British Legends: The Tragic Romance of Tristan and Isolde
The tale of Tristan and Isolde became a popular Arthurian tale during the 12th century, though it is believed to go back much further, having connections to Celtic legends.
Children’s Teeth and the Mice That Take Them
When I was a child I knew that every time I lost a tooth, the tooth mouse (or tandemuis) would come and swap my baby teeth for cold hard cash.
The Green Children of Woolpit: A Medieval Encounter with Aliens, the Fae – or Orphans of War?
In the middle years of the 12th century, two green-skinned children mysteriously appeared in a field in Suffolk. But who or what were they and where did they come from? Theories range from aliens and the Fae to orphans of war and naughty children.
The Top 5 Magical Women of Arthurian Legend
A brilliant professor once told us that desire always lurks at the heart of Arthurian legends. Desire for glory, for love, for kingdoms, for power over one’s own life. While the desires of Arthurian women often led to unflattering depictions (depictions that Feminist retellings of the legends strive to rehabilitate or explain with a backstory), they also make them some of the legends’ most compelling characters. This is particularly true when magic is involved! With this in mind, today we offer a discussion of our top five most magical women of Arthuriana.
Albion’s Glorious Ile: William Hole and the Strangest Maps of Britain Ever Made
In the early 17th century, the celebrated London engraver William Hole created some of the strangest maps of Britain ever commissioned to illustrate Poly-Olbion, a vast 15,000-line topographical poem by Michael Dayton (1563-1631).