Myths Legends Germany Nibelungenlied Swan Knight Lohengrin Telramund Stavoren

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Myths and Legends Series: Germany by Lewis Spence, with Illustrations from Drawings and Famous Paintings.
NOTE
: We have 75,000 books in our library, almost 10,000 different titles. Odds are we have other copies of this same title in varying conditions, some less expensive, some better condition. We might also have different editions as well (some paperback, some hardcover, oftentimes international editions). If you don’t see what you want, please contact us and ask. We’re happy to send you a summary of the differing conditions and prices we may have for the same title.
DESCRIPTION:
Hardback with Dust Jacket: 379 pages. Publisher: Studio Editions; (1993).
Wild and wondrous tales accompany the Rhine on its long journey to the sea; through dense forests and narrow valleys, where mountains loom near to the dark waters, and past gaunt castles looking down from rocky crags. “Germany: Myths & Legends” is arranged so that the stories will illustrate a river journey from sea to source. Sitting on the deck of a Rhine steamer, one can read the legends relating to the various localities in their proper order as they are passed.
At the Zuider Zee, there is the story of the sunken city of Stavoren. At Oppenheim, the gruesome story of the Battle of Skeletons, a lingering folk memory from the all-too real horrors of the Thirty Years’ War. At Cologne, the story of Saint Ursula, who perished there with her retinue of eleven thousand virgins at the hands of barbarians from the North. And at Cleves, the legend of the Knight of the Swan, in which Lohengrin crosses swords with the awesome warrior Telramund for a fair lady’s hand.
From near Bonn comes a tale of the consequences of wealth attained by supernatural means. From across the river there is the beautiful legend of the Drachenfels, the “Dragon’s Rock”, where once dwelled a hideous monster. Passing the grim fortress of Stolzenfels, we read a strange take of alchemy. At Furstenberg the Tale of the Blind Archer. At Rheingrafenstein, the legend of a terrible bargain with Satan. And included, of course, is the greatest Rhine story of them all, the epic Nibelungenlied.
In the preparation of this book the author visited the Rhine, to breath in the atmosphere of mystery and ensure that these stories convey the real spirit of German legend. An introductory chapter describes the history of the region, its folklore, poetry, topography and customs, setting the scenes for the myths and legends that follow. The text is illustrated by thirty-two plates, based on drawings and collotypes by Louis Weirter.
Even today, as modern pleasure boats pass beneath the Lorelei Rock, the legend is told of the beautiful maiden who cast herself from it into the waters to join her shipwrecked lover in death; and there follows that lovely, haunting tune, with many of the passengers aboard spontaneously joining in. This are the ancient legends kept alive and retain their potent appeal.
CONDITION: VERY GOOD. Unread hardcover w/dustjacket. Bracken Books/Studio Editions (1985) 392 pages. Inside the book is absolutely pristine EXCEPT that the (original) owner wrote their name and acquisition date (Dec 1994) in red ink, neatly, at the top edge of the first free page (the first blank, unprinted page within the book). The pages are (otherwise) clean, crisp, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, and unread. There are also small, tan-colored age speckles/small splotches (known as "foxing") to the surfaces (top, bottom, and fore) of the closed page edges (of course visible only when book is closed, not to individual pages, only to the mass of closed page edges, sometimes referred to as the "page block"). The book is otherwise unblemished save for very mild edge and corner shelfwear to the dustjacket, principally in the form of faint crinkling/rubbing to the spine head, the top edge of the front side of the dustjacket, as well as (very faintly) to the dustjacket "tips" (the open corners of the dustjacket, top and bottom, front and back). Except for the "foxing" and the fact that the original owner wrote their name on the first free page; and especially considering that the book is 30 years old, the condition of the book is otherwise entirely consistent with new stock from a bookstore environment wherein books might evidence mild shelfwear, merely from the constant process of being shelved and re-shelved. Satisfaction unconditionally guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PROMPT SHIPPING! HEAVILY PADDED, DAMAGE-FREE PACKAGING! #2036g.
PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.
PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.
PUBLISHER REVIEW
:
REVIEW: James Lewis Thomas Chalmbers Spence was a Scottish journalist, folklorist, poet and occult scholar. A prolific writer, Spence has been credited in reviving the study of Scottish folklore. After an early career in Scotland as a journalist, about 1906 he began to take a keen interest folklore and mythology. He wrote about Brythonic rites and traditions in The Mysteries of Britain (1905). In this book, Spence theorized that the original Britons were descendants of a people that migrated from Northwest Africa and were probably related to the Berbers and the Basques.
This theory is partially supported by modern day genetic analysis, insofar as Basques and Scots (along with Irish, Portuguese, Welsh and Dutch) have a high frequency of some very ancient Y-chromosomal lineages. He then turned to ancient Mexican and Central American mythology. In 1908, he published “The Popul Vuh”, the sacred book of the Quiché Mayas. This was followed by A Dictionary of Mythology in 1910 and numerous additional volumes. Over his long career, he published more than forty books, many of which remain in print to this day.
PROFESSIONAL REVIEW
:
REVIEW: “Germany: Myths and Legends” narrates the rich store of legends associated with the Rhine, arranged in the form of a journey down the great river. An exceptional reference sure to delight both students as well as enthusiasts of ancient history and mythology. Highly recommended.
READER REVIEW
:
REVIEW: The stories in this volume have been specifically arranged to accompany the traveler along a river journey of the great River Rhine from sea to source in Northern Europe. At the Zuider Zee there is the tale of the sunken city of Stavoren, from Cologne comes the story of Saint Ursula who perished there, from Cleves the legend of Lohengrin, and so on. To set the scene the author begins with a chapter on the history of the region, its folklore, poetry and customs. The text is illustrated by thirty-two plates, based on drawings and collotypes by Louis Weirter. It’s a wonderfully entertaining and educational book with compelling and fascinating illustrations and masterfully related folklore.
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