"The Treasury of Folklore" Unveils Definitive Compendium: A Decade-Long Journey into Humanity’s Shared Myths
LONDON, UK – July 25, 2024 – After nearly a decade of dedicated exploration into the world’s rich tapestry of myths and legends, authors Dee Dee Chainey and Willow Winsham are set to release a landmark compilation. "The Treasury of Folklore: Waterlands, Wooded Worlds and Starry Skies," a special single-volume edition, will be released on August 1, 2024, bringing together the most cherished tales from their acclaimed three-book series. This eagerly anticipated compendium promises to offer readers a profound journey through humanity’s collective imagination, revealing the universal threads that bind us across cultures and landscapes.
Originally conceived as a single comprehensive volume, the scope of folklore unearthed by Chainey and Winsham quickly surpassed the confines of a single publication. This led to the creation of the popular "Treasury of Folklore" series, comprising "Seas and Rivers," "Trees and Woodlands," and "Stars and Skies." Now, the authors have meticulously curated their favourite selections from these individual works into a beautifully presented, "hefty tome" that finally realises their initial vision.
A Decade of Discovery: The Genesis of the Series
The journey for Chainey and Winsham began almost ten years ago with a fundamental quest: to understand how humans across the globe forge customs, beliefs, and narratives around the environments they inhabit. Their inspiration was significantly amplified by the vibrant global community engaging with the #FolkloreThursday hashtag, a digital platform celebrating worldwide traditions. Witnessing this overwhelming outpouring of shared heritage, the authors felt compelled to create something meaningful and lasting that would reflect the unifying universality of folklore.
The subsequent success of their initial three volumes – "Seas and Rivers," "Trees and Woodlands," and "Stars and Skies" – has been met with both surprise and profound gratitude by the authors. Each book delved into specific natural realms, meticulously documenting the myths and beliefs associated with them. The positive reception underscored a widespread appetite for understanding these ancient narratives and their contemporary resonance.
Unearthing Universal Truths: The Core Philosophy
At the heart of "The Treasury of Folklore" series lies a powerful revelation: despite the myriad variations in belief and custom, humanity shares deeply ingrained, primal fears and dreams. Chainey and Winsham discovered that regardless of geography, attire, or the names given to the creatures of myth, core human experiences remain consistent. From the universal longing for adventure and discovery when gazing at a distant horizon, to the collective dread of the unknown as we huddle around campfires in the night, and the shared awe inspired by the vastness of time under ancient stars – these universal sentiments form the bedrock of folklore. The compilation, therefore, serves not just as a collection of stories, but as a testament to our shared human condition.
A Masterpiece Reimagined: The New Volume’s Design
The decision to create a compendium was immediately embraced by the authors as an opportunity to unify the material as they had first envisioned. The process involved extensive work behind the scenes, requiring Chainey and Winsham to revisit their previously published words with fresh eyes. This careful re-evaluation ensured that the chosen extracts seamlessly coalesced into a single volume that effectively spans shared landscapes across time and place.
The authors have expressed immense satisfaction with the final product. Described as a "hefty tome," the compilation boasts a striking cover design that artfully integrates elements from all three original books. Its substantial size, combined with the elegant cream paper and the inclusion of Joe McLaren’s wonderful original illustrations, contributes to a truly tactile and immersive reading experience. While the book primarily contains text taken directly from the existing series, it is presented as a magnificent addition to any bookshelf or coffee table, designed to spark conversation and foster connection. The "Treasury" is thoughtfully divided into three sections, each dedicated to extracts from one of the original volumes, maintaining thematic coherence while offering a unified narrative.
Journey into the Mythic: Excerpts from the Treasury
To offer a glimpse into the richness of the compendium, here are some representative extracts that traverse watery depths, verdant forests, and the celestial expanse:
Water Horses: Perilous Guardians of the Depths
From the "Waterlands" section, readers are introduced to the treacherous water horse, a creature of both majesty and malevolence that lurks beneath lakes and waterways worldwide. These entities serve as potent cautionary tales, warning the unwary of hidden dangers.
The most renowned of these is the Scottish Kelpie, often conflated with, but distinct from, other Scottish water horses like the each-uisge of the lochs. While the each-uisge inhabits lakes, the Kelpie is typically found in rivers. It lures lone travellers with its captivating appearance, only to drag them to a watery demise. Folklore, however, offers fleeting methods of control, such as a cross-marked bridle, though such taming often proves temporary and perilous. The sheer cultural impact of the Kelpie is palpable, evidenced by the towering 30-meter sculptures near Falkirk, which have been a prominent feature of the Scottish landscape since 2013, and its appearance in modern literature by authors such as Lari Don and J.K. Rowling. Intriguingly, this iconic creature is largely absent from English folklore.
Across the border in Wales, the Ceffyl Dwr filled this folkloric void well into the 19th century. This Welsh water horse varied regionally: a violent shapeshifter in the north, and a consistently enchanting yet deadly small horse in the south. Known for impossible speed, it would whisk riders across vast distances before vanishing, leaving them to drown. A curious exception to its malevolence was its treatment of clergymen, who could ride it safely, a testament to its peculiar nature and the era’s spiritual beliefs.
Scandinavian tradition introduces the bäckahäst, or ‘brook horse,’ a luminous and majestic being often glimpsed in the fog. Like its Celtic cousins, it entices riders, frequently children, before plunging into the water, trapping its victims. Tales often feature a narrow escape, sometimes due to a child’s accidental invocation of a sacred name. The bäckahäst, like the Kelpie, could also be tricked into servitude, highlighting the cunning sometimes required to navigate these dangerous encounters.
Lords of the Wild: Nature’s Shapeshifting Deities
Venturing into the "Wooded Worlds," the compilation explores the "Lords of the Wild," powerful spirits and creatures that command forests and jungles across the globe. These entities embody the untamed essence of nature, ranging from benevolent protectors to destructive forces.
From Finnish folklore emerges Tapio, also known as Metsähine or Hiisi, the venerable king of the forest. Depicted as a tall, thin figure with a coat of ermine or moss, a cap, and a beard of lichen, he shares visual kinship with Europe’s Green Man figures. His back is said to resemble a gnarled tree, embodying his role as both personification and protector of the forest. Hunters traditionally sought his blessing for a successful hunt, promising respect for the woodlands and its creatures. Tapio, alongside his family—his benevolent wife Mielikki (or Kuurikki when angered), his son Nyrikki who guides hunters, and his daughter Tulikki who directs prey—was believed to control all forest life, capable of bestowing bounty or condemning a hunter to an empty-handed return.
Slavic traditions present the Leshy (or leshii, lyeshy), a tutelary spirit and protector of woods and animals, notably wolves and bears. Known by many names, Leshies are shapeshifters, capable of altering their size and form from a blade of grass to a towering tree. In human guise, they possess distinguishing features like a lack of eyelashes, shoes worn on the wrong feet, or garments wrapped unconventionally. Some possess horns, claws, cloven feet, or even wings and a tail. Their terrifying bellows can whip up winds, and their shrieking laughter or howls are warnings to intruders. Those who disregard these signs risk being confused, lured off path, and lost forever. As tricksters, Leshies can mimic voices, tickle victims to death, or inflict illness. They are also known for abducting women and children. Farmers historically offered sacrifices, like cows in the Olonetsky District, to appease them and protect their livestock. Offerings of bread or tobacco, or prayers before entering the forest, were also believed to ensure safety. Methods of banishment, much like with fae folk, include turning clothes inside out or swearing at them. For those bold enough to summon one, a specific ritual involving young birch trees arranged in a circle is described.
The Lunar Hare: A Celestial Symbol of Sacrifice and Fate
Finally, from "Starry Skies," the compilation turns its gaze upward to the moon, exploring the cross-cultural motif of the hare or rabbit dwelling on its surface. This enduring image is often explained through tales of sacrifice and divine intervention.
In the Buddhist Sasa-Jātaka, the hare, exemplary in its devotion to giving alms, offers itself as food to the deity Sakka, disguised as a beggar. Impressed by this ultimate act of selflessness, Sakka places the hare upon the moon for all eternity, a perpetual symbol of its faithfulness. Similar narratives appear in Sri Lankan and Japanese folklore, where the hare, known as Tsuki no Usagi in Japan, sacrifices itself to Buddha or the Man in the Moon, who, in turn, preserves its image on the lunar surface. These tales, particularly popular in Japan during the Harvest Moon and Mid-Autumn Festival, teach profound lessons of compassion and sacrifice.
A contrasting narrative from South Africa presents the hare in a less benevolent light. Here, the creature is held responsible for humanity’s mortality. Tasked by the Moon to deliver a message of cyclical death and rebirth to humankind, the flighty Hare miscommunicates, conveying only the message of inevitable death. Enraged, the Moon attacks the Hare, scarring its lip, while the Hare retaliates by scarring the Moon’s face – marks believed to be visible as the dark shapes on the moon to this day. This tale offers a starkly different interpretation of the lunar hare, portraying it as an agent of tragedy rather than a symbol of selfless devotion.
Authors’ Reflection and Gratitude
Reflecting on their extensive journey, Chainey and Winsham conveyed their profound satisfaction with the compilation. "To say we have been blown away by the end result is an understatement," the authors stated, expressing their thrill at being able to share this beautifully bound volume. They particularly lauded the physical attributes of the book – its size, the integrated cover design, and the exquisite cream paper – which they believe contribute to its status as a true collector’s item. The creation of this "hefty tome" represents the culmination of their original vision, made possible by the overwhelming support of their readership.
The Enduring Legacy of Folklore
"The Treasury of Folklore: Waterlands, Wooded Worlds and Starry Skies" is more than just a book; it is a meticulously crafted artifact that invites readers to connect with the timeless stories that have shaped human understanding for millennia. As the authors themselves note, it is designed to be a "conversation starter," fostering dialogue about our shared heritage and the enduring relevance of these ancient narratives in a modern world. It reinforces the idea that folklore is not merely archaic tales, but a living testament to humanity’s collective psyche, reflecting our deepest desires, fears, and hopes.
Availability and Special Offer
"The Treasury of Folklore: Waterlands, Wooded Worlds and Starry Skies" is now available for pre-order and will be officially released on August 1, 2024.
Readers can secure their copy and explore the unifying universality of folklore by pre-ordering the book. A special offer of 25% off is available when ordering directly from Batsford Books at https://www.batsfordbooks.com/book/the-treasury-of-folklore/ using the code NEWFOLKLORE25. The book can also be pre-ordered via Amazon and other major retailers.
