World Folklore

For centuries, beautifully illustrated fairy-tale volumes have rested innocently on kids' night tables around the world, long ago relegated to the dubious honor of being branded as "children's literature". But every story is a file packed with information, and Cinderella, Snow White, Puss in Boots, and Bluebeard have always intimated that perhaps they have more to tell besides "beautiful" stories, the same ones that animated the minds of several generations of children.

Greek Mythology is one of the most popular of mythologies. The creativity and imagination of the Greek has lingered through time and inspired as well as influenced many of the heroes of nowadays Western fiction.

Do you want to learn about Sumerians? The changes that took рlасе on the Mesopotamian рlаin bеtwееn the Tigris аnd Euрhrаtеѕ rivers in thе fourth аnd third millеnniа BC are of сruсiаl importance in understanding ѕubѕеԛuеnt developments in Wеѕtеrn Aѕiа аnd bеуоnd. Sinсе 1991, it hаѕ nоt bееn possible tо dig in Irаԛ itѕеlf, аnd аѕ a dirесt result оf this, thеrе hаѕ bееn аn еxрlоѕiоn of аrсhаеоlоgiсаl асtivitу in nеighbоring countries, ѕuсh аѕ Sуriа and thе Gulf Stаtеѕ.

The Path of Light is a collection of short stories nothing if not a mirror to the phenomenal range of human behavior. Taken from the Upanishads to the Jatakas to South Asian folklore, these simple but contemplative tales reveal how people are capable of both extreme cruelty and inordinate kindness.

This 2-in1 bundle covers various mythologies from around the world - From ancient Japanese myths and Germanic mythology, to the beliefs held sacred by the Aztecs, the Mayans, and the Polynesians civilizations.

The past is coming back. The ancient myths that were told, are now available in an audiobook format. Listen to the narration, and you will find yourself amazed by the intricate details of age-old civilizations like that of the Celts, the Vikings, the Greeks, and others. This combination of books focuses on several separate societies that have a long, well-known history of believing in multiple gods, goddesses, crazy creatures we now suppose are fiction, and a myriad of other interesting superstitious or valuable assumptions.

Do you know what lies behind every door? There are certain buildings which can be unsettling, disturbing, and downright terrifying. Even in seemingly normal homes, the strange and mysterious can help to create a sense of unease and ill-feeling. But there are certain buildings which scream strangeness from every surface. A coldness, an eerie atmosphere, or even the half caught sight of something moving in the corner of your vision. Some homes breathe paranormal activity and can leave you scared before you've even stepped over the threshold.

1939, London: From McPhail's Passage to Kensington's Grand Palace Hotel, Rose Dunbar is evacuated from her humble home on the Rock of Gibraltar and dropped into a chaotic city of falling bombs, perplexing class rules and bad weather. Despite being 'flagrantly foreign' to the locals, she becomes an efficient go-between for the upper-class ladies helping out with the war effort and her own tribe of noisy displaced families.

Red doesn’t remember who she is or where she came from. In fact, her only memory is a terrifying, repeating dream of a threatening shadow and a foggy field. But after many years, she wonders if that’s just something she made up. Red does know that she now belongs with Yakaka, the witch who rescued Red when she was a little girl. Full of power and magic, Yakaka travels the world, healing the planet when it calls for her help.

Australia has always been a land of mysteries. Some are ancient, some are historical and many continue to perplex us today—and will probably continue to do so tomorrow. More often than most of us would like to think, things simply vanish and people disappear without explanation, leaving a trail of heartbreak across generations. Australia also has its fair share of buried loot and fabulous riches gone missing—somewhere. Master storyteller Graham Seal has gathered mysteries from around Australia.

Cece Rios thought saving her sister would be the end of her adventures in the world of criaturas. But part of Juana’s soul is still trapped in Devil’s Alley. As Cece tries to find a way to get it back using her new curandera abilities, Juana takes her fate in her own hands and sets off alone, intent on restoring her soul and getting revenge on El Sombrerón.

In the tradition of Calvino’s Italian Folktales, Greg Sarris, author of the award-winning novel Grand Avenue, turns his attention to his ancestral homeland of Sonoma Mountain in Northern California. In 16 interconnected original stories, the twin crows Question Woman and Answer Woman take us through a world unlike yet oddly reminiscent of our own: one that blooms bright with poppies, lupines, and clover; one in which Water Bug kidnaps an entire creek; in which songs have the power to enchant; in which Rain is a beautiful woman who keeps people’s memories in stones.

In the 15th century, four Mahu sail from Tahiti to Hawaii and share their gifts of science and healing with the people of Waikiki. The islanders return this gift with a monument of four boulders in their honor, which the Mahu imbue with healing powers before disappearing. As time passes, foreigners inhabit the island and the once-sacred stones are forgotten until the 1960s. Though the true story of these stones was not fully recovered, the power of the Mahu still calls out to those who pass by them at Waikiki Beach today.

A northern white couple has relocated to the South to operate a vineyard on a North Carolina plantation. There, they pass their idle hours listening to the stories of one Uncle Julius, who has a deep knowledge of the land. These stories, however, are more than mere entertainments. They all have their time and place, and they offer not only a quiet commentary on the events of the day but also a deeper reckoning with the plantation’s disturbing past.

Tells the stories of witches, enchanters, and sorcerers, and discusses legends and folklore concerning Merlin, Nostradamus, and magic.

For the last nine centuries, Hawaiian tradition has used the wickedness of the Maui king Hua to depict the consequences of sacrificing righteousness for superficial political gains. His reign was known for its pointless warfare, waste of resources, and corruption. Condemning his dutiful high priest to death under false pretenses, Hua and his subjects finally earn the wrath of the gods. Drought and famine decimate Maui. The lush countryside of Hana becomes a wasteland. As they flee, the curse follows. Atonement resides with the sons of the murdered priest. If they can be found.

King David Kalākaua introduces us to the people upon whom the legend of the Pele family is based. They departed Samoa as war refugees in the 12th century, settling in the foothills of Mauna Loa. As earthquakes and eruptions occurred during their interactions with the Hawaiians, this family of kahuna were accorded what the king described as “unique sanctity and power”. Pele was as mighty as she was beautiful. The tales of the volcano goddess earned the attention of Kamapuaa, the outcast son of the chief of Oahu who terrorized the island with his band of renegades.

Spanning several centuries of history in the Pacific, The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People is a collection of Hawaiian stories that were preserved through the ages by oral tradition and documented for posterity by King David Kalākaua in 1887. This massive tome recalls the tales of chiefs and kings, explorers and pirates, prophets, sorceresses, and renegades. This is the first in a series of 22 parts.

There are more than 220 million cats in the world, and this book has stories about the world’s favourite pet from all across the globe. From an owner with 96 cats in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to a daring cat-escape from Lebanon to the Middle East, the book tells many fine feline tales. We also list over 20 different breeds from around the world, where they’re from and a short description. Truly a global cat reference for any cat-lover.