Wise Women

A richly imagined, inspiring and beautifully told collection of new versions of ancient stories from European myth and folklore which centre and celebrate powerful older women. From early childhood, we learn about the world and its possibilities through myths, fairy tales, and folk tales. But the heroines tend to be young, golden-haired princesses, and the evil-doers are often older women: wicked witches or unforgiving matriarchs. But today's women in mid-life and onwards want to see positive versions of themselves in these stories: older women who pull the strings, weave the webs of the world, and test or advise the heroes and heroines. Many years of research have gone into this new gathering of storm-haired witches, ungainly giantesses, sequin-strewn fairy godmothers, misunderstood sorceresses, thick-waisted goddesses, hairy-chinned hags, and craggy crones who exist within the mythology and folklore of Europe. They each manifest their wisdom in very different ways - and their stories offer us insight into ways that each of us could uniquely embody an elder woman's wisdom today.