The Reference Shelf: Folklore and Mythology
Aesop's Fables
"Our online collection of Aesop's Fables includes a total of 655+ Fables, indexed in table format, with morals listed. ...Most were translated into English by Rev. George Fyler Townsend (1814-1900) and Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) the rest are from Jean De La Fontaine in French and translated to English by several good internet souls. Included are Real Audio narrations, Classic Images, Random Images, Random Fables, Search Engine, Message Forum, and much more on the way. Recently added are 127 Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen with 209 Grimms Fairy Tales coming soon along with much more mythology and stories for your reading pleasure." |
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Dictionary of African Mythology
"The stories touch on virtually every aspect of belief: gods and goddesses, epic heroes and divine tricksters, along with epics of the world's origins, the struggle between the human and the divine, and much more. Entries cover the entire continent, from the mouth of the Nile to the Cape of Good Hope.
"Here, for example, is the tale of Abu Zayd (from the Bani Hilal of Tunisia), an epic hero who battles a jinni; and here too is a myth of how the moon and the toad created the first man and woman, from the Soko of Congo. Each story is told, and information provided about the respective belief system, the main characters, and related stories or variants.
"This magnificent collection not only provides hundreds of fascinating myths, but also recaptures their cultural contexts, in which story and storyteller, tradition and performance, all merge."
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Oxford
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Dictionary of Asian Mythology
"Meet the supreme Gautama Buddha, the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesa, and Chang O, the Lunar Toad who is Chinese goddess of the Moon. Journey to the sacred Cambodian ruins of Angkor and golden Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods. Discover myths like the Stone and the Banana and the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, and explore archetypal themes such as the hero quest, sacrifice, and descent to the underworld.
"This dictionary features stories of revered deities, sacred places, key events and epics, with many recurring themes and traditions. Entries address the key mythologies of the regions we now call India, China, Tibet, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Japan, and broad overviews of specific cultures and their mythic traditions round out the coverage." |
Oxford
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Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
"A comprehensive and accessible survey of the whole of Celtic mythology, legend, saga, and folklore. It covers the people, themes, concepts, places, and creatures of Celtic mythology, from both ancient and modern traditions, in 4,000 entries ranging from brief definitions to short essays. "
Sample: pooka, phouka, púca [Ir. púca; ON pukki]. Irish fairy presented variously in a large body of lore collected in the 19th century. In the works of T. Crofton Croker (1825–7) the pooka is malevolent and demonic, spoiling blackberries, and taking the form of a horse and offering unsuspecting mortals a dangerous ride. In Lady Wilde's Ancient Legends (1887) the pooka is benevolent and helpful, like the Scottish brownie A common speculation links the pooka to the English folk figure Puck, although the Welsh pwca is a more likely Celtic cognate. Cf. Corn. Bucca, Manx Bugbane, The 6' 3" invisible rabbit in Mary Chase's Broadway comedy Harvey (1944) is identified in the text as a pooka.
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Oxford
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Dictionary of English Folklore
"An absorbing and entertaining guide to English folklore and an authoritative reference source on such legendary characters as Cinderella, Jack the Giant Killer, and Robin Hood. The dictionary gives entertaining and informative explanations of a wide range of subjects in folklore and includes articles on oral and performance genres such as cheese rolling, morris dancing, and rushbearing, superstitions such as crossing fingers and wishbones, beliefs like fairy rings and frog showers, and calendar customs from April Fool's Day to St. Valentine's Day." |
Oxford
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Dictionary of Superstitutions
"This is a fascinating dictionary covering the wide range of folk beliefs that have survived into our own age. Each superstition is illustrated by quotations tracing its development through the centuries. Entries tell of the traditional significance of animals, colours, days, and the elements; rituals to be observed at certain seasons or when faced with natural and unnatural occurrences; cures, taboos, and the uses to which people have put everyday objects in pursuit of good fortune or knowledge of the future." |
Oxford
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Dictionary of World Mythology
"Since Plato first coined the term 'mythologia', mythology has come to hold greater significance and power as a crucial element of civilization as a whole. Written by a leading scholar of ancient civilizations, A Dictionary of World Mythology presents the powerful gods of Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia, the more mystical deities of Buddhist and Hindu India, and the stern spirits of the African and American continents. Drawing upon hundreds of myths from around the globe, it not only reveals the vast differences in these civilizations, but also demonstrates the unity of mankind in its fundamental need for explanations of the unknown." |
Oxford
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Encyclopedia Mythica
"The award-winning internet encyclopedia of mythology, folklore, and religion.... The mythology section is divided to six geographical regions: Africa, America, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania.
"The Folklore section contains general folklore, Arthurian legends, Greek herioc legend, and fascinating folktales from many lands.
"In addition, we feature special interest areas to enhance and refine your research. A bestiary, legendary heroes, an image gallery, and genealogical tables of various pantheons and prominent houses." |
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Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts
Edited or translated by D.L. Ashliman, retired professor from the University of Pittsburgh. He has organized the tales by subject, including "Beauty and the Beast" stories, "Bald Stories: Folktales About Hairless Men," "Anti-Semitic Legends," and "The Hand From the Grave" legends. |
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The Golden Bough
"A monumental study in comparative folklore, magic and religion, The Golden Bough shows parallels between the rites and beliefs, superstitions and taboos of early cultures and those of Christianity. It had a great impact on psychology and literature and remains an early classic anthropological resource." From Bartleby.com. |
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Grimm Brothers' Home Page
From retired U of Pittsburg professor D.L. Ashliman, includes a chronology of their lives, a list of their publications, and the text of the tales themselves, both in German and in English translation. |
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