1. The Birth of the Hero
The Birth of Taliesin (Wales)
This myth, about the supernatural origins of the Welsh Poet-Hero Taliesin, features the archetypes The Great Mother and The Hero as The Divine Child.
2. The Call to Adventure
The Departure of Siddhartha (India and Tibet)
Prince Siddhartha lives a pampered, sheltered life within the walls of the Palace. His father the King will do anything to protect him from the unpleasantness of life, but can he – or anyone – stand in the way of Siddhartha’s destiny?
3. The Descent to the Underworld
Inanna’s Descent to the Underworld (Sumeria)
Sumerian goddess Inanna undertakes the treacherous journey to the Underworld and back again.
4. The Road of Trials
Tam Lin (Scotland)
Janet, daughter of the High King, must rescue Tam Lin, her enchanted lover, from the realm of the evil Fairy Queen.
5. The Meeting with the Goddess
Artemis and Actaeon (Greece and Rome)
When a young huntsman chances to see the goddess Artemis undressed and bathing, the hunter soon finds himself the hunted.
The Enchantment of Merlin (Britain and France)
Despite his wisdom and his powers, Merlin is unable to resist the beauty of a young woman – even when he has the power to see that she will cost him his life.
6. The Atonement with the Father
Why Anansi Owns Every Story (West Africa/Ghana)
Anansi, the spider, wants to buy all the stories of the world, but he will have to use his wits to meet the Sky God’s price. Anansi corresponds to the archetypal Trickster figure.
7. The Boon
Gilgamesh’s Search for the Elixir of Life (Sumeria)
Devastated over the death of his beloved friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh undertakes a perilous journey in search of the ultimate boon – immortality.
8. The Return of the Hero
Raven Steals the Sources of Light (Pacific Northwest Native American)
In this story of the Hero as Trickster, Raven becomes the human grandchild of a great chief in order to liberate the stars, moon and sun.