Originally published in 1911, this early work by Charles M. Skinner is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. It delves deep into the mythology of the natural world and uncovers legends of times long forgotton. This is a fascinating work and highly recommended for all folklore enthusiasts. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...flower, was carried to Europe in the sixteenth century and brought to this country by the Puritans. It grows wild in southern Asia and southwestern Europe, but with us, who have known it as prince's feather and duck's bills, and also as laylock and blow-pipe tree, because pipe-stems were made from its smaller branches, it is a loved occupant of the garden; and what more beautiful than a lane of lilacs in May with heavy heads nodding over the walk and dripping dew and perfume T Though picked for May festivals it was introduced charily indoors, for to many it was a flower of ill luck--a result of the association of its purple color with the hues of mourning. An old proverb declares that she who wears lilacs will never wear a wedding ring, and to send a spray of lilac to a fianc6 was a delicate way of asking that the engagement be broken. An English nobleman having ruined a trusting girl and caused her death of a broken heart, a mound of lilac blooms was placed upon her grave by friends, who averred that in the morning the flowers had become white, though when put upon the grave they were rosy mauve. This, the first white lilac, is pointed out to-day in the churchyard of a hamlet on the Wye, in Hartfordshire. LINDEN To the old Germans, the lime, or linden, was a holy tree, yet a haunt of dwarfs and fairies; and under it the dragons lay so often, for the shade, or for some protecting property, that they became known as lindenworms. The custom of magistrates of sitting beneath it to give sentence also lent importance to the lime and caused it to be known as the tree of judgment. In the mythology of the north, when Sigurd, after killing the dragon Fafnir, bathes in its blood, a linden leaf falls on his shoulder and makes it vulnerable to...

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Mankind has given a recognizable face to the awesome and impalpable forces of nature in the image of the Green Man and the nature spirits that this book explores. The ways in which different societies and different craftsmen have depicted these spirits display the wide creative range of the human imagination, but the persistence of the theme suggests that in all their many facets these spirits represent a deep, primordial sense that humans have shared since civilization began. For the very origin and message of these images have remained the same, even if somewhat altered over time. Traditional customs from around the world, from the rites that celebrate spring and egg on the forces of fertility to folk health remedies and the use of talismans to ward off illness and other evils, show some surprising similarities and hint at the shared origins of human culture. Even though the original significance of many customs has been lost or diluted, they still hold an appeal and many towns even today are re-introducing seasonal fairs to recreate the link between man and nature. Varner presents examples, ancient and new, from Europe and Asia, East Coast and West, and identifies in particular the different guises of the Green Man who has figured in architecture since before the advent of Christianity and still makes his appearance today, peering out from behind his leaves on California banks and New York brownstone houses.

Traces the history of Valentine's Day and the little-known stories behind its symbols.

Vols. for 1846-55 include Proceedings at meetings of the society.

Volumes for 1869-1952 include Extracts from the proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society.