Italian Folklore: The Devil’s Column, at the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio
The Devil’s Column (Colonna del Diavolo), in Milan is the focus of one of Milan’s oldest and most beloved legends …
A Thousand Years Before Tolkien: The Original Evil Magic Ring
An evil magic ring, associated with dwarf and dragon – what a great idea Tolkien had for his books! But he actually borrowed it from ancient Viking legends…
Prison or Prophecy? The Woman in the Tower
For many, the Woman in the Tower is a symbol of female oppression and repression, a highly negative image charged with a history of daughters denied their freedom. So, let’s take a look at some Women in Tower stories from different times and places, and see what symbolism we can find within them.
Stories My Parents Tell Me: Bars of Flaming Swords
I asked my parents to tell me about folk beliefs in the Philippines. In the process, I learned some interesting family stories. “Mom, what do you know about the aswang?” My parents never told me much about Filipino folklore when I was growing up.
Japan’s Top 3 Weirdest Monsters
Japan is monster country. Nowhere else on earth has the sheer variety of bizarre beasties lurking in every shadow. And no-one’s monsters are as weird.