Here is a treasury of favorite and little known tales from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Oceania, gracefully retold and accompanied by fascinating, detailed information of their historic and cultural backgrounds. The introduction provides an informative overview of folklore, its purpose in world cultures and in contemporary society and popular culture. Following this, the main sections of the book are arranged by tale type, covering wonder tales, hero tales, tales of kindness repaid and hope and redemption, and finally tales of fools and wise people. Each section begins by comparing the tales cross-culturally, explaining similarities and differences in the folkloric narratives. Tales from diverse cultures are then presented, introduced, and retold in a highly readable fashion.

This early work by John Buchan was originally published in 1899 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series. 'No-Man's-Land' is a short story about a student on a fishing and walking trip who stumbles upon a lost tribe of picts. John Buchan, first Baron Tweedsmuir of Elsfield, was born in Perth, Scotland in 1875. Over the course of his life, Buchan would eventually publish some one hundred books, forty or so of which were novels, mostly wartime thrillers. In the latter part of his life he worked in politics, serving as Conservative MP for the Scottish universities and Lord High Commissioner of the Church of Scotland (1933-34). The Cryptofiction Classics series contains a collection of wonderful stories from some of the greatest authors in the genre, including Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack London. From its roots in cryptozoology, this genre features bizarre, fantastical, and often terrifying tales of mythical and legendary creatures. Whether it be giant spiders, werewolves, lake monsters, or dinosaurs, the Cryptofiction Classics series offers a fantastic introduction to the world of weird creatures in fiction.

These stories of heroism and magic, and of terrifying encounters with Baba Yaga, Zmei the serpent and Koschchei the Immortal, represent at least one example of every wondertale type known in Russia.

Thanks to these generous donors for making the publication of the books in this series possible: Lloyd E. Cotsen; The Maurice Amado Foundation; National Endowment for the Humanities; and the National Foundation for Jewish Culture Tales from Arab Lands presents tales from North Africa, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq in the latest volume of the most important collection of Jewish folktales ever published. This is the third book in the multi-volume series in the tradition of Louis Ginzberg?s timeless classic, Legends of the Jews. The tales here and the others in this series have been selected from the Israel Folktale Archives (IFA), named in Honor of Dov Noy, at The University of Haifa, a treasure house of Jewish lore that has remained largely unavailable to the entire world until now. Since the creation of the State of Israel, the IFA has collected more than 20,000 tales from newly arrived immigrants, long-lost stories shared by their families from around the world. The tales come from the major ethno-linguistic communities of the Jewish world and are representative of a wide variety of subjects and motifs, especially rich in Jewish content and context. Each of the tales is accompanied by in-depth commentary that explains the tale's cultural, historical, and literary background and its similarity to other tales in the IFA collection, and extensive scholarly notes. There is also an introduction that describes the culture and its folk narrative tradition, a world map of the areas covered, illustrations, biographies of the collectors and narrators, tale type and motif indexes, a subject index, and a comprehensive bibliography. Until the establishment of the IFA, we had had only limited access to the wide range of Jewish folk narratives. Even in Israel, the gathering place of the most wide-ranging cross-section of world Jewry, these folktales have remained largely unknown. Many of the communities no longer exist as cohesive societies in their representative lands; the Holocaust, migration, and changes in living styles have made the continuation of these tales impossible. This series is a monument to a rich but vanishing oral tradition. This series is a monument to a rich but vanishing oral tradition.

Collects Hulk: Grand Design - Monster and Hulk: Grand Design - Madness. The acclaimed Grand Design franchise continues with the Monster…and the Madness! Writer/artist Jim Rugg follows in the tradition of Ed Piskor and Tom Scioli by unfurling the full saga of the Incredible Hulk, from the very beginning to the present day! From Bruce Banner's volatile upbringing to the fateful gamma bomb detonation that changed everything - to years of anger, smashing and just wanting to be left alone! He's been a hero…a hate figure…even a world-breaker. Now witness the biggest moments in the Hulk's history - through the eyes of a single visionary storyteller! You'll never look at Bruce Banner the same way again!

The 'Greatest Russian Fairy Tales & Fables (With Original Illustrations)' is a seminal anthology that traverses the rich tapestry of Russian folklore, offering readers a unique lens through which to explore the diverse and intricate landscapes of cultural storytelling. The collection magnifies the overarching themes of morality, heroism, and the mystical, capturing the essence of Russian folklore with a range of literary styles from the poetic to the prosaic. The inclusion of original illustrations alongside the tales adds depth and texture, enhancing the magical realism that permeates these stories. This anthology stands out not only for its comprehensive selection but also for its commitment to preserving the narrative integrity and aesthetic appeal of each piece. The contributors—Arthur Ransome, Valery Carrick, W. R. S. Ralston, and Nisbat Bain—are celebrated for their roles as cultural ambassadors who have meticulously translated and retold these stories, ensuring their accessibility to a wider audience. Each author brings their unique perspective and scholarly rigor to the project, enriching the collection with their distinct voices and backgrounds. Their collective works serve as a bridge between the rich oral tradition of Russian folklore and the global literary community, fostering a deeper appreciation for the complexities and nuances of Russian culture and its historical folklore movements. This anthology is an indispensable resource for aficionados of folklore and fairy tales, educators seeking to diversify their literary curriculum, and anyone intrigued by the cultural heritage of Russia. It offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the world of Russian fables and fairy tales, replete with heroes, villains, and moral lessons that resonate across cultures and epochs. Readers are invited to explore the depth and breadth of this collection, which promises not only an educational journey through the heart of Russian folklore but also an enchanting experience enriched by the original illustrations that bring these timeless stories to life.

Explore the mysterious side of Virginia with these strange tales of Bigfoot, buried treasure, phantom dogs, UFOs, ghosts, and more. The stunning mountains of Virginia offer spectacular views and endless outdoor activities, yet they also hold secrets. A nineteenth-century cache of gold is buried in the hills. Nine-foot giants once walked the ridges, pre-Columbian explorers built homes on isolated mountaintops and a ghost town lies deep in the Jefferson National Forest. The mountains conceal canines that walk upright, black panthers and a resurgent mountain lion population. The hide-and-seek champion of the world, Bigfoot, lurks in the dark hollows, phantom dogs pace the back roads and aggressive monkeys swing through the trees. UFOs crisscross the skies, and ghosts haunt the caverns below. Join Denver Michaels, local author and explorer of the unexplained, as he explores these mysteries and many more.

As Dominique strolled across the enormous lobby of the Hotel, stopping a moment to remove her shoes, as the tiny pumps had left sweltering blisters upon her dainty feet; she took no notice of the man who sat, silently in a high back leather chair, observing her. She had no way of knowing, as she stepped on to that elevator with shoes in hand, that she was the focal point of something sinister. As the doors closed and she disappeared from his sight the man pulled a commlink from inside his jacket and quickly pressed the button that would contact his associate. "She just got into the elevator," he said. "Is she alone?" "Yes. He dropped her off at the front entrance and left." "Good. We don't have much time. Get her."

Somayeh Baeten, née Shafiei, is a German citizen born in Tehran in 1981. She was raised in a caring Persian family with her beloved mom, Soosan, who inspired and supported her devotedly through all stages of life, to whom this book is devoted. After finishing school, Somayeh as a talented student, finished her Bachelors and Masters in English Language and Literature in her hometown. She came later to Germany to continue her studies and received her Dr. Phil. (Ph.D.) in English Linguistics and Medieval Literature from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. In Munich, she got to know her dear husband, Andre, and later gave birth to her lovely daughter, Niki. Since 2005, she has been teaching classes in English Linguistics and Literature at universities in both her hometown, Tehran, and Munich. Moreover, she has experienced Establishing and Organizing EFL Learning Centres at Universities in her hometown. Being motivated in her academic life and interested in both Persian and English literature, reading literary books, lecturing, translating and travelling around the world, she got a deep understanding and knowledge of literature to write the present book: “Birds, Birds, Birds: A Comparative Study of Medieval Persian and English Poetry, especially Attar’s Conference of Birds, The Owl and the Nightingale, Chaucer’s The Parliament of Fowls and The Canterbury Tales”, in which she compares these medieval literary masterpieces of the East and the West.