A treasure trove of stories from the ancient world, retold by one of Ireland's greatest storytellers. This classic collection of myths and legends includes stories from all the major ancient civilisations, and some lesser known ones: Egypt and Greece, and Babylon and Rome, alongside Ireland and Iceland, India and Finland, China and Japan, Mexico, Peru and Polynesia. The tales range from creation stories to heroic epics, and feature Isis, Gilgamesh, Hercules and Pandora, to name but a few. This edition faithfully preserves Padraic Colum's original language. His lyrical rhythm and melody represent the very best of traditional storytelling. Includes Padraic Colum's essay, 'The Significance of Mythology'.

In this Comprehensive collection of tales from long ago are found all the legendary heroes and heroines and the tragic figures of ancient times: Iris, Osiris, Gilgamesh, Hercules, and Pandora, to name just a few. These primal stories, long held sacred, have carried their deeply human significance throughout the centuries.

Padraic Colum brings these stories to life again by recalling the rhythm and melody of traditional storytelling.

He also shows the close relationship between past cultures, including stories from ancient Egypt and Babylon, Greece and Rome, Ireland and Iceland, China and Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, and Peru.