Lonely Planet Kids - Myths and Legends of the World (Lonely Planet Kids)

ContenTs

INTRODUCTION ..................

AFRICA ..............................

The Creation of the World .....................

The Tale of the Ghosts and
the Flutes ..................................................

The Story of Bat and Sun .....................

Anansi and the Box of Stories .........

EUROPE ............................

The Selkies ...............................................

The Fisherman and His Wife ............

Athena, Arachne, and the
Dueling Looms ..................................

The Tale of the Ghosts and
the Flutes .....................................................

Athena, Arachne, and the
Dueling Looms ......................................

ASIA .....................................

Ganesh ......................................................

Pangu and Nuwa ....................................

Nyai Loro Kidul, Queen of
the Sea ..................................................

OCEANIA ..........................

The Legend of Mui ............................

Ulu r u ....................................................

The Rainbow Serpent .......................

Nyai Loro Kidul, Queen of
the Sea ...........................................................

THE AMERICAS ................

Coyote Steals Fire for
the People ..............................................

The White Buffalo
Calf Woman ........................................

The Legend of Popocatpetl
and Iztacchuatl .................................

The Hero Twins Visit
the Underworld ..................................

The Mapinguary .......................................

El Alicanto ..................................................

THE ARCTIC ...................

Sedna, the Mother of
the Sea ....................................................

Niekija and the
Northern Lights ................................

Coyote Steals Fire for
the People ................................................

The White Buffalo
Calf Woman .........................................

The Legend of Popocatpetl
and Iztacchuatl ................................

The Hero Twins Visit
the Underworld ..................................

Sedna, the Mother of
the Sea .........................................................

Niekija and the
Northern Lights ...................................

B old reader: open your mystical map and get ready to travel through time with 21 dazzling stories of adventure, deceit, reward, and punishment. These myths and legends will transport you to regions from every corner of the globe: Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and the Arctic. Journey from ancient to modern times, from hot climates to freezing temperatures, from mountaintops to seafloors. Meet gods, goddesses, and demigods; move alongside serpents, coyotes, talking fish, and clever spiders; cavort with sea nymphs, mystical women, terrifying beasts, and volcano-people. Hear different versions of how the world began.

The book you now hold in your hands links you to many gene- rations; some of these tales have even been passed down through a long line of oral traditions. Do not step lightly into this reading adventure! The souls of ancestors, the lives of heroes, and the fates of mortals are in your grasp. Be alert, bold traveler, and read on!

Africa is home to over a billion people who live in 54 countries and speak about 2000 languages. Each African village has its own traditions, gods, spirits, and stories. Because they are passed down orally, African myths adapt and change, with each commu- nity adding its own twist. The stories often involve animals who talk and think like people, explanations for how the world began, and moral lessons. Here are four age-old myths from this vast continent....

The

Creation

of the

World

FROM THE Kuba PeopLe OF PRESENT-DAY
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

T he great and powerful Mbombo sat alone in the middle of the vast, dark Earth. Ancient black waters rushed around his human-like form. Mbombo felt very ill. In fact, he had been feeling ill for millions of years, due to loneliness. He felt this sad solitude in the pit of his stomach, and the sickening feeling had intensified over eons until it became painful. Mbombos belly had also grown bigger and bigger, until finally he vomited.

From deep within Mbombos belly came the sun, which rose into the sky and scattered light everywhere. Next he vomited the moon, stars, and all the other planets. Then the bright, hot sun evaporated some of the ancient water on Earth, creating clouds which then, in turn, rained back down on the land. In time, hills emerged from the water like enormous, dry waves.

But Mbombo was not finished; he still felt very ill. It was a wrenching, rolling, terrible pain. Just as Mbombo