Myths, Legends, Folklore

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Sm. 8 vo., 63 pp. 1st Edition. (1977) Talented artist Molly Bangs retells 5 world folk tales and illustrates them with appropriately droll and mysterious drawings. These are stories that depict the progress of human experience. The title story, The Buried Moon, concerns the Nature that protects us, and that we must protect in turn. Wine cloth with Silver lettering. Reinforced binding (not ex-lib.). Near Fine in VG pictorial d.j. with some minor rubbing and soiling.. more information

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New York: Macmillan. 12 mo., 23 pp. 1961. 1st Ed. Thus. This essay first appeared in Colum's book, "The Fountain of Youth", 1927. It is reissued here on its own on the occasion of the presentation of The Regina Medal of The Catholic Library Assoc. to Padraic Colum, Apr. 3, 1961. Colum was famous for publishing many of his own versions of folk-tales from around the world, for children and adults alike. Several in-text illus. by Jay van Everen. Decorative paper-on-boards with paste-on paper label on front cover. Slight edgewear; minor stain from price sticker on front cover; prev. owner's stamp on inside front cover; o/w a clean VG copy. . more information

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Toronto, Montreal, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Ryerson. 8 vo., 297 pp. 3rd printing (1974) Nova Scotia has a rich heritage of culture and folklore. Chapters include visions, forerunners, witchcraft, enchantment, dreams, divination, buried treasure, guardian ghosts and home remedies along with a complete roster of mystical occurrences. Black cloth. Minor edgewear; slight soiling of foredges; o/w a VG copy in a G+ d.j. with some chipping and rubbing and one short taped tear. . more information

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New York: St. Martin's Griffin. Abt. 5-1/2 x 8-1/4" tall, 317 pp. 1st softcover edition. 1996. This fascinating book explores the life, history, and culture of the Gypsies, or Roma, from their early appearance in the region during the Middle Ages until the mid 1990's. The author focuses in particular on Russia, where the Gypsies have exerted a profound influence on literary and musical traditions. Glossy pictorial stiff card wraps. Slight chipping and rubbing of covers; o/w a VG+ copy.. more information

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Indianapolis and N.Y.: Bobbs-Merrill. 8 vo., 126 pp. 1st Ed. thus (1963) Age-old stories adapted by Ms. Curren and illus. in b/w by R. Riera Rojas and Thomas Culver. One of the titles in the Folk Tales Around the World Series. Includes 14 tales, including: "The Sleeping Beauty", "The Cautious Princess", "Princess Rosette", "The Fairies of Toads and Diamonds", "The Magic Ring", and others. Pictorial cloth. Minor edgewear and soiling; o/w VG.. more information

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New York: Philomel Books. Tall 4 to., 32 pp. 1st Ed. Thus. 1994. Based on a Russian folktale taken from the collection of tales by Aleksandr Afanasev and crafted by Petr Nikolaevich Polevoi (1839-1902). Choosing mice as his characters, Denise created numerous splendid colour paintings to tell the tale of a Tsar who promised to give his daughter's hand to the subject who could build him a flying ship. The Fool, the youngest and least clever son of an old peasant sets out to accomplish the feat. Handsome Brown/Black/Gold glossy boards. Slight edgewear; o/w Near Fine in VG pictorial jacket with some wrinkling and rubbing and one short closed tear.. more information

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San Francisco: Straight Arrow Books. 8 vo., 120 pp. 1st Ed. (1972) A selection of stories from "Rolling Stone" magazine, including: "Tracking Down the Dope Fiends" by James Cadur; "New Mexico & the Acid Cowboys" by John Dean; "King Hash is Sure to Come" by Sheila Weller; plus many more; and original "Fables" by El Ropo himself. Illus. by Ralph Steadman and others, plus Egyptian designs. Pictorial heavy card wraps. Minor chipping and rubbing; slight soiling of foredges; o/w VG+.. more information

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Bridgend, Wales: Privately Published. Abt. 8-1/4 x 11-3/4" tall, 61 pp. n.d. (circa 1985). A collection of 44 Welsh legends and folk tales, including 16 about fairies. Published by the Rhymney Valley District Council. Numerous b/w illus. by John Jones. Heavy card Cream wraps with an illus. on front cover. Slight edgewear; corners turned just a little; small amount of illus. gone with removal of a price sticker; o/w a clean VG copy.. more information

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New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang. Tall 4 to., 144 pp. 1st Edition Thus (1985). Based on Sir Richard Buton's famed translation. Shahrazad lavished her tales with rich detail and high adventure and paused when the tale reached its climax, keeping her husband, the king Shahryar, anxiously awaiting the next night's narrative. Possessing both the rigid morality of the Islamic culture and an unabashed eroticism, the "Tales" radiate a distinctive vitality that has proved irresistible for centuries. Told here are 13 of the stories, all sumptiously illustrated in one-colour and full-colour by renowned fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez. An exquisite book. Blue cloth with star design. Minor edgewear; corners bumped; o/w a VG+ copy in a VG pictorial d.j.. more information

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London: Jonathan Cape. Sm. 8 vo., 218 pp. 1st Eng. Ed. 1922. Translated from the Norwegian. The story of a wizard elk named Rauten and he was a human being in animal guise. The story takes place in the Re Valley in Norway and climaxes with a great battle between Rauten the wizard elk and an elderly man named Gaupa. Endpapers, several full-page and in-text b/w drawings by popular artist Harry Rountree. Green cloth with Gold lettering and Gold embossed owl on spine and elk head on front cover. Minor edgewear; some fading of spine; some foxing and staining in margins; o/w G+.. more information

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N.Y.: Stebbins and Company. 12 mo., 124 pp. plus b/w frontis and 10 other b/w full-page illus. by Herbert Martini. (1909) Book consists of 19 legends retold and includes titles such as: "The Gnome's Road", "The Sunken City", "The Bird of Paradise", "The Magic Ring" , "The Pet Raven", "The Water Sprites", "The Swan Knight", and more. The Preface states that "The subject matter of the book has been graded for children of eight or ten years" and is therefore "...well suited for use as a supplementary reader in the fourth or fifth grade". Red cloth with Black lettering and decoration. Ex-owner's bookplate; spine somewhat faded; binding rubbed and chipped; overall G+. . more information

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Morristown, NJ: Silver Burdett. 4 to., 124 pp. 1981 printing. Several full-page colour plus some b/w illus. by Marie Chartrain. One title in "The World Folktale Library". Ten wonderful tales including "Prince Ivan and the Firebird"; "Kvakouchka the Frog Princess"; "The Legend of the Salty Sea"; "Basile and the Winged Dragon" and others. Brown glossy pictorial cover. Reinforced binding. Minor edgewear; minor smudge on title-page; o/w VG+.. more information

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London: Roydon Publishing. 4 to., unpaginated (20 pp.) 1st Eng. Ed. n.d. (circa 1970's) Translated from the Romanian by Gabriela Moraru. Engaging colour illus. on every page by Vasile Olac. 2 travellers, a hound and a hare stop for the night at an Inn. The hound tricks the hare into paying for his food and drink, but in the morning the hare gets even. This old tale is offered as an explanation of why as soon as a hound picks up the scent of a hare, he must race after it. Glossy pictorial boards. Minor edgewear and rubbing; boards slightly warped; gift inscription written on top of title page; couple page corners turned; o/w G+ to -VG. . more information

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New York: Macmillan. 8 vo., 113 pp. 1st Ed. (1971) A collection of 8 magnificent folk tales appearing here for the first time in any language. They are part of the venerable oral tradition of the Mossi people in West Africa. Illus. in pen-and-ink by the author. Orange cloth. Minor edgewear; minor ding to bottom of spine; o/w VG in G+ pictorial d.j. that is price-clipped and has minor chipping and one short taped tear. . more information

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Vancouver, B. C.: UBC Press. Abt. 6 x 9" tall, 217 pp. 1997 printing. A collection of oral narratives gathered by a young Nlha7kapmx, Darwin Hanna, from the elders of his people. The book is a combination of creation, and non-creation stories about these people, who are among the original inhabitants of the Fraser, Thompson, and Nicola river valleys of British Columbia. Numerous photos. Glossy pictorial stiff card wraps. Minor chipping and rubbing of covers; o/w a VG or better copy. . more information

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Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. 8 vo. 170 pp. 1st Ed. 1980. Several stories about New World princesses with introductions that show some Old World princesses who were not so different. Several b/w illus. by Douglas Tait. Tan cloth. Minor edgewear; o/w VG+ in VG pictorial d.j. with minor chipping and rubbing.. more information

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Bos and N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Co.. Sm. 8 vo., 270 pp. 1st Edition. 1897. More adventures of the fugitive, Aaron the Arab, son of Ben Ali, in the wildwoods with Grunter the White Pig, Rambler the track dog and the other animals. From the author of the Uncle Remus stories. Illustrated with 24 line drawings by Oliver Herford. Brown cloth binding with embossed front panel showing Aaron and the White Pig peeking over a fallen tree. Spine darkened; minor edgewear; both inside hinges have been repaired; some of the Green colour has been rubbed from the foredges; ex-owner's bookplate on inside front cover; slight bend in top corner of about half of the pages (not serious enough to be called a crease); the odd smudge in a page margin; minor discolouring of paper; despite all this, still a G+ to -VG copy. Black lettering on spine completely legible and gilt titling on front panel bright.. more information

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David Bateman Ltd., Queensland. 1987. lst ed.. Lg. 4 to., 288 pp. incl. many wonderful one-page and two-page colour illus. by Robert Ingpen. Some of these stories with familiar titles have suffered badly over the years in translation, so Ms. Hayes went back to source material in order to retell them in as close to the original renditions as possible. There are stories from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia; the Middle East and the Americas. Glossy illustrated boards. Slight edgewear and rubbing; small repaired tear at bottom of spine; small stain on topedges; top corner of a few pages creased; o/w VG.. more information

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London: John Hogg. 12 mo., 188 pp. plus 24-pp. publisher's catalogue. n.d. (circa 1890's) Freely translated from the German of Brentano. A few full-page b/w illus. by H.W. Petherick. Adventures of a German family who lived in an old castle in a wild forest. The old man, Cocky, his wife, Clucky, and their daughter, Cackle. Blue decorated cloth with moderate rubbing and soiling; corners bumped; a few minor stains in margins but actually quite clean contents and o/w G+.. more information

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Julian Press, N.Y.(1972) lst U.S. printing. 8 vo., 309 pp. Blue cloth with Silver lettering and decoration. Slight wear and fading of edges, o/w VG in slightly rubbed and chipped G+ d.j.. more information

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New York: Atheneum. Sq. 8 vo., 32 pp. 1st Ed. Thus. (1988) The author has retold one of the Fables of Bidpai, first told in India in 300 B.C. An unlikely duo, a crow and a mouse, save a tortoise and a gazelle from a hunter. Illustrated in vibrant colour by the author. Blue cloth. Minor fading and wear of edges; o/w VG in VG pictorial d.j. with minor chipping and rubbing and one small taped tear at top of spine.. more information

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New York: Doubleday & Co.. Sm. 8 vo., unpaginated (48 pp.) 1st Ed. (1971) Giovanni is sent out into the world by his father to become rich but he always ended up "squandering" his capital on good deeds. However, it all works out in the end. Bright colourful illus. by leading Italian artist, Alberto Longoni. Pictorial cloth binding. Slight edgewear; some remainder spray on bottomedges; o/w VG+ in VG pictorial d.j. with minor chipping and two short taped tears (not price-clipped).. more information

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N.Y.: Harper & Row. Tall 4 to., unpaginated (30 pp.) 1st Ed. (1988) A Ukranian folk-tale, adapted by Carole Kismaric, and illustrated with many evocative colour illus. by her husband, Charles Mikolaycak. This is the complex story of twin brothers, one cruel and stingy, the other kind and generous. Navy cloth. Minor edgewear; a few bubbles on front and back covers where the cloth was not evenly applied to the boards (this is a binding flaw); o/w VG in VG pictorial d.j. a little chipping and rubbing and one small taped tear.. more information

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Toronto and Hong Kong: Kensington Educational. Tall 8 vo., 99 pp. 1st Edition Thus (1985). These 18 Chinese fables and legends are retold in modern English but they retain the moral values and ethics of Confucian thought and the practical wisdom of Taoist philosophy. Illustrated in colour and b/w by Michele Nidenoff and Wong Ying. Glossy pictorial boards. Two corners badly bumped; minor fading of spine; crease in f.e.p.; o/w VG.. more information

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Toronto and Hong Kong: Kensington Educational. Tall 8 vo., 100 pp. 1st Edition Thus (1986). These 20 classic stories from China cover a wide range of subjects and periods in Chinese history. Together, the stories reflect the imagination and wisdom of the original authors, the lives and cares of the Chinese people throughout history, and a philosophy that shows the harmony and interrelatedness of heaven and earth. Illustrated in colour and b/w by Wong Ying. Glossy pictorial boards. Minor edgewear and rubbins; minor fading of spine; o/w a VG+ copy of this hard-to-find title. . more information

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New York: Hyperion Press. 4 to., 34 pp. 1st ed. (1994) Originally written by Helena Nyblom at the beginning of the 20th century, this story of a bold, beautiful and generous wife of a cruel King has been retold as an evocative story of good triumphing over evil. Wonderful colour illus. filled with traditional Swedish motifs by Caldecott award-winning artist, Ilse Plume. Pictorial cloth. Slight edgewear; o/w Near Fine in VG+ pictorial d.j. with minor chipping and rubbing.. more information

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N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1975. 8 vo., 146 pp., incl. several full-page b/w illus. by Mila Lazarevich. Freya Littledale has gathered together a collection of stories from 14 countries that will "shiver a young reader's timbers". Prominent authors included are Roger Duvoisin, C harles Finger, Lafcadio Hearn and Robert M. Hyatt. Rust cloth. Slight edgewear; remainder spray on bottom foredge; o/w VG in chipped, rubbed G+ d.j.. 1st Ed.. more information

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New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1986. 8 vo., 144 pp., incl. 14 rich, exotic, color illustrations from paintings by a young married couple who live in Beihai city. The wonderful stories are from people in China who are not strictly Chinese: they are Tibetan, or Thai, or Uighur, or, like the translator himself, Bai from Yunnan in southwest China. Their traditional stories were translated into Chinese and a few are here translated into English by He Liyi. Red cloth. Very slight edgewear; rear e.p. has a crease in it; o/w Near Fine in slightly rubbed, VG+ pictorial d.j. . 1st U.S. Ed.. Illus. by Pan Aiqing and Li Zhao. more information

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Fayetteville, Georgia: Oddo. Sq. 8 vo., 32 pp. 1st Ed. (1968) A "second race" between the rabbit and the turtle results in an interesting explanation for the creation of the first clock. Written by educator Lopez and illustrated in colour by fellow New Mexican resident Marianne Gutierrez. Pictorial cloth with reinforced binding. Minor edgewear and rubbing; slight soiling of foredges; o/w VG.. more information

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London: Eel Pie. 8 vo., 61 pp. 1st Eng. Ed. 1979. Our ancestors saw all sorts of things in the stars, but what they saw most were beasts, birds and fish. And for most of these creatures, there was a legend about how they came to be there. These legends, from different countries, are retold here by Alison Lurie and beautifully illustrated in colour by Monika Beisner. Glossy Blue boards with illus on front panel; as issued. Moderate rubbing and a few scratches to covers; o/w VG.. more information

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New York: Viking. 8 vo., 141 pp. 1st Ed. 1971. A varied and entertaining collection of 15 tales, chosen, translated and edited by Selve Maas. Laszlo Gal has provided numerous b/w full-page illus. Pictorial boards with reinforced binding. Viking Library Binding sticker on spine. Minor edgewear; o/w VG+ in VG pictorial d.j. that is price-clipped and has some chipping and rubbing.. more information

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N.Y.: Heritage Press. Sq. 8 vo., 406 pp. (1968) Everett Gee Jackson has contributed 37 stylized illustrations, 19 of those in three or four colors. An interesting, varied and representative selection of 95 legends are brought together in this book. They are drawn from the traditions of dozens of tribes, covering the entire area of what is now the United States and Canada. Each tale 's source is given in the Table of Contents. Textured Tan cloth on boards with Red smooth cloth spine. Slight edgewear and rubbing; minor foxing to foredges; o/w VG+ in G+ Red paper-covered board slipcase with some bumping and fading.. more information

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N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Co.. 8 vo., 61 pp. 1st Ed. (1973) A thoughtful story based on a 12th-century historian's record of an allegedly true experience of a young boy raised by the Faery Folk, the Tylwyth Teg of Welsh lore. Many line drawings with Yellow and Blue highlights by Emanuel Schongut. Yellow cloth. Minor shelf-wear; o/w VG+ in price-clipped VG pictorial d.j. with minor chipping and soiling. . more information

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Bodley Head, Lon., Sydney, Tor. 1978. lst ed. thus.. 4 to., 191 pp., incl. chapter-head b/w illus. by Queensland artist, Rex Backhaus-Smith. These two collections were originally published separately in 1896 and 1898. Together there are 54 stories. Both books have prefaces by the author who collected the tales, and introductions by Andrew Lang and Wandjuk Marika, the Chairman of the Aboriginal Arts Board. Wine cloth with Gold lettering and decoration on spine. Slight edgewear, o/w VG+ in price-clipped, slightly chipped and rubbed VG d.j.. more information

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N.Y.: Kingfisher Books. Sq. 4 to., 93 pp. 1st U.S. Ed. 1993. An entertaining collection of 14 myths and legends from Greece, West Africa, Russia and other parts of the world. Every page has some wonderful colourful illustration by Kady MacDonald Denton. Illus. e.p.'s too. Glossy pictorial boards. Slight edgewear; one corner of f.e.p. turned; o/w Near Fine in VG+ pictorial d.j. with minor chipping and rubbing.. more information

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Niwot, Colorado : Univerity Press of Colorado. Abt. 6 x 9" tall, 312 pp. 1st Edition (1994). A cohesive collection of essays that clarifies much of the New Age speculation on universals in shamanism by bringing studies of different ethnic and historical expressions to bear on the subject. A few photos. Glossy pictorial stiff wraps. Slight edgewear and rubbing of covers; o/w a VG+ copy.. more information

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Guild Press/Simon and Schuster, N.Y.(1958). 4 to., 124 pp. incl. 9 full-page colour illus. and many in-text b/w illus. by Al Schmidt. The mighty folk heroes of America's past come to life: Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, Old Stormalong, Joe Magarac, John Henry, Johnny Appleseed, Sam Patch, Anthon y the trumpeter, and Davy Crockett. Orange cloth library style binding. Moderate edgewear; cheap paper used has browned at edges and into margins; o/w G+ in Poor d.j.. more information

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Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press. Tall 8 vo., 55 pp. 1st Ed. (1993) The lively and instructive fables of this early 5th-century Roman writer enjoyed significant popularity in Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Now all 42 elegiac fables are here rendered into contemporary English verse by acclaimed translator David Slavitt. The volume also features four new illus. by Neil Welliver. Charcoal cloth. Slight edgewear; o/w Near Fine in VG+ slightly rubbed and chipped d.j.. more information

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Toronto: B. Mitchell. 8 vo., 361 pp. plus 62 full-page illustrations in colour by Japanese artists. 1986. Reprint of A & C Black 1918 ed. A treasure trove of ancient oriental life: many of the stories are of the samurai and the famous warriors of the past but there are many stories also of love and passion while strange ghosts and eerie gods stalk like spectres through the pages. Grey cloth. Slight shelf-wear, o/w VG+ in slightly chipped and rubbed VG d.j.. more information

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Boston: D. Lothrop. 12 mo., 87 pp. plus publisher's ads. 1st ed. (1888) Smithson relates a number of supposedly true stories about various Giants and Dwarfs throughout history; George Barnes adds a chapter about the Troubadours of the Middle Ages. About a dozen b/w drawings are included by Edmund Garrett. Decorated Green cloth. Minor edgewear and rubbing; boards slightly warped; paper a little discoloured; o/w a tight, clean VG copy.. more information

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New York: Crane Russak. 8 vo., 94 pp. 1st Ed. Thus. (1977) Sperry has translated and adapted 9 stories from the originals of the great Finnish writer, Zachris Topelius, the Finnish equivalent of Hans Andersen. Soft, delicate illus. by Maija Karma. Blue cloth with Silver lettering and decoration. Minor edgewear and rubbing; o/w VG+ in G+ pictorial d.j. that is price-clipped and has some heavy chipping and minor soiling.. more information

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Norfolk Island, Australia: Island Heritage Book. Sq. 4 to., unpaginated (55 pp.). (1974). Pilipo Springer, a Hawaiiana expert, first told the Legend of Makaha in the late 1960's. It is adapted here by Robert B. Goodman and Robert A. Spicer and illustrated from the lush, colourful paintings of Guy Buffet. It tells the story of a young Hawaiian who, through his own resources, saves his people from famine. Yellow cloth. Minor edgewear; gift inscription on f.e.p.; o/w VG in G+ pictorial d.j.. more information

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Toronto: Stoddart Publishing. 4 to., 32 pp. 1st Canadian Edition. 1989. A collection of 14 stories retold by Maureen Stewart, all with the common theme of the mystery of creation. Some of the myths included are: "How Earth and Sky were Created" from India; "The Formation of the Universe" from the Aztecs of ancient Mexico; "The Birth of the Sun and the Moon", also from the Aztecs; "Rangi and Papa" from the Maoris of New Zealand; "The Creation of the World" from the Vikings; "Bumba Creates the World" from a Bantu tribe of the Congo River in Africa; and, "How the World was Made" from the Cherokee tribe of North America. 14 intriguing colour illustrations by Australian artist Graeme Base. Glossy pictorial boards. Slight edgewear and rubbing; o/w VG+ in a matching pictorial VG+ d.j.. more information

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London; Toronto; Sydney: Bodley Head. Sm. 8 vo., 261 pp. 1st Edition. 1981. One of the top tellers of historical tales for young people, Rosemary Sutcliff here retells the age-old stories of King Arthur's birth, how he became King of Britain, the formation of the Fellowship of the Round Table, and the many adventures of its most famous knights. Wine cloth. Slight edgewear; o/w Near Fine in VG+ pictorial d.j., partially price-clipped.. more information

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Bellingham, WA: Udagan Books. Abt. 6-3/4 x 9-3/4" tall, 47 pp. 1st Edition. 1996. An assortment of 8 folktales collected and retold from the small country of Tuva in Central Asia. B/w illus. by Alexei Sedipkov. This copy INSCRIBED by the Kira Van Deusen on the title page. Stiff card pictorial wraps. Near Fine.. more information

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