“Magical Folk”: A Review
Dr. Bob Curran reviews “Magical Folk”, a new book edited by Simon Young and Ceri Houlbrook, which explores a range of fairy folklore from across the world.
Mark Twain’s Wild West and the Presidential Election of 1872
In a daring act, facing frightful peril, Mark Twain exploited a legend to launch his onstage comic career. With his future as a lecturer on a knife’s edge, Twain decided to open with a worn-out narrative that had seen better days. A disgruntled audience nearly drove him from the stage … until they understood his brilliant manipulation of their own folklore.
Black Arts and Talismans: Huw Llwyd, the Real Welsh Wizard
Huw Llwyd, the Welsh wizard, has been immortalised in the folklore and fairy tales of Wales, his fantastic exploits told and re-told down the ages.
Sex, Murder, and the Myth of the Wild West: How a Soiled Dove Earned a Heart of Gold
In the summer of 1960 at the age of five, I joined an honored folk tradition by telling my first Comstock lie. It was about a sex worker who had transformed into a legend of the Wild West.
Japanese Legends: The Three Most Evil Yokai of Japan
Japan has a love of official top three lists. You may have heard of the Three Views of Japan (Matsushima, Amanohashidate, and Itsukushima), the Three Great Gardens of Japan (Kenroku-en, Koraku-en, and Kairaku-en), or the Three Sacred Mountains of Japan (Mount Fuji, Mount Haku, and Mount Tate). But did you know that there are official […]