Books in Myths and Legends from Around the World series

The Yoruba people are descendants from a variety of West African communities. They are united by Geography, History, Religion and most importantly their Language. Many years ago, before the advent of the West African slave trade, the Yoruba people inhabited an area which stretched, along the coast of West Africa, all the way inward and down to Angola in South West Africa. Today this is not the case. The legends and fairy stories in this book belong to the Yoruba. They relate the adventures of men and animals, and try to explain the mysteries of Nature-Why Women have Long Hair, How the Leopard got his Spots, the Three Magicians, the Boa- Constrictor, How the Elephant got his Trunk and more. These stories grew from the imagination of the people. We read these folk-tales for their quaintness and humour, for their sympathy with Nature, and because we find in them the ideas and ideals, not just of one man, but of a race of people. IN modern times we have begun paying close attention to folklore - old tales, not invented by one man, but belonging to the whole people; not written down, but told by parents to their children, and so handed on for hundreds of years. The legends express primitive notions of right and wrong. As a rule, the wicked are punished and the good rewarded; and that, we feel, is as it should be. We may weep at the death of rascally Tortoise, but we may also feel that he somehow has deserved his fate! A percentage of the net sale from this book will be donated to Edgbarrow School in Crowthorne, Berkshire to augment fundraising for their Ghana Project.

From childhood we listen to tales of ghosts, banshees, haunted castles and mischievous sprites. But it is not until you immerse yourself in Gaelic literature that you realise what a heritage awaits, for Celtic folklore overflows with vivid stories that fire the imagination. This is a wonderful, enchanting collection of 12 Celtic and magical tales from Ella Young. Children aged 7-12 years old will be enchanted by the magical, mysterious stories. Tales of the Earth Shapers, Eric-Fine of Lugh, Inisfail, the classic Children of Lir, the Spear of Victory and more. So don't be surprised if when you think you have finished reciting a tale from this book that you feel a tug at your sleeve and have a request for another; and the child within you will be only too happy to read on. So take some time out and travel back to yesteryear, to a period before television and radio, a time when families would gather around a crackling and spitting hearth and granddad or grandma or an uncle or auntie would delight and captivate the gathering with stories passed on to them from their parents and grandparents from time immemorial.

This book is PENpal enabled and you can download the audio file in French and English free from our FreeLINK software at www.mantralingua.com/uk For twelve years, Grendel, a ferocious and bloodthirsty creature, terrorises King Hrothgar's people, killing and devouring their bravest warriors. That is until one day when Beowulf, the strongest and mightiest of the Geat warriors, arrives on the Danish shores determined to defeat Grendel. When Beowulf slaughters the vicious creature, the kingdom rejoices but the celebrations do not last long. In all the excitement, the people of Hrothgar have forgotten about Grendel's keenest ally... This gripping dual language adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon epic makes the legend of Beowulf accessible to readers of all ages and offers a thrilling insight to the Anglo-Saxon history. Brought to life through Alan Down's powerful illustrations, Beowulf's exploits also invite discussion of heroism, myths, and legends.