The Green Man : tales from the mythic forest / edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling ; decorations by Charles Vess.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

One of our most enduring, universal myths is that of the Green Man-the spirit who stands for Nature in its most wild and untamed form, a man with leaves for hair who dwells deep within the mythic forest. Through the ages and around the world, the Green Man and other nature spirits have appeared in stories, songs, and artwork, as well as many beloved fantasy novels, including Tolkien's Lord of the Rings .

Now Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, the acclaimed editors of over thirty anthologies, have gathered some of today's finest writers of magical fiction-including, among many others, the bestselling Neil Gaiman ( Sandman; American Gods ), Jane Yolen ( Briar Rose ), Gregory Maguire ( Wicked ), and Patricia A. McKillip ( The Tower at Stony Wood )-to interpret the spirits of nature in short stories and poetry. Folklorist and artist Charles Vess ( Stardust ) brings his stellar eye and brush to the decorations, and Windling provides an introduction exploring Green Man symbolism and forest myth.

The Green Man will become required reading for teenagers and adults alike-not only for fans of fantasy fiction, but for all readers interested in mythology and the mysteries of the wilderness.

Introduction by Terri Winding.

Cover and decorations by Charles Vess.