Sir Karl Popper, the great philosopher, said, ?The real mystery in life is that the universe itself seems to be creative.' This book is an introduction to creativity with an essay on the connection between faith and fiction. It contains a few of the author's favorite ancient cultural myths, some folktales of recent times, and some original stories. These are ideal for reading to children. This book includes stories for families from our ancestors great and unknown; some are contemporary individualistic doodles in the sands of time that readers may simply enjoy. All of us should be telling the stories of our imaginations for the sake of our children and future generations, not only for their pleasure but wherein they might find a way forward through the mysteries and changes in life. The book has commentaries on the myths and finishes with an explanation of the purpose of myths that concludes with a challenge for modern myth making.

In encyclopedic format, this book presents creations myths, beliefs of ancient civilizations around the world, including Greeks, Romans, and others.

Addressed to students of classical mythology, religion, and comparative mythology, this volume contains myths of creation from three ancient cultures. Included are selections from the Hebrew Bible, the Mesopotamian Enuma Elish and Atrahasis, and Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days. The texts are complemented by essays on the cultural contexts in which the myths arose.

Did the universe start with a bang, or has it existed always? Was there a supernatural being behind it all, or just mindless forces? The beginning of things has forever tested the limits of curiosity, and such questions have both challenged atheists and inspired believers. Ancient cultures resorted to myth and symbolism to tell vibrant stories about human origins. Later civilizations added philosophical and scientific explanations: but these are not definitive. The nature and meaning of existence - the 'why' as much as the 'how' questions - are in the end mysterious. In this lively and wide-ranging book, G R Evans explores the world's myriad creation stories against the background of the biggest question there is: what are we doing here? Discussing Swahili legends that resemble the Book of Genesis, Greek tales about the Titans, Native American, Inca and Mesopotamian mythologies, and Vedic creation cycles that begin with a cosmic egg or seed, the author surveys polytheist, monotheist and dualist ideas about supernatural power. Tracing the history of humanity as it has struggled, over many millennia, to make sense of itself, The Creation Myth will attract students of religion, history and philosophy and general readers alike.

From Absalom and Achitophel to Zadig, and from Richard Adams to William Butler Yeats, this volume presents more than 400 articles covering all aspects of literary allegory. In addition, it examines the relationship of allegory to film, music, psychoanalysis, and other fields. Includes many illustrations and black-and-white photos, and an extensive index and bibliography. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A comprehensive collection of creation stories ranging across widely varying times and cultures, including Ancient Egyptian, African, and Native American.