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Различные книги в жанре СказкиPele and Hiiaka
Pele and Hiiaka are Hawaii's most spectacular female deities, and this story of their conflict over the mortal Lohi'au stands at the fountainhead of Hawaiian myth, oral tradition, and dance. For centuries, however, it was a varied collection of disparate versions told by widely scattered Hawaiian poets, raconteurs, and dancers.Author, Dr. Nathaniel Emerson spent years traveling, talking to Hawaiians, and compiling notes in an attempt to organize and preserve its text. The result of his efforts, Pele and Hiiaka: A Myth from Hawaii was published in 1915, and that edition has since become a rare and expensive collector's item. This digital edition of that book contains all of Emerson's original text as well as a new introduction and new photographs.Pele the fire goddess, who dwells in the Kilauea firepit, is quick–tempered and violent. Hiiaka, her sister, is calm and benevolent and given to wandering through groves of scarlet–blossomed 'ohi'a trees. Pele's roaming dream–spirit falls in love with the handsome chieftain Lohi'au, and Hiiaka is sent to bring him back from Kaua'i to Pele's waiting immortal body In the saga of Hiiaka's arduous journey are the exploits of stirring romance.
Myths & Legends of Polyns
Myths & Legends of the Polynesians is an account of the history, art and mythology of the Polynesian peoples.The Polynesians had many myths and legends, but through the ages they had been circulated by word of mouth, and not recorded. They were recalled from the vast storehouse of time and memory by the old priests who treasured the old traditions, and by the kahuna or sorcerers who constantly relived the legends and sang the old songs.Polynesians have always had a strong romantic appeal to the outside world, possibly because of their enchanting island surroundings, their simple life and natural graces. Their legends have been woven into rich tapestries in this classic text.Stories of Myths and Legends of the Polynesians include:Koropanga and RukutiaKelea and KalamakuaUenukuFairies and TaniwhaThe Tawhaki CyclePele the Fire–GodessThe Spirit WorldsIo, Tangaroa, and CreationTane' and RongoTHe Areoi Society and and Hula Dance
Kotto
This classic collection of Japanese ghost and folk stories is of enormous importance to the field of Japanese studies.Japanese curios, with sundry cobwebs, excite the curiosity and imagination of a master spinner of tales, and the result is Kotto, another Lafcadio Hearn classic about old Japan. Here Hearn spins tales from old Japanese books to illustrate some strange beliefs. They are only curios, he says laconically, but some of these legends will make your spine tingle and your heart trip faster, like the one about a waterfall called Yurei–Daki, or the Cascade of Ghosts.The ghosts were as real as their warnings, but a bold woman failed to heed them—a horrible mistake. Hearn could also find in the commonplace the stuff of which imperishable literature is spun. A drop of dew hangs quivering on the bamboo lattice of his study window. Its tiny sphere repeats the colors of the morning—of sky and field and far-off trees, of a cottage with children at play. But much more than the visible world is imaged by that dewdrop: the world invisible, of infinite mystery, is likewise repeated. Buddhism finds in such a dewdrop the symbol of that other microcosm called the Soul.
Genji Monogatari
Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) is the Japan's earliest novel and the most famous work in Japan's literary history. It remains the finest portrayal of court life in the classical Heian period, some ten centuries ago. The author, Murasaki Shikibu (Lady Murasaki) was a member of the celebrated Fujiwara clan, which virtually created the history and culture of the Heian age.The novel has for its theme the many loves of the radiantly charming Prince Genji, son of the emperor and paragon of the ladies of the court. But its underlying motif is the fleeting nature of life in a transient world of beauty and grace, of love and enmity. It is an incredibly absorbing tale, distinguished by the author's amazing insight in her treatment of human personality and human events.Its diversity of characters and its subtle inquiries into the meaning of life make it one of the most significant and memorable of books. Some have compared it with Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, and certainly there is validity in the comparison. It most decidedly deserves its place among the world's foremost literary classics. Genji Monogatari, an immensely long novel, is presented here in an abridged translation.
Korean Folk Tales
This classic collection of Korean folk and fairy tales is of cultural enormous importance for Koreans and Westerners alike.First published in 1913 but regrettably long out of print, this fascinating little volume is now made available once again for the enjoyment of all who love an ancient tale, particularly if the setting is an exotic one. Of the legends collected here, Mr. Gale has this to say in his preface: «To anyone who would like to look somewhat into the inner soul of the Oriental, and see the peculiar spiritual existences among which he lives, the… stories will serve as true interpreters, born as they are of the three great religions of the Far East, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.»The stories of classical Korean storyteller Im Bang, in particular, offer to the Western world «that they may serve as introductory essays to the mysteries and, what many call, absurdities of Asia. Very gruesome indeed, and unlovely, some of them are, but they picture faithfully the conditions under which Im Bang himself, and many past generations of Koreans, have lived.»
Pagoda, Skull & Samurai
This collection of Japanese literature features the works of noted Japanese novelist Koda Rohan.Japanese literary history usually classifies Koda Rohan as an idealist writer, and the three stories included in this anthology belong to this genre. The Five-Storied Pagoda, one of Koda's best-known works, is the moving account of a misunderstood carpenter who has been inspired to undertake the construction of a pagoda by himself. It is not merely a story of individualism, however, for the religious implications of such a task are profound.Encounter with a Skull concerns a fortuitous meeting of two souls not necessarily ordained by karma. The multiple processes of enlightenment are perceptively depicted in this eerie tale.The last story, The Bearded Samurai, is an historical novella whose setting is the sixteenth-century battle of Nagashino between the forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu and those of Takeda Katsuyori. Here, the human side of the warrior and a realistic view of the samurai are delineated.Such stories, in addition to the essays and notes by the translator, will prove of interest to the general reader and especially to the reader already familiar with Japanese literature.
The Golden Lotus Volume 2
"The greatest novel of physical love which China has produced." —Pearl S. Buck A saga of ruthless ambition, murder, and, famously, Chinese erotica, The Golden Lotus (also known as The Plum in the Golden Vase ) has been called the fifth Great Classical Novel in Chinese Literature and one of the Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel. Admired in its own time for its literary qualities and biting indictment of the immorality and cruelty of its age, this Chinese classic has also been denigrated for its sexual frankness.It centers on Ximen Qing, a young, dissolute, and politically connected merchant, and his marriage to a fifth wife, Pan Jinlian, literally «Golden Lotus.» In her desire to influence her husband and, through him, control the other wives, concubines, and entire household, she uses sex as her primary weapon. The Golden Lotus lays bare the rivalries within this wealthy family while chronicling its rise and fall. This great work of classic Chinese literature, from an author whose pseudonym means «Scoffing Scholar of Lanling,» is a virtuoso collection of voices and vices, mixing in poetry and song. It samples different social registers from popular ballads to the language of bureaucrats to recreate and comment mordantly on the society of the time. Little-known in the west but utterly iconic amongst the Chinese classics in worldly circles, reading The Golden Lotus promises both an astute reflection on human tendencies and a sumptuous, intoxicating take on Chinese erotica. This new edition: Features a superb new introduction by Robert Hegel of Washington University, who explains its importance as the first single-authored novel in the Chinese tradition Contains the complete, unexpurgated text as translated by Clement Egerton with the assistance of Shu Qingchun (later known as Lao She, one of the most prominent Chinese writers of the twentieth century) Ensures translation has been pinyinized and corrected for this new edition
The Golden Lotus Volume 1
"The greatest novel of physical love which China has produced." —Pearl S. Buck A saga of ruthless ambition, murder, and, famously, Chinese erotica, The Golden Lotus (also known as The Plum in the Golden Vase ) has been called the fifth Great Classical Novel in Chinese Literature and one of the Four Masterworks of the Ming Novel. Admired in its own time for its literary qualities and biting indictment of the immorality and cruelty of its age, this Chinese classic has also been denigrated for its sexual frankness.It centers on Ximen Qing, a young, dissolute, and politically connected merchant, and his marriage to a fifth wife, Pan Jinlian, literally «Golden Lotus.» In her desire to influence her husband and, through him, control the other wives, concubines, and entire household, she uses sex as her primary weapon. The Golden Lotus lays bare the rivalries within this wealthy family while chronicling its rise and fall. This great work of classic Chinese literature, from an author whose pseudonym means «Scoffing Scholar of Lanling,» is a virtuoso collection of voices and vices, mixing in poetry and song. It samples different social registers from popular ballads to the language of bureaucrats to recreate and comment mordantly on the society of the time. Little-known in the west but utterly iconic amongst the Chinese classics in worldly circles, reading The Golden Lotus promises both an astute reflection on human tendencies and a sumptuous, intoxicating take on Chinese erotica. This new edition: Features a superb new introduction by Robert Hegel of Washington University, who explains its importance as the first single-authored novel in the Chinese tradition Contains the complete, unexpurgated text as translated by Clement Egerton with the assistance of Shu Qingchun (later known as Lao She, one of the most prominent Chinese writers of the twentieth century) Ensures translation has been pinyinized and corrected for this new edition
Samurai Banner of Furin Kazan
The Samurai Banner of Furin Kazan presents an accurate portrait of this era in Japanese history. Originally published in Japanese in 1959, this classic novel by Yasushi Inoue takes place during the Japanese Warring Era (1467-1573)—a time when a fractured Japan was ruled by three powerful young warlords: Takeda Shingen, Iwagawa Yoshimoto and Hojo Ujiyasu. The story focuses on Takeda Shingen and his one-eyed, crippled strategist, Yamamoto Kansuke. The brilliant strategies of Kansuke, inspired by his passion for war and his admiration for his enemies' war tactics, are beautifully expressed throughout this book.Takeda Shingen—a proud and confident warlord—wants to expand his territory. When he retains the ambitious and mysterious Yamamoto Kansuke—a masterless, unheralded samurai—as his war strategist, he discovers a bold and cunning collaborator. Kansuke's talents at diplomacy and his prescient understanding of war strategy leads Shingen's clan to great success, a path which leads the pair to Princess Yuu. When Kansuke discovers her among the ruins of a castle he has just captured, she is about to commit ritual suicide, jigaki . Kansuke falls under her spell—and convinces her to live to carry on her family's lineage. The conflicting ambitions of Shingen, Kansuke, and Princess Yuu are at the heart of this complex and intensely dramatic story. Each of the three needs the others in order to attain their goals. In the end, the lines between who is using whom are blurred beyond understanding.Though there's some doubt as to whether Kansuke really existed, the historical narrative and depictions of daily life present a unique and engaging look at the end of the feudal era in Japan.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms Volume 2
[b]This epic saga of brotherhood and rivalry, of loyalty and treachery, of victory and death, forms part of the indelible core of classical Chinese culture and continues to fascinate modern-day readers. In 220 EC, the 400-year-old rule of the mighty Han dynasty came to an end and three kingdoms contested for control of China. Liu Pei, the legitimate heir to the Han throne, elects to fight for his birthright and enlists the aid of his sworn brothers, the impulsive giant Chang Fei and the invincible knight Kuan Yu. The brave band faces a formidable array of enemies, foremost among them the treacherous and bloodthirsty Ts'ao Ts'ao. The bold struggle of the three heroes seems doomed until the reclusive wizard Chuko Liang offers his counsel, and the tide begins to turn. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is China's oldest novel and the first of a great tradition of historical fiction. Believed to have been compiled by the play-wright Lo Kuan-chung in the late fourteenth century, it is indebted to the great San-kuo chi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) completed by the historian Ch'en Shou just before his death in 297 CE. The novel first appeared in print in 1522. This edition, translated in the mid-1920s by C. H. Brewitt-Taylor, is based on a shortened and simplified version which appeared in the 1670s. An Introduction to this reprint by Robert E. Hegel, Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature at Washington University, provides an insightful commentary on the historical background to the novel, its literary origins and its main characters.