Books in the The World's Greatest Myths and Legends series

Here we find humankind battling with the elements in the flood myth, a grim creation story and the great Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest recorded literary treasures. Babylon, a powerful city state in 1800 BC was a centre of spiritual, economic and military power, each represented in the fragments and myths of this book of classic tales.

This new book of classic tales brings the stories of the ancients to life, from the birth of creation by the sun god Ra, the murder of Osiris, and the revenge of Horus, to the underworld and afterlife. The Egyptians explained the effects of famine, harvest, floods and death by creating a pantheon of gods that still holds our fascination today.

Sub-Saharan Africa has a powerful tradition of storytelling. Despite the diversity of traditions, a number of beliefs and themes are shared by African peoples, from the Yoruba people of west Africa, to the Zulu of South Africa. This book offers a range of tales, from creation stories and trickster adventures to animal fables and moral stories.

Like other Mesoamerican cultures, Aztec myths explained life and death by linking them to the earth, sky and sea in a grand cosmic scheme. This collection explores the history, gods, calendar and tales of this people, from the war god Huitzilopochtli to the supreme deity Tezcatlipoca; from migration legends to the origin myth of the Five Suns.

From the myths it shares with Ireland, to its own evocative fairy tales featuring all manner of spirits, shapeshifters, monsters and ghosts; from benevolent fairies ('The Brownie') to tales of unrequited love, murder and rescue ('A Legend of Invershin'), Scottish folklore is presented here in a uniquely Caledonian collection of stories.

This latest addition to our successful series offers a new selection of myths, featuring Arthur's knights of the round table, his love for Queen Guinevere and, of course, the ultimate betrayal by his friend, and most trusted knight, Sir Launcelot. All awaken the magical and exciting world of King Arthur.

India, one of the great, ancient civilizations spawned a fascinating canon of myths and legends. With multiple gods, and a riot of colour and character this fantastic new book, explores the themes and landscapes that created the tales, and retells the stories of Krishna, Buddha and Shiva, and some of the many different versions of creation.

The dark forces of the ancient world were held at bay by the resourceful and emerging civilisations of Greece and Rome that formed the basis of Western culture, providing a tradition of fabulous tales that are retold in this new book.

Populated by gods, High Kings, willful Queens, noble warriors, fairies, goblins and wizards the Celtic myths are unsurpassed in their variety and power. This new book is a dazzling collection of the most gripping Celtic tales, vividly retold, gathering together the legends and sagas of this ancient culture.

The Viking gods fought a constant battle with nature. Odin, Thor and Loki are just some of the familiar characters that maintain an influence over us today through movies, TV series and comics to great fiction and epic poetry. This fabulous new book offers all the main tales with an introduction to the characters and the land that inspired them.

The Algonquins, Iroquois and The Last of the Mohicans - the tribes of North America and their folk tales are deeply fascinating because they are unique amongst the mythologies of the world. The retold tales collected for this new book celebrate the diverse tribal vision of a rich and powerful tradition that still resonates today.

Fairy stories, especially from the rich tradition of Ireland where the supernatural grew from the legends of the Celts, are the magic stories of everyday folk seeking solutions to the challenges of the day. This spritely new collection brings together the fables and stories of banshees, kings, trembling farmers, tricksters and beloved princesses.

Nordic Viking tales take the magic of the natural world and combine it with the common sense of the everyday. Good folk are rewarded for their hard work, the honest and the faithful are valued: 'The Little Match Girl' and 'Katie Woodencloak' (a Norwegian Cinderella) are some of the heartwarming stories in this new selection for the modern reader.

West African traditions and folklore delight in tales of animals and tricksters. From Nigeria to Benin, to the cunning spider Anansi, animals teach humans to farm, to love, to survive and thrive, and offer inspiration for moral purpose. This new collection is created for the modern reader.