love for Lady Belle Isoult; and of how Sir Percival became a knight of the Round Table. Originally published in 1905. Sequel to The Story of King Arthur and his Knights (DB 30327). For junior and senior high and older readers. Some violence. 1984By Shirley Raye Redmond, Red Hansen. 2012
From the forest fairies of West Africa to the magical brownies of Scotland, people have told stories about fairies for…
a long, long time. In England, two little girls shocked the world when they claimed that they had proof that fairies existed; they had photographs! But are fairies myth? Or are they magic? Fairy fans and beginning readers will delight in this easy-to-read look at fairy folklore and sightings through the ages.By Joseph Campbell, Campbell. 1988
By Molly Bang, Amy L Cohn. 1993
Collection of more than 140 tales, poems, songs, and stories that provide a history of the United States. Topics include…
the creation, immigrants coming to America, the Revolutionary War, westward expansion, slavery, animals, sports, and ghost stories. For grades 2-4 and older readersBy Leonard Everett Fisher. 1999
Introduces the twelve principal gods and goddesses of the ancient Mayan civilization, which extended through the area that became the…
Yucatan peninsula, Belize, Guatemala, and part of Honduras. Deities include the god of rain, Chac; the god of corn, Yum Kaax; and the god of death, Ah Puch. For grades 4-7. 1999By Marfe Ferguson Delano, Marfe Delano. 2005
Fifty profiles of heroes drawn from four hundred years of American history: Pocahontas, Frederick Douglass, Queen Lili'uokalani, Helen Keller, Jonas…
Salk, and Roberto Clemente, among others. A list of facts accompanies each entry. Time lines and essays introduce historical eras. For grades 5-8. 2005By Flame Tree Studio. 2022
A joyful mythical ride through the intimate and powerful stories of the Persian legendary landscape.From such texts as the Shah…
Nameh (the Persian Book of Kings), Masnavi-e Ma&’navi, the Anvar-i Suhayli fables and works by the great poet Nizāmī, come ancient tales of a civilization that once stretched across the known world. Find here the wonderful stories of the magical bird the Simurgh, the Seven Labours of Rustem, the evil demon onager-giant Akwán Díw and the tragic romance of Laili and Majnun. Persian literature is amongst the most beautiful and inventive of all cultures, offering a joyful read of creation, love and conquest.FLAME TREE 451. From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.By Flame Tree Studio. 2022
From the rift valley come stories of gods, tricksters, cattle and ogres from the many peoples of East Africa.Traditional stories…
bring a deeper understanding of the movement of peoples across East Africa. Common roots and differences between ancient peoples create a lively portrait with their fragile, powerful gods. The modern nations of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda inherit the folk and mythic tales of the rift valley region. Here you'll find stories of ogres and tricksters, riddles and poems, figures such as the first man (Gikuyu) and woman (Mumbi), and great heroes of history such as Liongo. This new collection is created for the modern reader. FLAME TREE 451: From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.By Murielle Szac. 2019
« Je suis Artémis, j'ai choisi de vivre sans contrainte dans les forêts, je suis entourée de compagnes qui ont…
fait le même choix que le mien et qui ne sont pas prêtes à suivre le modèle imposé par Aphrodite (...). Et pourtant nous sommes toutes des femmes, oui, comme elle ! » Être femme et être libre : telle est l'exigence de la déesse de la nature, de la chasse, des naissances et de l'éducation des adolescents. Fille de Léto et Zeus, soeur jumelle d'Apollon, Artémis choisit de vivre loin de l'Olympe et de ses intrigues. Son chemin, tantôt joyeux, tantôt tragique, croisera celui de tous les personnages qui gravitent entre le monde des humains et celui des dieux – le centaure Chiron, les nymphes, Atalante, Achille... Des personnages qui sont autant de facettes du féminin et du masculin, et nous montrent que l'on peut toujours choisir d'être qui l'on veut être. Quatrième volet de « La mythologie grecque en cent épisodes », cette histoire renoue avec l'oralité des premiers récits. Elle peut être écoutée seule, en famille ou en classe. Elle est promesse de rencontre, d'écoute et de dialogue entre petits et grands. Pour chacun d'entre eux, elle offre des réponses, souvent fabuleuses, aux questions que tout être humain se poseBy Bhakti Mathur. 2015
By Jim Murphy, Jon Scieszka, Douglas Florian, Sy Montgomery, Candace Fleming, Elizabeth Partridge, Nathan Hale, Steve Sheinkin, James Sturm, T. Edward Nickens, Thanhhà Lai. 2014
Award-winning authors and journalists provide a collection of essays, biographies, travelogues, and more--all geared to males. In "Sahara Shipwreck," author…
Steve Sheinkin tells the true story of capture, enslavement in the desert, and urine consumption in order to survive. For grades 5-8. 2014By Lord Raglan, Fitzroy Richard Somerset Raglan, Raglan. 2003
Analysis of mythology, folklore, and drama to derive a set of twenty-two motifs that characterize the qualities and actions of…
heroic figures in traditional and literary narrative. Disputes the historical actuality often claimed for many traditional heroes, including Robin Hood, King Arthur, and the warriors at Troy. 1936By Donna Jo Napoli, National Geographic Kids, Donna Napoli. 2015
Collection of Norse myths, describing the gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters of ancient Scandinavia. Includes tales of the thunder god…
Thor, the one-eyed god and Allfather Odin, and the trickster god Loki. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2015By Donna Jo Napoli, National Geographic Kids. 2013
Collection of Egyptian myths and stories of the sun god Ra, the sphinx, and numerous pharaohs and queens, along with…
historical, cultural, and geographic facts. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2013