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Различные книги в жанре СказкиThe Children's Homer (The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy)
Born and raised in a Longford, Ireland workhouse, Padraic Colum left at seventeen to become a clerk in the Irish Railway Clearing House in Dublin. This venture was short-lived, however, and with the success of a few poems and a play, «The Saxon Shillin',» he left in 1904 to pursue a career in writing. His success as a dramatist, poet, novelist, essayist, biographer, children's writer and editor, as well as his participation in the founding of the Abbey Theatre, made Colum a central figure in the Irish literary renaissance. Colum wrote «The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy» in 1918 as a retelling of Homer's epic poems, «Iliad» and «Odyssey,» intended for younger readers. It recounts the perilous adventures of Odysseus on his journey back from the war in Troy, including his encounter with the horrible Cyclops, the duplicitous Sirens, and the evil Circe. One of Colum's many successful children's novels, these stories will be enjoyed as much today as they were nearly a century ago.
The Argonautica (Verse)
As the only surviving epic myth of the Hellenistic era, «The Argonautica» chronicles the heroic exploits of Jason and his fellow Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece from remote Colchis. Written by Apollonius Rhodius, or Apollonius of Rhodes, during the 3rd century B.C. the story begins with the prophetic warning to Pelias, king of Iolcus, that his downfall will be the work of a man with only one sandal. When it appears that Jason, who has lost his footwear while crossing a stream, is this one sandaled man, Pelias sends him on what he believes will be a suicidal mission to retrieve the Golden Fleece. During its time «The Argonautica» was a bold contemporary reworking of the heroic epic in the Homeric tradition which is remarkable for its exploration of the development of the love between hero and heroine. This classic work of Greek mythology greatly influenced the subsequent works of Roman mythology, including Virgil's «Aeneid», and is a must read for students and fans of the genre. Presented here in this edition is the verse translation of Arthur S. Way.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Arthurian legends have long been the source of countless popular tales. «Sir Gawain and the Green Knight» is one of the best known and most widely read. During King Arthur's New Year's celebration, a mysterious knight, with green clothes and horse, arrives with a challenge to the knights of the round table—any one of them may swing at the Green Knight with an axe if he too is willing to take a blow one year and one day after. Gawain, one of Arthur's most noble knights, steps up and easily beheads the Green Knight. Yet the knight magically picks up his head and tells Gawain he will see him in one year and one day. Gawain must go through many tribulations during this year as he upholds the values of the chivalric code, approaching reunion with the enigmatic character. Jessie L. Weston (1850-1928), a noted medieval scholar and folklorist provides a skilled prose rendition staying true to the original while maintaining readability. «Sir Gawain and the Green Knight» continues to resonate and captivate readers today.
The Argonautica (Prose)
"The Argonautica," more commonly known as «Jason and the Argonauts,» was written by Apollonius of Rhodes in the first half of the 3rd century BCE. It tells the tale of the epic journey of Jason, the mythological leader of the Argonauts, and his quest to obtain the Golden Fleece. In the story, Jason's father was killed by his own brother, so Jason's mother hid him in order to save his life. When he turns 20, Jason returns and seeks to take the throne that is rightfully his. However, before his uncle will give up the throne, Jason must obtain the Golden Fleece. Like many epics, Jason must face a number of strange and difficult obstacles, including the crossing of the infamously dangerous Straights of Bosphorus. In this prose rendering, translated by R. C. Seaton, of «The Argonautica,» readers will find an entertaining tale of adventure and Greek mythology.
The Mabinogion
First told orally by unknown generations of Welsh storytellers, «The Mabinogion» was subsequently written down in the 13th century in the form of a collection of prose tales. These stories draw on pre-Christian Celtic myth, folklore, and Welsh history and tradition to tell a magical set of stories that reach back to the Iron Age and Arthurian romance. These eleven tales are set in both the land of Wales and a dim otherworld, with a wide cast of vibrant characters who bring their dreamlike world to life. From two brothers who scheme to kidnap a virgin to a chieftain who roams foreign lands when his own is spellbound, «The Mabinogion» is full of magicians and shape-shifters, witches and giants, dragons and knights, all of whom interact in a country struggling to preserve its independence. With tales of Arthurian quests of honor and stories of revenge and love, «The Mabinogion» is a fantastical collection of myth, legend, and romance that has fascinated and entertained readers since medieval times.
The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales
Once upon a time, two brothers wished to preserve their German folklore in a collection of tales that they believed had been handed down for generations. When they began in 1812 they had just 86 stories that rather harshly reflected the difficult life of European peasantry. Subsequent editions would grow to hold over 200 tales. As time passed, the Brothers Grimm found that their collection of fairy tales, with all of its royalty, magical creatures, and brave adventures, entranced those who read them. This compilation of fairy tales which includes the complete canon of over 200 tales has become a beloved set of classical stories the world over. Presented here in this edition is the faithful translation of Margaret Hunt.
Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race
Thomas William Hazen Rolleston (1857-1920) was an Irish writer, literary figure and translator known for works that spanned a wide range of literary and political topics. He wrote «Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race» in 1911 in an attempt to revitalize what he felt was a waning appreciation for the heritage of all Celtic peoples. Perhaps the best representation and description of all the legends, myths and spiritual histories of Ireland, Britain and Wales, this collection includes the stories of Ultonian and Ossianic cycles, the voyage of Maeldum, and the myths and tales of the Cymry (Welsh). Rolleston also provides the fantastic narratives of Cuchulain, King Arthur, Deirdre, the Grail, and many more. For anyone wishing to learn about the Celtic peoples, their culture, legends, religion, and their influence on the development of Western civilization, these legendary tales are an essential addition to your library.
The Poetic Edda
First passed down orally through innumerable generations of minstrels before the presence of Christianity in Scandinavia, and written down eventually by unknown poets, «The Poetic Edda» is a collection of mythological and heroic Old Norse poems. It was preserved for hundreds of years in the medieval Codex Regius of Iceland. This body of poetry contains narratives on creation, the Doom of the Gods, the adventures of Thor and hostile giants, and many tales of love, family, heroes, and tragedy. Rediscovered in the seventeenth century and immediately celebrated for its broad portrait of northern pagan beliefs, «The Poetic Edda» is the most important source of Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends in existence today. It is a fascinating collection of poems that has stirred the imagination of artists such as Richard Wagner and Thomas Gray, and it will continue to inspire as it stands as a valuable and informative historical document and an entertaining set of stories of Norse mythology.
Celtic Fairy Tales
The 1892 collection «Celtic Fairy Tales» is a beautiful anthology which highlights Celtic children's literature. Folklorist Joseph Jacobs spent his entire career gathering a host of fairy tales known in the English language and compiling them into a number of anthologies. «Celtic Fairy Tales» includes popular stories such as «Conall Yellowclaw,» «The Sea-Maiden,» and «Battle of the Birds,» all of which were gathered straight from oral tradition by Jacobs to be preserved forever in text. Like the famous German fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, not every story in «Celtic Fairy Tales» ends happily for all the characters. For example, in «Fair, Brown, and Trembling,» the oldest sister tried to kill the youngest, so she was banished to the ocean in a barrel with only a small amount of provisions for food. Modern readers will also recognize parallels between well-known fairy tales and the stories in Jacobs' anthology. «Jack and his Comrades» is similar to «Town Musicians of Bremen,» a story about a group of farm animals who fight four robbers away from their home. «Celtic Fairy Tales» is not only a solid collection of stories for young children, but adults will understand the significance of Joseph Jacob's work to preserve the legacy of Celtic folklore forever.
Laxdaela Saga
As in the case with many other Icelanders' sagas, the author of Laxdaela is unknown, but believed to have been composed in the middle of the thirteenth century. The tale has often been regarded as curiously feminine and speculated to have been written by a woman. The Laxdaela Saga, a story of the men and women of the Salmon River valley, is of an Icelandic family that relates the history of some five or six generations of prominent individuals descended from emigrant Norwegian chieftains, tracing the disastrous removal of many lives during the early Icelandic Commonwealth period. The years prior to Iceland's annexation by Norway in 1262, were a time of settlement, Christianization, and national independence. The saga begins with two branches of the family: those of Unn the Deep-Minded and Bjorn the Easterner, whose lines produce the heroic Kjartan and fiery protagonist, Gudrun. A mixture of historical fact, epic, myth, anachronism, romance, and literary inventions, this saga is a dramatization of the circumstances surrounding a blood-feud between two sides of a great dynasty.