Description: Myths, epics, bawdy tales, satires, songs, and plays make up traditions of ancient, medieval, early modern cultures. Compares cultural stories worldwide, from early writing to French Revolution. Includes Gilgamesh, Aztec myths, Roland, Tale of Genji, Scandinavian tales, Shakespeare's Tempest, Blake's poetry. Introduces skills for reading narratives by genre, theme, poetics. Texts are in English, with attention to texts' original languages.