The author sets before the reader a lifelike picture of the deities of classical times as they were conceived and worshipped by the ancients themselves, and thereby to awaken in the minds of young students a desire to become more intimately acquainted with the noble productions of classical antiquity. The aim was to render the legends, which form the second portion of this work, a picture of old Greek life; its customs, superstitions, and princely hospitalities, for which reason they are given at somewhat greater length than is usual in works of this kind.
Our nursery legends and popular superstitions are fast becoming matters of history, except in the more remote and secluded portions of the country. The age of the steam engine, and the electric battery, and the many other practical adaptations of the triumphs of physical science, is apparently not the one in which such "waifs and strays" from the mythical lore of the dim and distant Past are very likely to be much sought after or honoured.
Myths and Myth-Makers - Old Tales and Superstitions Interpreted by Comparative Mythology
Old Tales and Superstitions Interpreted by Comparative Mythology. Contents: The Origins of Folk-Lore; Descent of Fire; Werewolves and Swan-Maidens; Light and Darkness; Myths of the Barbaric World; Juventus Mundi; The Primeval Ghost-World.
A complete understanding of the gradual development of the human mind can be arrived at only by means of a study of the superstitions of the various nations. It is a well-known fact, that the more advanced a nation is, the less superstitious are the people. The moment anything can be logically answered, superstition comes to an end; but as long as we cannot understand the causes and effects, we are groping in the dark, and our imagination is given full play. It is also a well-known fact that advancement influences our imagination to a very great extent. There are several very important factors in the making of superstitions, the foremost of which is our environment.
During their adventures around the Mississippi River Tom and his friend Huckleberry find out a lot about the real world of adults - emotions and superstitions, murder and revenge, starvation and slavery.
