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 Medieval Robin Hood: Folk Carnivals and Ballads
Robin Hood is known by everyone as the English outlaw hero, dashing through the greenwood with his band of merry men to rob from the rich and give to the poor, before feasting on poached deer under the stars.
Smuggler Legends: Owlers, Woolers & Restless Ghosts
Smuggling. The word has been entwined with romantic delusions and depictions for many years. However, in reality this could not be further from the truth. From concepts of men in fancy clothes to moonlit coves and caverns; the idea of the smuggler has been mixed with an almost heroic taste. Yet, the graphic novella ‘The […]
The Leprechaun: Harmless Hoarder or Malevolent Miser?
Some say that, like all fairykind, leprechauns came from the Otherworld, the land of the gods. Others report that leprechauns evolved from fallen angels.
British Legends: The Outlaws of Inglewood and the Feminine Influence
The story of William of Cloudesly is found in a 16th century ballad, Adam Bell, Clym of the Cloughe and Wyllyam of Cloudeslee, but may be older. It was included in the influential 19th century collection, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, as ballad 116, by Francis James Child. Although it is a male dominated, rip-roaring, all action story, three women play a significant part, emerging at points to influence events. Presented here is a short retelling followed by a brief discussion on the influence of the three females on the story.