Winter's Tales (11 page)

After telling so many stories about people (and gods) who want winter to go away and spring or summer to return, I was fascinated by this myth showing the opposite, because in hot countries winter is the fertile time and summer is the barren time. Baal's story was discovered on ancient tablets in the ruined city of Ugarit in Syria, and translated in
Canaanite Myths and Legends
by JCL Gibson (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1978).

Cree Folktale, Canada

This is a Cree Windigo tale, which I found in Howard Norman's
Where the Chill Came From
(North Point Press, 1982). I admit that my version is simplified and somewhat altered, though I hope it retains the mystery and beauty of the tribal tale.

Lapp legend, Finland

I've known and told this story for years, but didn't track down a written source until I saw one version of it (not exactly the one I know and tell) in
Scandinavian Stories
, by Margaret Sperry (published by JM Dent, 1971). I still think it would have been easier if Ukko had just changed into a god
before
he crossed the river.

Chinese myth

I first read this story in
The Return of The Light
by Carolyn McVickar Edwards (Marlowe and Company, 2000) then found a few more details in the
Handbook of Chinese Mythology
by Lihui Yang and Deming An (Oxford University Press, 2008) and added a few fireworks when I adapted it to tell myself.

Viking myth

I first came across this story in Roger Lancelyn Green's wonderful
Saga of Asgard
(Penguin Books, 1960). However, because I love Viking stories, I've probably read dozens of other versions since, all of which may have contributed to my telling of this wonderful and chilling story.

Venezuelan legend

I am very grateful to my mum, who translated this story for me from the Spanish language version in
Kuai-Mare, Mitos Aborigenes de Venezuela
by Maria Manuela de Cora (Editorial Oceanida, 1957) and will probably be quite surprised when she discovers the changes I've made when I tell the story in my voice!

Norse legend

I searched out this story after seeing the runes about Ragnar Lodbrok at Maes Howe in Orkney. I eventually found it in one of my brother's old storybooks:
A Book of Dragons
by Roger Lancelyn Green (Hamish Hamilton 1970). It's my favourite dragon story, and I have probably told it in hundreds of schools. When I tell Ragnar's story to real children, I throw ripped up rabbits and raw sheep around the room. (Imaginary rabbits and sheep, of course, because I'm not a Viking princess…)

Lari Don's enthralling collection of folk tales about heroines from around the world. These girls use cleverness, courage or kindness to win the day, beating greedy giants, shapeshifting demons and seven-headed dragons.

£12.99 hardback         978-1-4729-0306-8

BLOOMSBURY

A stunning collection of folk tales and legends from all over Europe. Magical, farcical, tender or terrifying, this selection of often unusual and little known stories from each state of the European Union is a joy to read.

£12.99 hardback 978-1-4081-8007-5

BLOOMSBURY

This electronic edition published in October 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing

Copyright © 2013 A&C Black
Text copyright © 2013 Lari Don
Illustrations copyright © 2013 Francesca Greenwood

First published 2013 by A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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London, WC1B 3DP
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The right of Lari Don and Francesca Greenwood to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work respectively has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

eISBN: 978-1-4081-9691-5

A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

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