The cursed painting is an enduring urban legend that continues to have the ability to scare us, and also makes

have a confession to make: I’m a bibliophile. I have a small collection of very, very old books and

A project cataloguing the archive of a renowned British palaeopathologist has revealed fascinating insights into how superstition and a belief

In some regions of Madagascar, it is considered fady to eat certain lemurs, meaning local taboos can actually act as

In the nineteenth century, Lady Charlotte Guest (with a team of Welsh scholars) translated a series of stories from Welsh

Incorporating folklore can add authenticity, richness and whole new layers of meaning to historical fiction. Novelist Melissa Harrison explores how

The Jack-in-the-Green was (and indeed is) a traditional participant in May celebrations and May Day parades in the UK.

While Pan’s goat-like appearance makes him one of the most recognizable of the Greek gods, ambivalence surrounding the figure makes

Remy Dean explores the stories of Wild Kynaston; a medieval noble turned highwayman who may have inspired some of the

In Arthurian legend and romance, Queen Guinevere was famous as the wife of King Arthur and the lover of her

Antiquity, with inscrutable dead languages, some still indecipherable, pulls us close with epic monuments and inscriptions.

The influences of folklore in the beliefs and rituals of exorcism are traced by Dr. Francis Young, who explores these

The narrative of witchcraft in Ireland is a subject often left out of major surveys of the wider history of

From King Arthur to Jack the Giant Killer, this county has an array of famous tales, but being a man

Whenever a bear shows up in a folktale, we know something wonderful, and maybe a bit scary, is about to

What is it about swans? They feature heavily in Western European folklore, a graceful animal for a human to be

Make sure you crush up your eggshells after eating an egg, otherwise witches will use them as boats and cause

Beowulf is an anonymously written long poem originally written in Old English, the language commonly spoken in England in Anglo-Saxon

If contemporary versions of popular fairy tales are anything to go by, you could be left thinking that women are

Paul Watson speaks to Dee Dee Chainey about the inspiration behind 'England’s Dark Dreaming', his second book of myth and

David Castleton explores a curious local tradition in Glentham, Lincolnshire, which seems to merge folkloric traditions with Christian rituals.

Follow the path marked by red torii gates and enter a world outside of the city, a world of meandering

The image of the Gypsy conjures up ideas of a carefree people, who live life without rules and restrictions. In

It seems fairly logical to begin our search for the real Dick Whittington at Whittington Castle in Shropshire, which local

Folk tales tell us how we live and keep our local history alive. They pass on the stories and knowledge

Modern farming has transformed the landscape of Britain and Ireland, to the detriment of nature. Lisa Schneidau argues that the

Here's an introduction to the trees featured in the Ogham alphabet!

The Victorian newspaper archives are full of unusual ghost sightings, but there aren’t many as unique, or with a more

Historically, Elen of the Hosts was a real woman who lived in the 4th century, but in British legend and

By Indian mythology, one refers to worldviews that emerged in the Indian subcontinent. What makes them unique is the belief

Kim McGreal explores the curious and macabre origins of some well-known childhood nursery rhymes.

In Buddhism and Hinduism, the mandala is a symbol of devotion representing the transformation of the Universe from a state

Ask anyone for the names of the great fairy tale tellers, But hardly anyone will mention Mary de Morgan, Pre-Raphaelite,

Three years ago, in June 2015, the first ever #FolkloreThursday took place. Folklore was shared throughout the day and great

In America’s Dairyland, expressing one’s ethnic identity sometimes means not only participating in the revitalization of a folk art but

In the great wealth of witch-related lore, the image of the persecuted local midwife is one of the most enduringly popular.

Despite a great many people knowing that Norway is awash with folklore, many would be hard-pressed to name a Norwegian

Werewolves. The name alone conjures up nightmarish images from our current pop culture horror films starring this shapeshifting man-wolf.

Although their origins lie in Japanese folk traditions, omamori are still a popular sight throughout Japan. The word itself, 御守り,

The legendary Uther Pendragon was the father of Arthur Pendragon who was destined to become the greatest King of the