Description: Storytelling is an ancient practice common to all civilizations throughout history. Characters, tales, techniques, oral traditions, motifs, and tale types transcend individual cultures--elements and names change, but the stories are remarkably similar with each rendition, highlighting the values and concerns of the host culture. Examining the stories and the oral traditions associated with different cultures offers a unique view of practices and traditions.

Storytelling:An Encyclopedia of Mythology and Folklore brings past and present cultures of the world to life through their stories, oral traditions, and performance styles. It combines folklore and mythology, traditional arts, history, literature, and festivals to present an overview of world cultures through their liveliest and most fascinating mode of expression. This appealing resource includes specific storytelling techniques as well as retellings of stories from various cultures and traditions.

Selected Contents:

Aarne, Antii; Abassi/Abasi and Atai (West African); Abatwa (South African); Aboriginal Mythology (Australian); Abracadabra; Abzu/Apsu (Sumerian and Babylonian); Achilles (Greek); Adapa (Babylonian); Adon/Adonis (Phoenician); Adroa and Adro (East African); Adroanzi (East African); Aeneid (Roman); Aesop and Aesop's Fables (Greek); Aetheopis/Aithiopis (Greek); African Bushmen Mythology; Ahti/Ahto (Finnish); Aigamuxa (South African); Aino (Finnish); Aiomum Kondi (South American); Ajok (North African); Alalu/Alalus (Hittite); Amadis of Gaul (Spanish or Portuguese); Amazons (Greek); Amled/Amleth (Danish); Amphisbaena (Greek); Amulets; Amun/Amen/Amon/Amun-Re (Egyptian); An/Anu (Sumerian); Anansasem (West African); Animal Bride or Bridegroom; Animal Helper and Grateful Animal; Antar (Middle Eastern); Antero Vipunen (Finnish); Antichrist (Christian); Antigone (Greek);
Anu (Hittite); Anubis/Anpu (Egyptian); Anzu (Sumerian and Babylonian); Aphrodite (Greek); Apollo (Greek); Apple Trees; Arabic Storytelling; Arachne (Greek); Arawn (Welsh); Archetype; Argonautica (Greek); Arianrhod (Welsh); Armageddon (Judeo-Christian); Asbjrnsen, Peter Christen ; Asgard (Norse); Ash Trees (Western European); Athena/Athene (Greek); Atlas (Greek); Atum (Egyptian); Aucassin and Nicolette (Medieval European); Avalon (Celtic); Aztec Mythology