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Legends & Sagas
Norse, Arthurian & European myth
40 entries · 14 sections
General
The Myth of the Birth of the HeroOtto Rank, 1914 — A groundbreaking application of psychoanalysis to comparative mythology.The Lang Fairy BooksAndrew Lang, 1889-1910 — Full text of the classic folk-lore series, written for children of all agesThe Works of Lord DunsanyEdward Plunkett, Lord Dunsany, 1905-22 — Lord Dunsany paved the way for Tolkien with his delightful internally consistent fantasy worlds.
Northern European
Arabian Nights
Baltic
Basque
Slavic and Eastern European
The Tale of the Armament of IgorLeonard A. Magnus, 1915 — The first masterpiece of Russian literature, from the time of transition between Slavic Paganism and Christianity.The Songs of the Russian PeopleW.R.S. Ralston, 1872 — A treasure trove of Russian and Slavic folklore, mythology and tradition.Roumanian Fairy Tales and LegendsE.B. Mawr, 1881 — A small collection of Romanian folk tales and historical legends.Sixty Folk-Tales from Exclusively Slavonic SourcesA. H. Wratisalw, 1890 — An excellent (and long out of print) collection of Slavic folktales, with hints of some very ancient lore.Folk Tales From the RussianVerra Xenophontovna Kalamatiano de Blumenthal, 1903Heroic Ballads of ServiaGeorge Rapnall Noyes, 1913 — Translations of Serbian oral poetry.Old Peter's Russian TalesArthur Ransome, 1916 — Russian folklore retold, including tales of Baba Yaga.Stories of Russian Folk-LifeDonald A. Mackenzie, 1916The Key of Gold: 23 Czech Folk TalesJosef Baudis, 1917The Man in the Panther's SkinShota Rustaveli, 1912 — The Georgian National Epic.Armenian Legends and PoemsZabelle C. Boyajian, 1916 — A sampler of Armenian literature, legends and history.
Finland
The Kalevala is the national saga of Finland. Pieced together (and embellished) by Elias Lönnrot from traditional storytellers in the late 19th Century, the tales which constitute the Kalevala show signs of great antiquity.
The Kalevala (English)John Martin Crawford, 1888 — The Finnish national epic, the wars of wizards and heroes to control a mystical artifact.The Kalevala (Finnish)Elias Lönnrot — This etext of the Kalevala in Finnish is from the Runeberg project.Magic Songs of the West Finns, Vol. IJohn Abercromby, 1898 — A treasure trove of Finnish lore.Magic Songs of the West Finns, Vol. IIJohn Abercromby, 1898 — Ancient Finnish charms, formulae, and prayers, used by Shamans, healers, and peasants from ancient times.
France
Germany
Wagner's Ring of the NiblungRichard Wagner, 1910 — An excellent translation of the librettos of operas Siegfried and Die GötterdammerungThe NibelungenliedDaniel B. Shumway, 1909 — The Nibelungenlied is derived from the Ancient Norse EddasHero Tales and Legends of the RhineLewis Spence, 1915 — Lore of the Rhine valley, including the Nibelunglied saga.Grimm's Household TalesJakob, 1812The Germany of TacitusOne of the only ancient descriptions of the Germanic tribes