The well-known archaeologist Marija Gimbutas found through her excavations and research in Europe from prehistoric times, that there have been societies that lived in peace for millennia, and where the highest deity was feminine. Gimbutas believed women played a central role in the religions and society of what she called ancient Europe. In societies where the goddess was the supreme deity, life was celebrated — not death, and men and women were equal. People lived in harmony with nature and built their cities on fertile plains. The knowledge of a possible peaceful society where the goddess ruled and where the union between man and woman was sacred has made women and men believe that a better world is possible.

On this background Clementz and Forbord try to find traces of the Great Goddess in symbolism that recurs in myths and fairy tales. The book reproduces a selection of these and sheds new light on them with the help of religious historical theory. We join the goddess Inanna to the underworld, hear the legend of Kuan Yin, follow the tracks of the black Madonnas, investigate the Grail mysteries, look into the Great Goddess of the North and see fairy tales about true love in a new light. The interested reader can look forward to many moments of realization in the company of the authors and their interpretations of known and unknown myths and fairy tales — all from a female perspective.

Ingvild Forbord is a teacher with a major in the history of religion.

Marit Clementz is a teacher and professional storyteller.

Together they run the Women´s Academy, which organizes workshops and travels related to the themes in this book.

They have an online course called Eve`s Apples and lead Wise Women Circles online once a month.