Lead Review
- Book: Storyland
- Location: United Kingdom
- Author: Amy Jeffs
Have you ever wondered how the River Severn got its name? Or why Wayland the Smith is remembered in Oxfordshire? Do you know why the throne of Simon Brecc was important to the ancient Scotti people? Storyland, by Amy Jeffs, can explain.
The book retells a collection of myths about the ancient history of the British Isles, from Orkney to Ireland and from Stonehenge to Tintagel. Originally, our ancient ancestors told these stories to explain or justify events, or to instil a moral code with rewards for good behaviour and punishment for anyone breaking the rules. The messages were considered sufficiently important that they wanted to ensure they were passed down from one generation to the next. In a time before science some of the stories gave logical – or entertaining – reasons for natural phenomena, while others recalled larger-than-life characters, often with supernatural powers, who were so heroic that places were named after them. Storyland will be of great interest to anyone who half-remembers being told that the landscape of Britain was once moulded by giants or that ancient kings fought with dragons to keep the country safe.
In the author’s view, myths are the “tools of collective identity … sources of enmity and pride … imprinted onto the landscape.” The stories of battles against giants and dragons are emblematic of battles against the waves of foreign invaders who successively governed the ancient kingdoms. There’s romance and chivalry, luxury and privilege but there’s also gritty reality, subjugation (mainly of women!), magic and trickery. There’s also power and politics: as we approach a more modern Christian era, the characters’ justification for their conquests is less concerned with prophesies and magic and more about the divine right of kings to govern. Each story was intended to create a sense of belonging and ownership of the land in the listener and they can have the same effect on the modern reader.
The tales are in chronological order, beginning with stories about the discovery of (what is now) the British Isles by Trojans who were outcast from their own land, through to the Middle Ages and the Norman Conquest. We encounter familiar names, such as Merlin, the giant Gogmagog, Greek gods and Biblical characters. Each story is followed by the author’s useful explanation about the sources she used, and variations on the story. This is very helpful in enhancing our understanding of the myth and its importance to the people who shared it — and hence kept it alive for future generations. The fact that these heroic tales were shared initially as oral histories, then as elaborate poems or in various manuscripts, means that there tend to be many versions of the myths and the homeopathic level of truth that each has stemmed from has often been lost in the mists of time. It hardly matters to us, though; they are entertaining in their own right. As the author says, “Myths hold the echo of collective emotion, whatever they reveal of events.” She takes her preferred version of each myth and runs with it.
The book is generously illustrated with bold black and white linocut and wood engravings created by the author. The black, white and gold cover is striking and beautiful. In many cases the author also describes making her own pilgrimages to the locations mentioned – for example, seeking out the footprint left by a king’s faithful hound on a mountain top. These journeys are evocative and tend to be quite down to earth, contrasting with the myths that went before, as the author manages our expectations about what we might find if we follow in her footsteps intending to witness the scene of the heroic, epic tales for ourselves. Often it’s a misty hillside in the rain!
I would recommend reading this book in small bites – taking time to savour each. Storyland was developed from Dr Jeff’s PhD thesis, but I can reassure you that it’s written in an easy, entertaining style. Handily, she has included an excellent index and you can delve deeper using the Further Reading section, if you’re really intrigued. Or maybe make a pilgrimage of your own – just remember your brolly!
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