The book takes you on an excited adventure of a life time with three warrior friends, Thor the Norse god of thunder, Agorem the Elf king, and Zavegun the mighty war elf. Perils await them all and not only with Loki, but with giants, trolls, hideous creatures that none has ever seen before and unknown and unseen villians. A great conflict is at hand by someone that is dead or alive, that is what they must find out. Secrets are revealed enemies form alliances and the outcome is uncertain.

This book examines the figure of the returning warrior as depicted in the myths of several ancient and medieval Indo-European cultures. In these cultures, the returning warrior was often portrayed as a figure rendered dysfunctionally destructive or isolationist by the horrors of combat. This mythic portrayal of the returned warrior is consistent with modern studies of similar behavior among soldiers returning from war. Roger Woodard's research identifies a common origin of these myths in the ancestral proto-Indo-European culture, in which rites were enacted to enable warriors to reintegrate themselves as functional members of society. He also compares the Italic, Indo-Iranian, and Celtic mythic traditions surrounding the warrior, paying particular attention to Roman myth and ritual, notably to the etiologies and rites of the July festivals of the Poplifugia and Nonae Caprotinae, and to the October rites of the Sororium Tigillum.

“Fans of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson can add Fionn Boyle as a generous and brave hero from the Emerald Isle.” – School Library Connection on The Storm Keeper's Island There is magic deep within Arranmore Island, and Fionn Boyle is beginning to discover how it has woven its way through generations of his family's history. But Arranmore is in trouble; evil sorceress Morrigan's soul stalkers have returned, giving rise to widespread fear and suspicion. Fionn wants to help, but the Storm Keeper magic passed down from his grandfather seems to have deserted him. Fionn sets out to summon the merrows, a vast army of sea creatures who may be his only chance. But how can he find them without the faintest idea of where to look? The battle to save Arranmore has begun. This gorgeously written, magical tale of family, bravery, and self-discovery is perfect for fans of Orphan Island and A Snicker of Magic.

The Navajo people often told stories that taught the listener the tribe's customs and history. In this hero myth, the story of the twins who saved Earth from the monsters leading to the creation of the Navajo clans is shared. The Navajo hero myth is retold in this brilliantly illustrated Native American Myth. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Short Tales is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO.

Meet mythology’s fifty fiercest females in this modern retelling of the world’s greatest legends. From feminist fairies to bloodsucking temptresses, half-human harpies and protective Vodou goddesses, these are women who go beyond long-haired, smiling stereotypes. Their stories are so powerful, so entrancing, that they have survived for millennia. Lovingly retold and updated, Kate Hodges places each heroine, rebel and provocateur firmly at the centre of their own narrative. Players include: Bewitching, banished Circe, an introvert famed and feared for her transfigurative powers. The righteous Furies, defiantly unrepentant about their dedication to justice. Fun-loving Ame-no-Uzume who makes quarrelling friends laugh and terrifies monsters by flashing at them. The fateful Morai sisters who spin a complex web of birth, life and death. Find your tribe, fire your imagination and be empowered by this essential anthology of notorious, demonised and overlooked women.

"Those of us who grow up with the stories from myth and legend are left feeling enriched and enthused by character, by deeds of heroism and by emotions engendered by great national heritage. If the stories are faded by time, even embellished by the countless retelling, it does not seem to matter for we seem gratified that history is so diverse and entertaining." "In this volume the author not only investigates the stories behind some of the great myths, legends and real stories but places each within its context to the extent that we are able to distinguish the true elements and separate them from pure fable, are able to learn of lifestyles and other exploits, and truly place the characters within their world, using their weapons, fighting their battles, exercising their power or contesting for good or evil in their world." "Researched with illustrations from diverse sources, and written in a style that will suit historians as well as the newcomer to the subject, this volume will educate and inform but will principally enthuse; the reader will surely be encouraged to begin, or continue, the search for the great personalities of historical myth and reality."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

'Golden-shielded, silver-sworded, man-loving, male-child slaughtering Amazons,' is how the fifth-century Greek historian Hellanicus described the Amazons, and they have fascinated humanity ever since. Did they really exist? For centuries, scholars consigned them to the world of myth, but Lyn Webster Wilde journeyed into the homeland of the Amazons and uncovered astonishing evidence of their historic reality. North of the Black Sea she found archaeological excavations of graves of Iron Age women buried with arrows, swords and armour. In the hidden world of the Hittites, near the Amazons' ancient capital of Thermiscyra in Anatolia, she unearthed traces of powerful priestesses, women-only religious cults, and an armed, bisexual goddess - all possible sources for the ferocious women. Combining scholarly penetration with a sense of adventure, Webster Wilde has produced a coherent and absorbing book that challenges preconceived notions, still disturbingly widespread, of what men and women can do.

Have you ever heard of Anansi, the shape-shifting West African spider? Or of Tanuki, the sweet but troublesome raccoon-dog of Japanese folklore? With this encyclopedia as your guide, begin a magical tour of creatures from myths and legends around the world.

Illustrates the enduring power and significance of the function of the warrior in society.

From days of old, they have intrigued people all over the world: brave, defiant warrior women who stir imaginations, rouse passions, and often inspire thousands of followers. These fierce and fearless spirits are goddesses, queens, and peasants; they are children, young women, and adults in the winter of their years. From the story of Britain's proud queen Boadicea to that of the Sioux warrior Winyan Ohitika, Marianna Mayer re-creates twelve thrilling tales of war and bravery, bitterness and triumph. Twenty-four full-color illustrations and a map, bibliography, and annotated index are included in this striking anthology for all ages.