The garden is an oasis, a pocket of nature in our busy modern lives, full of plants, animals, insects – and a fair bit of magic.Folk Tales from the Garden follows the seasons through a year of stories, garden lore and legends. Explore the changing face of nature just outside your front door, from the tale of the Creator painting her birds and the merits of kissing an old toad, to pixies sleeping in the tulips, and an unusually large turnip.

From caverns deep underground to sky-high mountains, the rocks and stones all around us are ancient. Greedy oni lurk in a cave in Japan; a stonecutter becomes a mountain; and a story of romance, revenge and tragedy plays out on the face of a plate. Revealing hidden fossils, gemstones, folklore and secrets, storyteller Jenny Moon's tales are interwoven with interesting facts and geological observations that will catch the imagination of readers young and old, making this mo...

Rivers and streams sculpt our landscape, and have connected our communities throughout history, from mountain to estuary and to the wide sea beyond. They give us water and food, trade and transport – yet they have a life-force all of their own.In this collection of traditional folk tales from wild rivers, lakes, and streams, Lisa Schneidau retells old stories of danger and transformation, of river goddesses, ghosts and the mysterious creatures that dwell in the wat...

'Janet Dowling is magic and her stories bring the wonders of the night sky onto the page. She has journeyed from Polar ice to Pacific islands in search of tales which will re-enchant the heavens under which we all live and which so many of us forget.' - Jeremy Harte, The Folklore SocietyDiscover the Greek myths that are laid before you in the stars. Explore the folk tales of other cultures that have their own stories of the stars to guide ...

BULGARIAN-born oral storyteller, Nana Tomova, carries in her bones old tales of golden maidens and winged serpents, wise women and wild nature stretching back to ancient Thracian times, when the Great Goddess was revered. Spirits of forest and water cure and curse, the Three Fates determine destinies, a girl lets down her hair for a wolf to climb up and vampires roam the dark nights. Discover a realm of imagination and enchantment through this freshly translated collection...

'This delightful book is filled with fascinating and enchanting folklore and histories of both coast and sea. Even if you are not a coastal dweller, you will find magic and wonder in some of England's oldest and strangest tales. A lovely read.' - Annie WorsleyEngland is a maritime nation. Our folklore and history are scattered with tall tales of the high seas, mysteries of the unknown world beneath the ocean surface, and the coast where human life ...

Founded fifteen centuries ago by the legendary Gaelic king Fergus Mór mac Eirc, Dál Riada was a most unusual ancient kingdom. From the Antrim Glens and Rathlin Island up through Kintyre, Argyll and the Inner Hebrides to the Isle of Skye, it was inhabited by Gaelic seafaring warriors and Viking raiders.With great skill and boundless courage, they navigated around the many islands and countless miles of treacherous coastline. They fought mighty battles, endured wild ...

This is a story of a princess, who has never been laughing, and so her father, the king, orders that the one, who will manage to make her laugh, will marry her. A usual shepherd’s son George decides to try his luck and puts out to the capital. On his way, he meets people with amazing abilities and takes them with him. As they arrive at the king’s castle, they make the princess laugh, and it the king’s order seems to be fulfilled. But a non-noble person cannot marry a princess and they make...

A collection of tales that grew out of the sprawling flatlands, the oozing fjords, the dark forests and the waves that crash on the shores of Denmark.How a Viking ship carried a future king into Roskilde Fjord, how a mermaid's laughter brought fortunes to her fisherman host, how the people of Lolland survived a flood with waves 3m high and how a princess found her freedom in becoming a prince.Experience the history, landscapes, stories and fairy tales broug...

It is a Slavonic fairy tale. This story was translated and published by Albert Henry Wratislaw in 1890. Albert Henry Wratislaw was an English Slavonic scholar. Once upon a time Luck met Intelligence on a garden-seat. Luck said to Intelligence: "Make a room for me!" But Intelligence was outraged: 'Why should I make a room for you? If you are no better than I am!" Luck answered, that he is much better. Luck and Intelligence started to argue. To solve their discussion Intelligence entered int...

Being separate from the Scottish mainland, the Shetland Isles have a rich and unique tradition of folklore, from selkies to invading giants and Vikings.This book brings together many tales of the Isles, including The Boy Who Came from the Ground, and Norway's First Troll, among many others. This collection is sure to enthrall and entertain all, from for those who call the region home to anyone looking to experience the magic of Shetland for the fi...

The Orkney Islands are a place of mystery and magic, where the past and the present meet, ancient standing stones walk and burial mounds are the home of the trows.Orkney Folk Tales walks the reader across invisible islands that are home to fin folk and mermaids, and seals that are often far more than they appear to be. Here Orkney witches raise storms and predict the outcome of battles, ghosts seek revenge and the Devil sits in the rafters of St Magnus Cat...