Legends From The British Isles

THE BRITISH ISLES have a long tradition of tales of gods, heroes and marvels, hinting at a mythology once as relevant to the races which settled the islands as the Greek and Roman gods were to the classical world.The tales drawn together in this book, from a wide range of medieval sources, span the centuries from the dawn of Christianity to the age of the Plantagenets. The Norse gods which peopled the Anglo-Saxon past survive in Beowulf/I>; Cuchulainn, Taliesin and the magician Merlin take shape from Celtic mythology; and saints include Helena who brought a piece of the True Cross to Britain, and Joseph of Arimathea whose staff grew into the Glastonbury thorn. Tales of the British Arthur are followed by legends of later heroes, including Harold, Hereward and Godiva. These figures and many others were part of a familiar national mythology on which Shakespeare drew for Lear, Macbeth and Hamlet, creating the famous versions that are known today. Here the original stories are presented again. RICHARD BARBER's other books include King Arthur: Hero and Legend, Arthurian Legends: An Anthology, and The Knight and Chivalry; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail.Borders.com: England and the British Isles have a rich and still thriving tradition of myths and legends - and this wonderful volume collects together more than thirty of the best from a number of sources... an incredible insight into the fascinating yet complex history of the British Isles and its peoples... Those fascinated by mythology will want to add this wonderful book to their collections.

LEGEND The Legend of the Unicorn tells the story of Rhiannon Carter, a pretty English girl, who lived in the days of King Arthur. One day she makes friends with a young unicorn in the forest, but greedy Sir Brangwyn finds out and ... The King of the Wizards is a legend from Scotland that tells about a young man who wants to become a great juggler, but he doesn’t know that his teacher is an evil wizard. Bedd Gelert is the touching Welsh legend about Prince Llewellyn’s loyal dog who must protect the prince’s son while he goes hunting. When he returns after the hunt, it is dark and he makes a terrible mistake. Dossiers: Haunted Castles in Scotland Man's Best Friend

"Geoffrey Ashe's lavishly illustrated Mythology of the British Isles retells the legendary history of Britain and uncovers a national mythology which is comparable to that of the Greeks in its richness and cohesiveness. Recounting stories and legends from the dark centuries of British prehistory to the ninth century AD - tales of giants and fairies, druids and saints, King Lear, King Arthur and Old King Cole - he shows how they all interrelate and take on fresh significance from historical and archaeological research"--Back cover.

Brief biographies of British authors and photographs of their final resting places.

"Why does an English girl make friends with a young unicorn? Can an old Scottish fisherman be more clever that a wizard? What can you find in the Welsh town of Beddgelert? Who discovers an Irish king's big secret? Read these four exciting legends and found out!" - back cover.

Pirates and smugglers, ghost ships and sea-serpents, fishermen’s prayers and sailors’ rituals – the coastline of the British Isles plays host to an astonishingly rich variety of local legends, customs, and superstitions. In The Fabled Coast, renowned folklorists Sophia Kingshill and Jennifer Westwood gather together the most enthralling tales and traditions, tracing their origins and examining the facts behind the legends. Was there ever such a beast as the monstrous Kraken? Did a Welsh prince discover America, centuries before Columbus? What happened to the missing crew of the Mary Celeste? Along the way, they recount the stories that are an integral part of our coastal heritage, such as the tale of Drake’s Drum, said to be heard when England was in peril, and the mythical island of Hy Brazil, which for centuries appeared on sea charts and maps to the west of Ireland. The result is an endlessly fascinating, often surprising journey through our island history.