The Lore of the Land Folklore & Wisdom from the Wild Earth

by Cock-Starkey, Claire; Dolan, Samantha

• ISBN13: 9780711269842
• ISBN10: 071126984X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2022-09-06
• Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions

Summary

Unearth the secrets of our natural world with the Lore of the Land, a richly illustrated compendium of folklore and wisdom from the land, skies, and seas.

From thundering rivers to shady groves, flickering marshes to lightless caves, and from snow-capped mountains to the depths of the ocean, discover the folklore of Earth's wildest places. Stories and spirits abound in these land- and seascapes, where traditional wisdom and mysterious magics have intertwined over centuries.

Each of the six chapters covers a different natural landscape, revealing the worldwide folklore surrounding Woodlands, Seas & Oceans, Wetlands, Mountains, Rivers & Streams,and Hills & Caves. Beginning with tales from cultures spanning the globe, each chapter then dives into the legends of how these places were formed, their place in the human imagination,and their natural and otherworldly denizens.

Learn how the forests hold up the sky in Māori tradition; how in Ireland, seaweed was once thought to predict the weather; and that the ancient Greeks believed Mount Etna housed the fiery forge of the gods. All this and more is accompanied by beautiful artwork based on real folklore, uncovering the secrets of our natural world as never before.

A treasury of fascinating tales and ancient wisdom, the Lore of the Land is sure to fire the imaginations of young nature-lovers, and delight anyone who has ever wondered whether there is more to our natural world than meets the eye.

Also in the series:
Lore of the Wild: Folklore and Wisdom from Nature

Author Biography

Claire Cock-Starkey is an author who worked with Ben Schott on his hugely successful Miscellanies and Almanacs. She has worked for BBC Radio 4 and written many other miscellanies and fact-filled books on history, libraries, words, books, and museums, including: Penguins, Pineapples and Pangolins (British Library, 2016), The Book Lovers’ Miscellany (Bodleian Library Publishing, 2017). She is happiest perched in the British Library reading rooms surrounded by a pile of obscure and fascinating books, researching her next book.

With over 50K followers on instagram, nomadic illustrator AITCH originally hails from Romania but prefers not to put down roots in any one place; new scenery inspires and invigorates her tactile, folky illustrations and a constant string of exhibitions in cities across the continent pushes her technique further. Her dreamy characters hide among William Morris–esque gardens and bring to mind a bright and bold reincarnation of Victorian melancholy while still retaining a strong sense of her Romanian heritage.

Table of Contents

FORESTS
BETUSHKA AND THE WOOD MAIDEN, a Czech tale
CREATION STORIES OF FORESTS
WOODLAND FLOWERS
FUNGI, LICHEN, AND MOSS
WOODLAND SPIRITS
MY THICAL WOODLAND CREATURES
SEAS AND OCEANS
WHY THE SEA MOANS, a Brazilian folktale
CREATION STORIES OF SEAS AND OCEANS
SEAWEED, SHELLS, AND CORAL
SEA GODS AND GODDESSES
MERMAIDS
MY THICAL SEA MONSTERS
MOUNTAINS
THE WAR OF THE MOUNTAINS, a Māori tale
CREATION STORIES OF MOUNTAINS
SACRED MOUNTAINS
GIANTS, TROLLS, AND DWARVES
VOLCANOES
MOUNTAIN SPIRITS
HILLS AND VALLEYS
THE MAGICAL MOURAS OF THE HILLS, a Portuguese folktale
CREATION STORIES OF HILLS AND VALLEYS
MY THICAL CREATURES OF HILLS AND VALLEYS
STANDING STONES AND MEGALITHS
DRAGONS AND MY THICAL CAVE-DWELLERS
RIVERS AND LAKES
WHEN THE RIVERS RAN DRY, an Irish legend
CREATION STORIES OF RIVERS, STREAMS, AND LAKES
FOLKLORE OF RIVERSIDE PLANTS
WATER SPRITES AND DEMONS
MYTHICAL WATER CREATURES
WATERFALLS, SPRINGS, AND WELLS
WETLANDS
THE LEGEND OF VIXEN TOR, an English folktale
CREATION STORIES OF WETLANDS
SPIRITS OF WETLANDS
MAGICAL CREATURES OF WETLANDS
PLANTS AND FLOWERS OF WETLANDS
GLOSSARY
INDEX