The White Hind of Hope
What does it mean if you see a white deer in the woods? Lisa Schneidau explores the folklore and folk tale of this mythical creature and the inspiration it brings for our times.
A Treasury of British Folklore: Maypoles, Mandrakes and Mistletoe
I began writing ‘Maypoles, Mandrakes and Mistletoe: A Treasury of British Folklore’ back in April last year.
“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
Iceland’s Hidden People: Finding All That’s Lost
A land’s topography speaks of the forces that have formed it and how it has endured; in Iceland, the shape of people’s beliefs and the ways folklore bisects and enriches everyday life is as striking and memorable as the volcanic landscape. Mythology reflects and refracts the dangers of the natural environment.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
In her book, Enchanted Tales, Laura Sampson retells the enchanting story of ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’, a tale from France by Charles Deulin.