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

My parents tell me a few last family legends, and I contemplate on how these stories might change in the

One of the countries which one doesn't associate the zombie with is Tibet.

2018 marks the tenth anniversary of the Centre for Myth Studies at the University of Essex.

Maypoles are often seen as a quintessentially English tradition, yet in Bavaria the raising of the Maibaum (or May Tree)

May Day is a traditional spring celebration in many cultures, linked with Gaelic Beltane, and is now also the date of Labour

If you have heard or read the folktale “The Three Billy-goats Gruff,” you are aware of the existence of Norwegian

You’re obviously already interested enough to know what folklore is, right? Yet the more we look at folklore, the less

This is the story of the legendary Aurelius Ambrosius, a King of the Britons in the 5th century AD.

How is a gingerbread house tempting if you've gone gluten-free? Who needs pumpkin coaches when there's Uber? It's a question

My parents tell me more family stories, this time about haunted houses. But what haunts a house? Ghosts, or fairies?

The great Victorian fairy fascination held its grip over culture into the early 20th century. In the wake of the

I began writing 'Maypoles, Mandrakes and Mistletoe: A Treasury of British Folklore' back in April last year.

Writers have long retold folk tales just as musicians have reinterpreted folk songs. But when writing Folk, I aimed not

With the renewal of the natural world in spring comes the celebration of Easter, when many ancient traditions are still

Eggs—long symbols of fertility, rebirth, and love—inundate just-budded trees throughout eastern Pennsylvania each spring. While most states celebrate Easter with

#FolkloreThursday's Willow Winsham interviews storyteller Jean Edmiston and her daughter Amanda on their family storytelling tradition, and Jean's new story,

The final article in the series exploring common superstitions is ‘fingers crossed.’ Crossing your fingers is a common gesture in

I asked my parents to tell me about folk beliefs in the Philippines. In the process, I learned some interesting

Vortigern was legendary 5th century King of the Britons featured in the work of early British writers such as Gildas,

Here's a fantastic collection of some of the funnies folklore related humour from over the years of #FolkloreThursday

This piece will present and focus on the benefits of two specific psychotherapeutic tools — archetypal genograms and mythological based

The Lost Words, written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by me was published in October of last year by Hamish

According to British medieval legend and myth, the island now known as Britain was once named Albion after an exiled

The joy of folklore is that it can be discovered and enjoyed at any age! Kate Boughton (@bigsmallfolk) shares some fun

Generally, clover represents protection, fertility and abundance, but where does the widespread belief in a four leaf clover’s good luck

closer look at Taiwanese lore reveals the true international, eclectic and intercultural roots of Taiwanese folk culture.

The story of the 'King of the Cats' can be found in folklore from a number of regions and countries.

Here Nalin Verma recalls memories of his uncle, from his childhood growing up in Bihar.

Dr. Bob Curran reviews "Magical Folk", a new book edited by Simon Young and Ceri Houlbrook, which explores a range

Chris Kullstroem delves into the world of monsters, their cultural festivals and scare tourism