The Folk and Their Fauna


Book Description

The Folk and Their Fauna: The Story of One Man’s Love Affair with Animals is a collection of true stories about domestic and wild animals. The author has taken some of the countless tales from his lifelong association with animals and written a sensitive book about the creatures he knows and loves. His stories are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes painful. Yet each incident shows an insight into the majestic cycle of living things. The Folk and Their Fauna, with its eloquent descriptions of animal personalities, promises to entertain every animal lover. Second only to the weather, the author remarks, people enjoy talking about their beloved animals. Indeed, like our attraction to animals, the appeal of this book is natural.




Animals in Traditional Folk Medicine


Book Description

People have relied on medicinal products derived from natural sources for millennia, and animals have long been an important part of that repertoire; nearly all cultures, from ancient times to the present, have used animals as a source of medicine. Ingredients derived from wild animals are not only widely used in traditional remedies, but are also increasingly valued as raw materials in the preparation of modern medicines. Regrettably, the unsustainable use of plants and animals in traditional medicine is recognized as a threat to wildlife conservation, as a result of which discussions concerning the links between traditional medicine and biodiversity are becoming increasingly imperative, particularly in view of the fact that folk medicine is the primary source of health care for 80% of the world’s population. This book discusses the role of animals in traditional folk medicine and its meaning for wildlife conservation. We hope to further stimulate further discussions about the use of biodiversity and its implications for wildlife conservation strategies.




Animal Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland


Book Description

Stories and animals have long travelled the same routes. Through our heritage of charming, quirky and profound tales, you will find yourself re-acquainted with Britain's wondrous fauna. Find out how hedgehog ended up with spines and what makes him scuttle so fast, discover how pigs saved a prince from leprosy and why the wealthy lord was so intent on capturing the black fox. Sharon Jacksties' wonderful book combines traditional stories, little-known zoological facts and true anecdotes to create a treasure trove of stories for animal lovers of every kind.




Ireland's Animals


Book Description

Niall Mac Coitir provides a comprehensive look at the folklore, legends and history of animals in Ireland, and describes their relations with people, being hunted for food, fur, sport, or as vermin, and their position today. A final section, inspired by stories of animal transformation, looks at twelve animals and how we can enrich our lives by visualising ourselves with their special qualities. This fascinating and beautifully illustrated compilation of folklore, legends and natural history will delight all with an interest in Ireland's animals.




Terrifying Tales Unleashed


Book Description

Terrifying Tales Unleashed is a menagerie of short stories covering many popular genres including horror, science fiction, and suspense/thriller. Cover the gamut in this gripping narrative by way of buried alive, rats, bats, vampires, werewolves, zombies, aliens, ghosts, demons, and cannibals. Th e unleashing of each twisted account will bombard ones thoughts with impending shock waves. Will you be able to hold on to your own reality? Can you make yourself believe that what you are about to read is nothing more than a few tall-tales? Are you prepared to partake in a remedy for peaceful slumber and succumb to fitful nights of insomnia? The stories within this book are nothing more than pure fiction and certainly could not have really happened. OR COULD THEY!




Lore of the Wild


Book Description

Delves into nature folklore from around the world in six topical categories, featuring for each category one traditional tale and extensive ancient lore about that topic.




Nine Lives to Eternity


Book Description

Nine Lives to Eternity is a true chronicle of cheating death time and again. This inspirational and faith-driven human triumph details the aftermath of my many harrowing experiences and mishaps, any of which should have resulted in certain death. Each time, I was somehow incessantly saved by guardian angels. The numerous near-death experiences accounted for twenty-six fractured bones and rendered me unconscious on five separate occasions, yet somehow I lived to tell my compelling story of survival and triumph over death. By the release date of this book, the good Lord has allowed me to somehow, someway survive up until and beyond the celebration of my fifty-fifth birthday. Trust me when I reiterate that my life hasnt been a painless journey while defeating death on a habitual basis. Beginning as a mere infant at the age of nine months old and then continuing through fifty-five years, Ive cheated death again and again. During my lifes journey, Ive survived an unfathomable twenty-seven encounters with death. Ive escaped death through seven different machinery and equipment mishaps. Ive avoided horse or mule death challenges no fewer than five times. Although one of my lifes greatest pleasures has always been motorcycling, Ive paid a price by suffering through five singular accidents that should have terminated my life. Few in life could survive even one automobile crash, yet Ive lived to describe three separate vehicular collisions. In addition, Ive escaped death from toxic fumes twice and twice averted death threats while working within dangerous third world countries. Ive even fallen from a rooftop, nearly crashed in an airplane, and lived through a poisoning, yet by the grace of God, Ive failed to become a fatality statistic. Ive often joked that for every day in which I dont read my own name within a newspaper obituary column that becomes a really good day for me. To survive so many brushes with death is difficult to absorb. My goal-driven ambitions have unfortunately brought me to the threshold of death numerous times. Ive driven myself to limits that few would attempt. Early in life, I set a goal for myself to try and fit three lifetimes of experiences into my short time on this planet. As a youth, I never believed that I would survive beyond an age of forty years. Most certainly, my high-risk behaviors reduced my odds for a lengthy existence. As my life unfolded, the numerous encounters with death became staggering. Between the ages of nine months up until nine years, I faced death three times. From the ages of ten years through my nineteenth birthday, death crossed my pathway four more times. During my tumultuous twenties from the ages of twenty years through twenty-nine years, I survived eight separate death encounters. Between the ages of thirty years through thirty-nine years, my chances of death slowed down to two. By the ages of forty years through forty-nine years, the Grim Reaper visited me on three separate occasions. As I reached midlife, I discovered that the pace of my death engagements was increasing. From the ages of fifty years through fifty-five years, Id already amassed five singular close encounters with death. Perhaps that assertion should come as no surprise. Since reaching my fifties, Id done little to slow down or reduce my zest for life and risk-taking determination. Few adults when faced with their own midlife crisis will attempt such outlandish feats as mountain climbing to the summit of Devils Tower in Wyoming or riding a motorcycle nonstop for ten thousand miles or consulting in the midst of a war within the country of Afghanistan. Im thankful for each and every day that Im allowed the privilege of living. I try to give thanks and praise to my Lord every day for granting me the tenacity to overcome even the worst of survival odds. Through my strong faith and spirituality, and by never accepting defeat, Ive been able to constantly repel the onset of death.




Animals in Traditional Folk Medicine


Book Description

People have relied on medicinal products derived from natural sources for millennia, and animals have long been an important part of that repertoire; nearly all cultures, from ancient times to the present, have used animals as a source of medicine. Ingredients derived from wild animals are not only widely used in traditional remedies, but are also increasingly valued as raw materials in the preparation of modern medicines. Regrettably, the unsustainable use of plants and animals in traditional medicine is recognized as a threat to wildlife conservation, as a result of which discussions concerning the links between traditional medicine and biodiversity are becoming increasingly imperative, particularly in view of the fact that folk medicine is the primary source of health care for 80% of the world’s population. This book discusses the role of animals in traditional folk medicine and its meaning for wildlife conservation. We hope to further stimulate further discussions about the use of biodiversity and its implications for wildlife conservation strategies.




Wild Plant Nomenclature and Traditional Botanical Knowledge Among Three Ethnolinguistic Groups in Northwestern Ethiopia


Book Description

Botanists study plants. Ethnologists study ethnic groups including their language. Ethnobotany is an interface between botany and ethnology dealing with the perception of ethnic groups about plant life surrounding them. Language, as the mirror of the mind of speakers, is central in ethnobotanical studies. This work describes the linguistic properties of wild plant names and traditional botanical knowledge among three ethnolingistic groups in northwestern Ethiopia: Awi, Gumuz and Shinasha. The ethnolingistic groups speak Awni (Cushitic), Gumuz (Nilo-Saharan) and Shinasha (Omotic) languages, respectively. The purpose of this study is to document the names and uses of wild plants from three ethnolinguistic communities of Ethiopia: the Awi (A), Gumuz (G), and Shinasha (S) - henceforth AGS. The study also attempts to describe the traditional botanical knowledge (henceforth TBK of these groups in the identification and classification of their plant life.