Silver Myths and Legends of the World — Geraldine McCaughrean

These are the stories our ancestors told to explain how the world began, or they are legends of half-remembered heroes or people whose lives were changed by magic. Brilliantly retold in the sparkling, energetic prose of one of the great names in children's books, Silver Myths and Legends and its companion volume Gold Myths and Legends make an outstanding collection of wonderful tales, many of them unavailable anywhere else.