Whether hailing from the open Yorkshire Dales or the close-knit neighbourhoods of its towns and cities, North Yorkshire folk have always been fond of a good tale. This collection of stories from around the county is a tribute to their narrative vitality, and commemorates places and people who have left their mark on their communities. Here you will find dragon-slayers, boggarts and giants, tragic love affairs, thwarted villainy, witches, fairies, ghosts and much more. Historical characters, as rugged and powerful as the landscape they stride, drift in and out of the stories, strangely transformed by the mists of legend. North Yorkshire Folk Tales features Dick Turpin, General Wade, St Oswald, Mother Shipton and Ragnar Hairy Breeches, among others. These intriguing stories, brought to life with charming illustrations, will be enjoyed by readers time and again.

The beautiful county of Yorkshire is the largest in Britain, and yet still possesses a strong and cohesive regional identity. Built on centuries of shared tradition, a characteristic body of folklore has thrived and endured well into the present day. Folklore of Yorkshire chronicles such beliefs throughout the whole county, identifying distinctive common themes, placing them in their historical context and considering their social and psychological function. You'll discover Yorkshire's holy wells and buried treasure, its boggarts, Black Dogs and fairies, and the legends behind the county's stunning landscape. This fully illustrated book shows how the customs of the past have influenced the ways of today, whilst also revealing something about the nature of folklore itself, both for the tradition-bearers and those who collect it.

'Engaging, modern fables with a feminist tang' Sunday Times DARK, POTENT AND UNCANNY, HAG BURSTS WITH THE UNTOLD STORIES OF OUR ISLES, CAPTURED IN VOICES AS VARIED AS THEY ARE VIVID. Here are sisters fighting for the love of the same woman, a pregnant archaeologist unearthing impossible bones and lost children following you home. A panther runs through the forests of England and pixies prey upon violent men. From the islands of Scotland to the coast of Cornwall, the mountains of Galway to the depths of the Fens, these forgotten folktales howl, cackle and sing their way into the 21st century, wildly reimagined by some of the most exciting women writing in Britain and Ireland today. 'A thoroughly original package that has a hint of Angela Carter' The Times 'Sharp writing and cleverly done' Spectator

With origins lost in the mists of time, these lively folk tales reflect the wisdom (and eccentricities) of South Yorkshire’s county and people. Amongst the heroes and villains, giants and fairies, knights and highwaymen, are well-known figures, such as Robin Hood and the Dragon of Wantley, as well as lesser-known tales of mysterious goings-on at Firbeck Hall and Roche Abbey. These enchanting tales, many never before recorded in print, will bewitch readers and storytellers, young and old alike.

Where in Yorkshire can you walk on a dragon’s backbone? Who goes dancing at the Spot Bottom Hops? Which very old story gives advice about loading a dishwasher? Which mischievous child invented Yorkshire pudding? And is it safe to offer a gift to a small-toothed dog?Yorkshire has a rich heritage of fantastical folk stories, traditional tales and words of wisdom handed down through generations.These tales are beautifully retold here for 7- to 11-year-old readers, written and illustrated by storyteller and artist Carmel Page –a southerner by birth but who has lived in Sheffield for so long that she now uses her backdoor as her frontdoor and has started to eat her dinner at lunchtime.