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The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice
CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF THE SUN, THE RETURN OF THE LIGHT
The winter solstice, the day the "sun stands still," marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year (it occurs either on December 20 or 21). Celebrations honoring the winter solstice as a moment of transition and renewal date back thousands of years and occur among many peoples on every continent. Now The Re...more
The winter solstice, the day the "sun stands still," marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year (it occurs either on December 20 or 21). Celebrations honoring the winter solstice as a moment of transition and renewal date back thousands of years and occur among many peoples on every continent. Now The Re...more
Paperback, 178 pages
Published
November 13th 2000
by Marlowe & Company
(first published October 12th 2000)
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In The Return of the Light Carolyn McVickar Edwards assembles twelve legends, folktales and fairy tales told about the “return of light” that occurs at the winter solstice. I wanted to know more about the roots of the older traditions surrounding the Winter Solstice before it was taken over by the Church. I didn’t really find that, but I did find several different takes from around the world on just what happens during the solstice, the shortest day of the year, and their explanations for why th...more
Myths shape us, and in this modern world many of us tend to forget that. These twelve myths are simply retold by the author, are rich in diversity and come from a range of countries. They explain where some of our traditional holiday customs come from, from pagan rituals to the unfortunately dominant Christianity.
This book was worth the interlibrary loan wait for the introduction alone. It begins with a great historical and anthropological explanation of solstice-time celebrations. The author has a masterful command of effective and dare I say effervescent vocabulary and manages to be insightful, informative, and succinct. What follows is 12 tales themed around Light. The introductory pieces before each section and each story were usually as good if not better than the stories themselves. The sections of...more
My husband worked last night, and I, without him near me, could not sleep. So I read this entire book. this book is simple in construct. It does not dive into traditions that developed out of the myths surrounding the Winter Solstice, but it does cover the original myths very quickly.
Fun read overall and a great reference book as well as a book to read throughout the years. I read the Norse myth to my daughters today and plan on reading another this evening.
Fun read overall and a great reference book as well as a book to read throughout the years. I read the Norse myth to my daughters today and plan on reading another this evening.
This book is a compilation of various traditional culture's stories passed on through many generations regarding the winter solstice. The book starts with a more detailed history of the winter solstice and how it related to the pagans, Mithraists and Christians and changes in the calendar systems that moved it to Dec 21st.
I loved this little book. To quote the author, in her acknowledgments and thanks....."Praise to the sun, whose light sparks all life..."
Who could go through these long cold winters and not feel this way about the sun? Stories are from all over the globe....
Who could go through these long cold winters and not feel this way about the sun? Stories are from all over the globe....
I've been having a lot of trouble finding new stories for the Winter Solstice. This book is pretty unique in that. The stories are well told, and draw from myths and folklore from all over the world. I appreciate the brief cultural context Edwards gives before each story. I think I'm set for Winter Solstice tales for quite some time.
As part of our winter solstice celebration, each member of the family present read one of these solstice stories by candlelight. It was a lovely way to end the day, and a meaningful addition to our family's rituals.
Wonderful little stories from all parts of the world, explaining the winter solstice. The stories are arranged in themes that make it very easy to see the patterns and overlaps from one myth to another. These would be great to adapt into a storytelling performance piece.
This is a great collection of light related stories. Unlike many western dominated collections, it spans cultures worldwide. All the stories are just the right length for bedtime; I read the kids one story a night till Solstice and they loved it! Every night they would jump up with excitement wanting to know where the story was from this time.
I really enjoyed the selected stories that Edwards chose for the book, but I found many of the translations to be a bit forced. Quite honestly it felt like someone had combed through the book and used a thesaurus to change the words in every other sentence to make it sound more complex then it needed to be. The beauty of most of these stories is their simplicity. There is no reason why a two page story needed to be stretched out to 4-5 pages.
$3.00 find at Hastings, cute little book. I've heard of 3 of the 12 stories, so it was nice catching a few more.
The book didn't have what I was looking for, but I did enjoy reading the different stories about light and the world.
I was looking for a more wiccan/pagan slant, but the stories were pretty decent.
This little book of tales of the Winter Solstice was endearing and educational.
Darn, looking for the book I have on the list I have found two more that look interesting. Maybe next year??
Nov 28, I am starting this as part of my Advent/Solstice reading. No idea where the time will come from, but it has been moved to the actual couch cushion.
It was nice to read these stories, one every few nights, and I did get all the way through it. I really liked it and am going to look for more books by the same author.
Nov 28, I am starting this as part of my Advent/Solstice reading. No idea where the time will come from, but it has been moved to the actual couch cushion.
It was nice to read these stories, one every few nights, and I did get all the way through it. I really liked it and am going to look for more books by the same author.
Quick, simple stories, but a lot of fun.
I love these stories and read them every year or so...
Interesting to read different mythologies
Really enjoying this so far :-)
May 16, 2013
Irina Nitescu
marked it as to-read
Apr 14, 2013
Heather
marked it as to-read
Mar 23, 2013
Sara
marked it as to-read
Mar 21, 2013
Igraine
marked it as auf-gar-keinen-fall
Feb 26, 2013
Maren
marked it as to-read
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“In that distant beginning season, Sun Man's warm magic flowed over all the land. Whenever he raised his arms, it was day. whenever he lowered them, it was night. The Bee People and the Elephant People and the Tic People loved the rhythm of Sun Man's light. Their faces crinkled with pleasure in his heat.
But inside the dreamtime, Sun Man grew old. His back grew stiff and his knee joints ached. He rose later and later each morning. He napped soon after breakfast and went to bed in the afternoon.
"What's going on here?" complained Grandfather Mantis. "I'm not getting heat anymore." Grandfather Mantis sent the Bird People to find out. The Bird People returned, rumpled and solemn. Darkness was everywhere, even though it was supposed to be daytime. "Sun Man is getting old," they explained. "This shining all the time is getting too much for him."
"Well, I'm old," snapped Grandfather Mantis. "Doesn't stop me."
His wife raised her eyebrows but said nothing.”
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More quotes…
But inside the dreamtime, Sun Man grew old. His back grew stiff and his knee joints ached. He rose later and later each morning. He napped soon after breakfast and went to bed in the afternoon.
"What's going on here?" complained Grandfather Mantis. "I'm not getting heat anymore." Grandfather Mantis sent the Bird People to find out. The Bird People returned, rumpled and solemn. Darkness was everywhere, even though it was supposed to be daytime. "Sun Man is getting old," they explained. "This shining all the time is getting too much for him."
"Well, I'm old," snapped Grandfather Mantis. "Doesn't stop me."
His wife raised her eyebrows but said nothing.”
