Sky Goddesses, Spring Mechanisms, or Sprites: Why Is it Bad Luck to Open an Umbrella Inside?
Madeline D’Este explores the possible origins behind the common belief that the act of opening an umbrella indoors invites bad luck.
Encounters With Ajarns: My Experiences With the Rituals of Thai Lanna Buddhism
Rituals can be transformational episodes that connect the initiand with other realms and higher cosmic plains. Thai Lanna Buddhist rituals are sublime and magnificent ceremonies.
From Cow to Kitchen: The Lore of Milking and Dairy Work
If a cow lost her milk, it could prove disastrous for a hard-up family. Witches and fairies were often blamed for this. It was commonly believed that witches took the form of a hare and suckled cows dry during the night.
Top 10 Fun Folklore Activities for Children and Their Grown-ups
The joy of folklore is that it can be discovered and enjoyed at any age! Kate Boughton (@bigsmallfolk) shares some fun activities to get children excited about and involved in different aspects of folklore. Here are ten practical ideas to engage children in folklore.
“The neck! The neck! The neck!” – Kern Dollies, Corn Spirits & Harvest Home
Incorporating folklore can add authenticity, richness and whole new layers of meaning to historical fiction. Novelist Melissa Harrison explores how traditional practices and beliefs around the harvest informed her creative process when she was writing her new book, All Among the Barley