While there are numerous books on the market about faeries and the world of magic, none have presented the reader with the practical history, philosophy, and tools for entering and navigating that land. Through narrative and illustration this ground-breaking book allows readers to discover the gateways to the faerie realm and explore this mysterious landscape and its denizens. Froud's paintings are each inspired by a specific rune, and these richly symbolic and potent icons are open to infinite interpretations. In the hands of the exceptional folklorist and poet Ari Berk, the secret meanings of these runes are teased out and the power they offer us is made manifest. Even a single letter provides the visual key to a host of mythic stories' lands, and adventures. By using the runes and Brian's paintings as tools to explore both the "seen" world and the "unseen" world, The Runes of Elfland will inspire readers to re-imagine their own lives and tell their own tales.