The Origin of the Red Rose and other Native Stories

The Origin of the Red Rose and other Native Stories In the deep murk of Loch Ness lurks a monster... Welcome to the land of wild witches and wild roses. The Island of the Dead. Land of the Setting Sun. The home of the Gentleman Spy and countless forgotten gods. A collection of original and traditional native British and Irish stories retold for children, delving deep into mythic history and folklore. These stories use the humour and violent morality of the Celts to recreate a British people living in a forest-covered island, a land of mysterious creatures and magic that is long gone. A land that was full of dragons, roses, witches and wolves barely remembered but still to be found if you dig up the stories. Find out who Robin Hood really was. Say hello to Cú Chulainn, Ulster's greatest hero, without who there would be no sunset. Have a fight with King Arthur's knights if you dare. Whatever you do, don't annoy the druids. Discover the horrific end of the Upside Down Witch. Everyone knows about the Red Rose of Lancashire and the White Rose of Yorkshire, and all the bloodshed that stains them - but where do these symbols come from? Connections between myths and histories hundreds of years apart have been made to create the new story The Origin of the Red Rose, an instantly recognisable symbol of Lancashire and England. "All this happened a long time ago. Before witches. Before anyone was ever hanged as a witch. Before roses were introduced to this land. Before anything else that anyone associates with this place. So long ago that some people don't even believe the world existed back then. Across this joyous desolation walked the elk. The elk skeleton roared. The sun roared, in the silence of space." From The Poulton Elk Sometimes gruesome, sometimes funny, sometimes even a little bit romantic, these traditional stories are intended to serve as an introduction to various British and Irish cultures that are long gone. Stories include: The Origin of the Red Rose, The Battle of the Trees, The Green Children of Woolpit, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Upside Down Witch, Robin Hood, The Valley of the Deaf, The Castle of Wonders, The Loch Ness Monster, The Gentleman Spy and more...