Spirits of the Wild: The World's Great Nature Myths

Author of the award-winning Walks of Nature travel series, Ferguson presents a collection of 60 nature myths, many of them centuries old, from cultures around the world. He provides a brief introduction to each. From Sweden comes a charming tale of the origin of the northern lights; from Brazil, the coming of night; from Australia, the birth of the sun. We learn about elves in Iceland, the legend of the snowdrop in England, the wallflower in Scotland. A story from Africa tells how birds found their homes, and a California Indian myth explains how the meadowlark got its voice. These essays embrace all the natural world--flora and fauna, earth and sky. As such, they offer a refreshing portrait of nature as seen by other peoples in the past. (Sept.)