Fancy a folkloric read? Check out #FolkloreThursday’s books!
Fancy a folkloric read? Check out FolkloreThursday’s books!
From Medicine to Murder: How the Apothecary Garden Found Its Dark Side
There’s something about the concept of a poison garden that either titillates or terrifies, depending on your preferences.
The UK’s most famous Poison Garden is at the Alnwick Garden. Its influence is so far-reaching that if you Google “poison garden”, it dominates the first several pages of results. So much so that I assumed the poison garden was an established concept in horticultural history. Not so, it turns out.
Yet it does descend from a historical gardening ideal – the physic garden.
You and I are going on a voyage of discovery in these gardens. Just be careful not to touch anything…
Old Folktales: The King of the Cats
The story of the ‘King of the Cats’ can be found in folklore from a number of regions and countries. In this tale, cats appear to have the power to speak to humans in order to pass on information to other cats…
Folkore of Wales: The Skeleton Tree, Derwen Ceubren yr Ellyll
Derwen Ceubren yr Ellyll, which means “The Hollow Oak, Haunt of Demons” or “The Blasted Oak of Spirits” was a real tree. Its story is dark and terrifying.
Gabarghichor: A Folktale from Bihar
Galeej, a youth hailing from a low caste, got married to a woman of the same caste and equal status. She was from the neighbouring village. He brought his bride in a palanquin—a local band party in tow—and began living with her in a small hut in his village.
Unicorn Lore: Interpreting the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries
The rare and elusive, mythical, magical unicorn has been part of world folklore and legend for centuries, evolving spectacularly into the modern age. Despite its reputed elusiveness and rarity you do not need to go far to find one these days.