This book examines the fairies, demons, and nature spirits haunting the margins of Christendom from late-antique Egypt to early modern Scotland to contemporary Amazonia. Contributions from anthropologists, folklorists, historians and religionists explore Christian strategies of encompassment and marginalization, and the ‘small gods’ undisciplined tendency to evade such efforts at exorcism. Lurking in forest or fairy-mound, chuckling in dark corners of the home or of the demoniac’s body, the small gods both define and disturb the borders of a religion that is endlessly syncretistic and in endless, active denial of its own syncretism. The book will be of interest to students of folklore, indigenous Christianity, the history of science, and comparative religion.

Eight fairy stories from around the world.

First published in the UK in 1997. Copiously illustrated collection of fairy stories from countries around the world, including 'The Magic Fountain' from France, 'The Mountain of the Moon' from India and 'The Herb Fairy from China.

Enter the World of Spirits! The Encyclopedia of Spirits is a comprehensive and entertaining A to Z of spirits from around this world and the next. Within these pages meet love goddesses and disease demons, guardians of children and guardians of cadavers. Discover Celtic goddesses and goddesses of the Kabbalah, female Buddhas, African Powers, Dragon Ladies, White Ladies, Black Madonnas, the Green Man, the Green Fairy, lots and lots of ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies, and more. From the beneficent to the mischievous, working with these spirits can bring good fortune, lasting love, health, fertility, revenge, and relief. Discover: The true identities of over one thousand spirits (as well as their likes and dislikes) How to communicate with specific spirits for your own benefit How to recognize these spirits when they manifest themselves The mythological and historical events associated with specific spirits The colors, days, numbers, and astrological signs associated with specific spirits The Encyclopedia of Spirits also provides an overview of the role of spirit communication throughout history and a general guide to working with spirits. No matter what your life's problems or desires, this book can guide you to the right spirits who can help fulfill your dreams. For the spiritual adept, the amateur, or the simply curious, the Encyclopedia of Spirits will inform, inspire, and delight.

Originally published: New York: Arcade Pub.: Distributed by Little, Brown and Company, c1998.

Have you ever taken a walk in the woods and felt like you were not alone? That's because you weren't! Forests, lakes, mountains, caves—even your garden—are alive with the spirits of nature. Faeries are real, and you can learn to commune with a whole world of unseen beings, including elves, devas, and nature spirits. With an open mind and a little patience, you can begin to recognize their presence all around you. This book will help you deepen your connection to the natural world as you explore the magical, mystical world of the faerie folk. Discover hidden truths in faerie tales and use them as pathways into the faerie realm Learn the basic habitats, powers and behaviors of faeries, elves, and other nature spirits Read personal accounts of actual faerie encounters Invoke fire spirits for traditional psychic readings Share the magic and knowledge of twenty tree spirits Find the elementals—gnomes, undines, sylphs and salamanders—with which you resonate most Contact water sprites, mermaids and other water spirits Find wood nymphs and the"lady of the woods" raw dragons into your environment with the right fragrances Attract a faerie godmother into your life Recapture the magic and wonder of a world where trees still speak and every flower tells a story. Explore the faerie realm—a place where faerie tales can and do come true.

Drawing from ancient and modern folklore, myth, and religion, this reference work delves into the social and anthropological significance of supernatural beings such as angels, demons, dwarfs, encantados, fairies, keremets, nats and nymphs.