Forest Folklore, Mythology, and Romance

Alexander Porteous’s Forest Folklore, Mythology, and Romance (1928) is a vivid exploration of humanity’s deep and enduring enchantment with the wooded world—a sweeping study where botany meets myth and ancient science merges with story. Moving from the primordial forests of Earth’s early ages to the sacred groves of Druids and the enchanted woods of Arthurian legend, Porteous gathers centuries of myth, superstition, and poetic reverence into a single, richly textured narrative. Written with both scholarly care and imaginative wonder, the book invites readers to wander through history’s most mysterious forests—places where gods whispered in leaves, fairies danced in moonlight, and trees themselves seemed alive with memory and magic.