All about history book of myths and legends.

164 Pages·2016·41.29 MB·English

by  Wilkinson

Book of
Explore the world’s great myths and legends, brought to life in this
enthralling retelling of age-old stories passed down from generation
to generation. Unravel the meaning and context behind the myths,
understand their cultural significance, and discover the characters and
themes. From heroes of ancient Greece to the dreaming or Australian
aborigines, here are the myths that, thousands of years after they were
first told, are still relevant today.

Book of
Imagine Publishing Ltd
Richmond House
33 Richmond Hill
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(cid:8) [phone]
Website: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk
Twitter: @Books_Imagine
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Publishing Director
Aaron Asadi
Head of Design
Ross Andrews
Editor In Chief
Jon White

Author
Philip Wilkinson
Production Editor
Jasmin Snook
Senior Art Editor
Greg Whitaker
Art Editor
Ali Innes
Cover images courtesy of
Alamy, Getty, Thinkstock

Printed by
William Gibbons, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT
Distributed in the UK, Eire & the Rest of the World by
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Tel [phone] www.marketforce.co.uk
Distributed in Australia by
Gordon & Gotch Australia Pty Ltd, 26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW, 2086 Australia
Tel [phone] www.gordongotch.com.au
Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in
the post. Nothing in this bookazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written
permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the
purpose of criticism and review. Although the bookazine has endeavoured to ensure all
information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This bookazine is
fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
The content in this book has appeared previously in the DK book Myths and Legends.

This bookazine is published under licence from Dorling Kindersley Limited. All rights in the
licensed material belong to Dorling Kindersley Limited and it may not be reproduced, whether in
whole or in part, without the prior written consent of Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Copyright ©2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
This 2016 edition published by Imagine Publishing Ltd
ISBN 978 1785 464 362
Part of the
bookazine series
Introduction 8 Orpheus in the Underworld 32
The Labours of Heracles 34
EUROPE
12 Theseus and the Minotaur 36
Cosmic War 16 Bellerophon and Pegasus 38
Zeus 18 The Exploits of Perseus 40 The Firebird 78
Apollo 20 Oedipus 42 Slavic Gods of Power 80
Poseidon and the Flood 22 The Trojan War 44
WEST AND
Dionysus 24 The Odyssey 46
CENTRAL ASIA
Athena 26 Classical Antiheroes 50 82
The Loves of Aphrodite 28 Classical Antiheroines 52 The Epic of Gilgamesh 86
The Greek Goddesses 30 The Argonauts 54 The Great Sky God 88
Guardian Deities 56 Animal Myths of Mongolia 90
Fertility Deities 58 The Epic of Gesar Khan 92
Loki 60
SOUTH AND
Tales of Heroism and Chivalry 62
EAST ASIA
Beowulf 64 94
Legends of the Ring 66 The Vedic Gods 98
Myths of the Ancient Celts 68 The Ramayana 100
Magical Worlds 70 The Mahabharata 104
King Arthur and his Knights 72 The Origin of the Ganges 106
Legends of the Witch 74 Legends of the Chinese Heroes 108
Myths of Wood and Water 76 The Court of the Jade Emperor 110
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The Adventures of Monkey 112
Kintaro 114
AFRICA
116
A King’s Murder 120
Journey to the Land of the Dead 122
Ananse 124
Mwindo 126
The Wise King 128
The First Cattle 130
Myths of the San 132
Hlakanyana 133
Southern African Folk Tales 134
THE AMERICAS
136
Raven Steals the Light 140
Myths of the Far North 142
Gods and Spirits 144
Ghede 146
OCEANIA
150
Inca Beginnings 148
The Primal Sisters 154
Tangaroa 156
Acknowledgments 158
7
INTRODUCTION
M
yths – stories of gods, heroes, and example. Some of the world’s greatest literature,
great cosmic events – are told in all from the Greek epics of Homer to the sagas of
of the world’s many cultures. They the early Icelandic writers, are based on much
deal with the deepest, most fundamental older myths that were originally told orally.
issues: the creation of the universe and of the
human race, the nature of the gods and spirits, MYRIAD MYTHS
what happens to us when we die, and how the Because of their oral roots, myths are not set in
world will end. They examine love and jealousy, stone. Each one, endlessly retold, has spawned
war and peace, good and evil. Myths explore variations. Often, there is no single “correct”
these crucial issues with intriguing plots, vivid version of a myth. The name of a god will
characters, memorable scenes, and concepts change from one tribe to the next; a twist in
that touch our deepest emotions; and so they a tale will be explained in diferent ways by
have become eternally fascinating. neighbouring groups. Written versions of a
Myths began as tales told around the fire myth multiply the retellings still further.
by successive generations, and in some places This book can tell only a fraction of the
they are still passed on orally. Later, with the world’s myths, and usually gives only one
invention of writing, people began to write version of each story. But it does contain a
their myths down and adapt them in new ways generous selection of myths from around the
– turning them into plays, poems, or novels, for globe, including many from the cultures of
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SOME CULTURES HAVE THOUSANDS OF
DEITIES, SO THE SCOPE FOR VARIATIONS
IN THEIR MYTHS IS ALMOST INFINITE.
Europe that, because they have been written Earth Diver, a common figure in Native
down and widely circulated, have had an American myths. In other myths the world is
enormous influence across the world. the ofspring of a male and a female creator.
Often, people come much later. Usually
COSMOS AND PEOPLE
they are moulded from clay or carved from
Among the seemingly endless variety of myths wood. Like human sculptors, the gods often
are common themes. Nearly every mythology make several false starts. Myths from Mexico
starts with the question: “How did the universe to Greece tell of three versions of people, only
begin?” Often, a shadowy creator takes the first the last being right. Sometimes the first people
step; a god, perhaps, who wills himself into are male, and when they begin to die the gods
being. Frequently, the creator is faced with a make women so that the people can reproduce.
cosmic egg. In one variation of the Chinese
GODS AND THEIR POWERS
creation myth, for instance, the god Pan Gu
has to break such an egg to form the land and Most cultures have a large number of gods or
sky. Sometimes the creator has to fetch land spirits – sometimes thousands, because there
from the depths of a primal ocean – like the are spirits everywhere. In places as far apart as
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FOR EARLY PEOPLES, THE EXISTENCE OF
DEITIES EXPLAINED WHY THE SUN SHONE
AND WHERE THE RAINS CAME FROM.
Japan and Africa, every rock, stream, lake, Underworld. They may also be culture heroes,
and hill may have its own spirit. Many are who teach people important skills such as
local deities, worshipped mainly by the people fire-making. Their achievements are often so
who live nearby and share their sacred space. great that they become gods when they die.
Yet even in cultures that have thousands
of deities there are core groups of widely MYTHS OF THE ELEMENTS
known gods with special powers. There are Among the most prominent gods are those
gods of the sun, the rain, the sea, the sky, the of the elements, notably the sun and the rain.
mountains, and the rivers. Specific gods look They determine whether crops grow, so the
after hunting, farming, love, childbirth, war, sun and weather gods are often the most
and death. The myths involving these gods widely worshipped of all the gods. From the
tend to relate closely to their roles. Inca sun god Inti to the Greek sky god Zeus,
Many myths involve mortals with they are supremely powerful.
extraordinary superhuman powers. These Some of the most familiar mythical themes
heroes accomplish apparently impossible tasks, concern the elements. Many cultures have a
win battles single-handedly, and even visit the myth in which the sun disappears, depriving
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