The Greenwood Library of American Folktales - [4 volumes] (Hardcover, New)

Paul Bunyan, Br'er Rabbit, Bluebeard, and Billy the Kid. These are just some of the many characters alive today through folktales. The most funny, frightening, and entertaining stories have been passed down from generation to generation and are at the heart of American culture. Urban legends, too, are born every day and become part of our world. Folktales breathe life into contemporary film, literature, and the arts. Readers of all ages find them fascinating, and students enjoy them as a means of learning about literature, history, society, and themselves. The most ambitious undertaking of its kind, this collection gathers a vast range of popular and obscure lore from a wide range of American ethnic traditions. The tales appear in four volumes and are grouped according to the regions with which they are most closely associated: Volume 1: The Northeast, The Midwest, The Mid-Atlantic Volume 2: The South, The Caribbean Volume 3: The Southwest, The Plains and Plateau, The West Volume 4: The Northwest, Cyberspace Included are selections from various types of tales, such as legend, joke, tall tale, personal narrative, and myth, along with a generous sampling of electronic lore circulating on the Internet. Introductions, notes, appendices, and other aids link the tales to their origins and afterlives, so that students in social studies classes can learn about American history and culture, while literature students can learn about language, genres, and dialects. Features and Benefits: Organizes tales according to region. Places the tales in their cultural and historical contexts. Presents lucid and informative explanatory headnotes. Offers generous bibliographical information. Includesappendices and an extensive index. Supports the literature curriculum by helping students explore stories, genres, and dialects. Supports the social studies curriculum by helping students understand American culture. Promotes cultural diversity by exposing students to a wide range of traditions.