"Stories centuries in the making, and many centuries worth of stories, are an integral part of modern society. Whether modern or ancient, every culture has its myths. Mythology forms our understanding of our origin, history, and traditions. They tell of our heroes and deities. Myths are vehicles for understanding religion, for learning language, and for understanding society, but they can often be difficult to understand and confusing. The Handy Mythology...

Covers all aspects of mythology, including substantial essays on the world's major mythological traditions (including Greek, Native American, Indian, Japanese, Sumerian, Egyptian), mythological types and motifs (e.g., Descent to the Underworld, the Hero, the Trickster, Creation, the Quest), mythological figures (e.g., Odysseus, Zeus, Osiris, Spider Woman, Inanna) as well as numerous interrelated subjects such as fairy tales and legends. The companion...