More than 130 colorful stories of the pioneers, cowboys, outlaws, gamblers, prospectors, and lawmen who settled the wild west and created a uniquely American folk mythology

A first-generation Chinese-American woman recounts growing up in America within a tradition-bound Chinese family, and confronted with Chinese ghosts from the past and non-Chinese ghosts of the present

A collection of traditional and contemporary tales from fifty-five North American tribes features the many incarnations of the legendary Trickster character

Presents a collection of tales, including "Aladdin," "The Wonderful Lamp," "Sinbad the Seaman," and "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves."

Showcases the history, legends, and lore of the holy grail in Christian and Celtic myth, popular archetypes surrounding the unattainable quest for a marvelous object, and the adoption of the grail symbol by the Knights Templar

A groundbreaking look at the phenomenon of the labyrinth, connecting this ancient symbol to modern scientific principles. • Illustrated with labyrinths from around the world and throughout history. • Demonstrates how the labyrinth differs from a maze and how it is a tool for interpreting ancient myths and religious beliefs. • Draws parallels between the labyrinth and quantum physics, showing how through the secrets of the labyrinth we can unlock the mystery of life itself. The powerful symbol of the labyrinth exists in countless cultures spanning the globe from Africa and ancient Greece to India, China, and pre-Colombian North and South America. For centuries they have been used for religious rituals, meditation, and spiritual and physical healing. In the labyrinth humanity finds a model of the quintessential sacred space that depicts the most profound levels of consciousness. Its center is regarded in many cultures as a door between two worlds, thus providing individuals with the ideal place for self questioning and meditation. In a comprehensive exploration of this time-honored symbol, Patrick Conty shows how the geometrical construction of the ancient labyrinth corresponds exactly with today's modern geometry, illustrating that recent developments in math and physics parallel the science of ancient civilizations. By looking at the way the two systems complement each other, Conty draws new conclusions about the ancient world and how that world can benefit us right now. Conty explores not only physical labyrinths but also reveals how the same transcendent principles are at work in Celtic knot work; the designs of ancient Chinese cauldrons; the tattoos and tracings of primitive art; the textiles of Africa, Peru, and Central America; and the geometric patterns in Islamic art.

A world-renowned Celtic historian restores the classic Irish epics to their original sacred context. • Restores the true Celtic morality and sentiment to these tales, which were expurgated by Christian monks. • Reveals how deeply these mythic tales have shaped modern sensibility. • Shows how the ancient Celtic tradition provides answers to contemporary spiritual needs. Some of the most powerfully moving tales in Western literature are to be found in the epics of Celtic Ireland. Heroes and heroines like Finn Mac Cool, Grainne, and Cuchulainn are now familiar names, and their exploits have even been novelized for the contemporary reader. But the value of these stories extends far beyond mere entertainment. In Celtic myth the adventure of a hero and a warrior is not only an instinctive search for answers to the great human metaphysical problems, but also a palpable, even sensual experience. The dividing line between sacred and profane is forever shifting in ways that can be shocking, if not incomprehensible, to a person accustomed to the logical systems based on classical thought. Distrustful of the written word, Celtic druids forbade anything involving their tradition from being put into writing. However, Christian monks chose to preserve all they could of the oral tradition on paper. Unfortunately, they did not hesitate to alter what they couldn't comprehend, or what their Christian sensibilities found shocking. In this collection of some of the most important narratives in the rich Irish tradition, Jean Markale restores these texts to their original form and reveals how the Celtic spirit is on the verge of reclaiming its rights.

The authoritative reader's companion to the ancient Celtic myths in the literary masterpiece, the Mabinogion. • Thoroughly updated edition of Mabon and the Mysteries of Britain (UK). • Illuminates the rich archetypal patterns and meanings in the Four Branches of the Welsh Mabinogion. According to prophecy, a liberator will come to bring light, truth, and freedom to every generation. His mythic title is Mabon, but his identities are many-including Arthur the King, whose coming we await. So says the mythic Welsh text the Mabinogion, which includes some of the oldest magical stories from British mythology and which has been intriguing and beguiling readers for centuries. In Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain, Celtic scholar Caitlín Matthews unlocks the encoded meanings of the Mabinogion and establishes it firmly as a precursor to other living myths of the West. From her fascinating study of these stories emerge two of the major figures of the Celtic tradition: the archetypal Mabon, deliverer and liberator of the land, and Modron, his mother, the Great Goddess herself. The initiatory pattern of Britain's inner guardians is revealed through the succession of the Pendragons, as each rises through the ages from boy, hero, and king to the role of Mabon. As descendants of the ancient Celtic oral tradition, the rich themes and archetypal underpinnings of the Mabinogion are stories for all time.

A Native American healer explores the symbolic meanings of animals in Native American legends and tales and explains how one can get in touch with animal spirits through dreams, ceremonies, or sacred objects and places. Original.

Shares recipes, activities, songs, poems, and stories to help families celebrate eighteen holidays and festivals.