A first printing of the Provensens' classic children's book from 1959.

The dustjacket is quite worn (but present!). However it has done its job of protecting the book which is quite bright and attractive, a well above average copy.

This book went through many, many printings and remained in print into the 1970s. The Provensens magnificent illustrations have become iconic for for several generations of children.

Out of print.

From the dustjacket:

This magnificently illustrated volume contains the favorite and legends of the Western World, excitingly retold for modern readers.

Among the great stories that you will find in these pages are:

Beowulf, in which the young hero battles, first, the monster Grendel, then the ferocious mother of Grendel, and finally, a fiery and terrible dragon

Sigurd of the Volsungs, the legend of the Vikings, the bold seafarers who, in the year 1000, discovered America

The Battle of Ronceuaux, the French legend which tells of Charlemagne's war against the Saracens in Spain, and of the brave warrior, Roland

Rustem and Sohrab, the Persian tale that recounts the adventures of two heroes, who are father and son

Tristram and Iseult, the Celtic legend of a Knight, a young Queen, and the dangers that befall them after they have shared a love potion.

Perhaps most important of all, this treasury includes the heart of the great body of Greek myth: the touching story of Phaeton, who drives the flaming chariot of the sun ; of Orpheus, who descends into the under world to reclaim his wife, Eurydice; of the twelve labors of Heracles; of Perseus, who slays the fearful Gorgon; of Theseus, who kills the minotaur, the monster bull of Crete; of Jason, who sails to find the Golden Fleece; and many others.

Here, then, is a galaxy of the world's immortal stories, told in a manner that will enthrall young and adult readers alike. Spectacular paintings in full color illuminate every page. In sum, here is a book of timeless enchantment and beauty to enjoy and to treasure.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ANNE TERRY WHITE grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, was graduated from Brown University, and took her Master's Degree at Stanford University. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Mrs. White has written numerous children's books, originals and adaptations, on a wide variety of subjects. She has recently adapted Rachel Carson's The Sea Around for the special Golden Book edition for young readers.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

ALICE AND MARTIN PROVENSEN met and married while they were working at the Walt Disney Studio. Alice was in the animation department; Martin was preparing Navy training films. They began illustrating books in the I940s and have been winning awards, citations, and public acclaim ever since. Among the many Golden 8o0ks for which they have provided superb illustrations are Animal Fair, The Golden Mother Goose, The Golden Bible: The New Testament, and The Iliad and the Odyssey.

From the 1959 New York Times book review:

In this stunning big volume Anne Terry White presents a generous sampling of the myths and legends which have fed man's imagination for centuries. Nearly half the book is devoted to the basic tales from Greek mythology -- stories of Prometheus, Phaeton, Jason, Oedipus and those other heroes that an earlier generation knew from Bulfinch and Hawthorne.