The New Forest is an old, old forest. The stories, like the forest which defines them, are at once fresh and blossoming with each telling, but ever rooted in the deep, dark soil of our history and our heritage. From King Arthur and Robin Hood, to Rufus the Red and Bevis of Hampton, award-winning storyteller Brice Stratford guides you through the folk heritage and mythological past of Britain's most haunted national park, taking in five headed dragons, giant ettins, and shape-shifting pixies along the way.

Nestled within our green and pleasant land lies pockets of emerald trees. Their roots search deep into the ground and the branches reach high towards the sun. For centuries some of these have stood watching and listening to the human creatures living among them, hearing their stories and remembering. What mysteries could these woodlands tell if the trees could speak? Stories of brave deeds and foolish, star-crossed lovers, of monsters, giants and witches, hobs and kings. Discover the secrets of our forests in this engaging collection of folk tales.

An entertaining and enthralling collection of myths, tales and traditions surrounding our trees, woodlands and forests from around the world. From the dark, gnarled woodlands of the north, to the humid jungles of the southern lands, trees have captured humanity's imagination for millennia. Filled with primal gods and goddesses, dryads and the fairy tales of old, the forests still beckon to us, offering sanctuary, mystery and more than a little mischievous trickery. From insatiable cannibalistic children hewn from logs, to lumberjack lore, and the spine-chilling legend of Bloody Mary, there is much to be found between the branches. Come into the trees; witches, seductive spirits and big, bad wolves await you. With this book, Folklore Thursday aim to encourage a sense of belonging across all cultures by showing how much we all have in common.

"There was 'no god more present' than Dionysos: that is, out of all the ancient gods Dionysos was one of the few who people felt that they could reach out and touch" Chapter 4: A God of Many Forms Dionysos: Exciter to Frenzy is a phenomenal scholarly exploration of one of the most complex, liminal and paradoxical gods of the ancient world. In this journey through the realms of Dionysos, the author Vikki Bramshaw guides the reader through the mysterious world of the multifaceted Dionysos, revealing his hidden faces and forms, demonstrating his presence in different cultures, the growth cycles of nature, the establishment of theatre and even the ancient Greek calendar. The roots of the wine god Dionysos, like his vines, spread throughout the ancient world. From the Cretan Zagreus, to the Thracian Sabazios and the Egyptian Iachen, his stories permeated the myths and traditions of both the untamed wilderness and the culture of cities such as Athens. Joined by slaves and rulers, wild flesh-ripping Maenads and vegetarian Orphics, wine-makers and hunters, the thrice-born Dionysos danced his way through the challenges of rebirth and initiation, with the liberating ecstasy of trance and possession. The god Dionysos unites opposites, he is many-formed, dying yet eternal, chthonian and heavenly. His ancient myths, mystical symbols, pagan rites and incarnations represent a uniquely detailed and relevant perspective of the transformation he brings through prophecy and personal liberation which is still relevant today.

Fascinating compendium of facts, folklore, superstitions, myths, and anecdotes about trees and the forest. Forest customs, sacred groves, mythical forest creatures, tree worship, and much more.

It's the cultural information that never seems to make it into history books: strange stories, mystic rites, angry gods, vision quests, magic symbols. This series captures, culture by culture, the intersection of imagination, history, wisdom, dream, and reality.

Woods play an important and recurring role in horror, fantasy, the gothic, and the weird. They are places in which strange things happen, where you often can't see where you are or what is around you. Supernatural creatures thrive in the thickets. Trees reach into underworlds of earth, myth, and magic. Forests are full of ghosts. In this new collection, immerse yourself in the whispering voices between the branches in Wistman's Wood on Dartmoor, witness an inexplicable death in Yorkshire's Strid Wood and prepare yourself for an encounter with malignant pagan powers in the dark of the New Forest. This edition also includes notes on the real locations and folklore which inspired these deliciously sinister stories.