Ferrous Friend or Foe? How Iron Became the Enemy of Fairy Folk
Iron bands around coffin of a witch were believed to prevent them from escaping their tombs. Yet iron has also been the saviour of many church bell ringers.
Welsh Lake Legends and Folklore: Llyn Barfog, the Female Dwellers of Annwn and King Arthur and the Afanc
In Wales, legends and folklore of King Arthur and the Otherworld are never far away, and lakes are often the settings for such stories.
British Legends: Treachery, Murder, Lust and Rowena – The Rule of Vortigern
Vortigern was legendary 5th century King of the Britons featured in the work of early British writers such as Gildas, Nennius, Bede, Geoffrey of Monmouth and others.
British Legends: King Lear and Cordelia – A Tale of Love and Foolishness
King Leir and his youngest daughter, Queen Cordelia, were legendary rulers of the the Britons. Their story appeared in History of the Kings of Britain, (Historia regum Britanniae) by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century and presented here is a retelling of that story.
Japanese Folklore of the Ocean: The Ama Divers, Sea Demons, and Ise Jingu
Mie is home to the ama divers, an ancient tradition of women who breath-dive for abalone, and Ise Jingu, the most sacred Shinto shrine in the whole of Japan.