Just Hanging Around: The Gallows in English Folklore
The gallows play a dark role in the history of punishment, but also show an important influence in folklore, folk practices, and even everyday language.
Folk-Ore: The Magical Power of Blacksmiths and Their Enduring Stories
The folklore of iron and smithing has been common since prehistory, and one of the oldest folktales tells of a blacksmith forging a deal with the devil.
The Origins of ‘Touch Wood’: Tree Spirits, The True Cross, or Tag?
The superstition of ‘touch wood’, or ‘knock on wood’ is still common today, but what was its original source? Madeleine D’Este explores some possibilities.
How to Sell Your Wife …
How do you rid yourself of a wife who no longer pleases you? Sell her, of course.
The Folklore of Exorcism
The influences of folklore in the beliefs and rituals of exorcism are traced by Dr. Francis Young, who explores these effects in a practice common to many cultures and countries.