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.
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.
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.
Welsh Lake Legends and Folklore: Llyn Cwm Llwch and the Door of the Tylwyth Teg
Welsh lake legends from the Brecon Beacons: A strange and dangerous old woman, an invisible island and an otherworldly guardian.
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…