Mixing Animals, Birds, Humans and Gods in Celtic Mythology
Animals played an important part in the everyday life of the ancients Celts. In Celtic mythology the lives of
Five Extraordinary Goddesses
The first witch of Western literature, Circe lived what appears to be an idyllic, solitary life on the island of
Racism & Folklore: Meet Saci-Pererê, The Brazilian Folklore Superstar
We’ve got many different characters in Brazilian Folkcloric scene and they are related to all aspects of the land, weather,
Hunting for Unicorns
Scotland is one of the few nations to have chosen a mythological creature rather than a real one as her
Top 5 Mothers in Brazilian Folklore, Mythology and Beliefs
Mother goddesses are present in all kinds of mythology around the world. They all bring the archetypical mother qualities: giving
Wolf Myths and Folklore From Around the World
The most famous wolf myth is the one of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. The story has evolved
Was it Really East of the Sun and West of the Moon?
The Norwegian folktale, “East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” in which a white bear comes to take
Aurora Borealis: the Folklore of the Northern Lights
The Auroras, as we know today, are dependent on the interactions of the sun and our upper atmosphere, and have
On Gnomes: From Alchemical Theory to a Fairy Tale Staple
Gnomes trace their origins back through alchemical theory to Greek and Roman mythology.
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
Mythical Beasts: The Griffin, the Legendary King of All Creatures
A griffin is a legendary beast believed to be the offspring of a lion and an eagle, depicted in various
The Cailleach: Irish Myth, Legend and the Divine Feminine
The Cailleach, which translates as ‘old woman’, ‘hag’, and ‘veiled one’, exists in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and is
Psychopomps: Tour Guides to the Afterlife
Psychopomps — beings who guide the soul to the afterlife — have long been part of mythology and folklore, ranging
Snow Queens and Winter Witches from Around the World
Through myth, fairy tale and legend, powerful women are depicted as dark, cruel and calculating, and they are often naturally
Winter Plants: The Magic of Mistletoe
Mistletoe is known to most people for its Christmas associations, but holds a long folklore of magical associations, where it
The Above World: Reaching for the Sky in Native American Myths
The Sky World of Native American myth refers to a parallel celestial universe located in the Sky. It is home
Welsh Mythology and Storytelling: Telling the Mabinogion
In the nineteenth century, Lady Charlotte Guest (with a team of Welsh scholars) translated a series of stories from Welsh
Pan: Arcadian Myth, Victorian Panic
While Pan’s goat-like appearance makes him one of the most recognizable of the Greek gods, ambivalence surrounding the figure makes
Mythologising the Myth: From Ra to Re in Ancient Egypt
Antiquity, with inscrutable dead languages, some still indecipherable, pulls us close with epic monuments and inscriptions.
Again and Again in Indian Mythology
By Indian mythology, one refers to worldviews that emerged in the Indian subcontinent. What makes them unique is the belief
The Tibetan Zombie: The Himalayas’ Walking Dead
One of the countries which one doesn't associate the zombie with is Tibet.
Fairies and the Folklore Society: 1878-1945
The great Victorian fairy fascination held its grip over culture into the early 20th century. In the wake of the
Exploring Folktales: Achieving Improved Ego Identity and Recovery from Trauma
This piece will present and focus on the benefits of two specific psychotherapeutic tools — archetypal genograms and mythological based
British Legends: The Origin of Albion and the Bloodlust of Albina and Her Sisters
According to British medieval legend and myth, the island now known as Britain was once named Albion after an exiled
“Magical Folk”: A Review
Dr. Bob Curran reviews "Magical Folk", a new book edited by Simon Young and Ceri Houlbrook, which explores a range
Why Werewolves Eat People: Cannibalism in the Werewolf Narrative
The one constant throughout visual and literary representations of the werewolf is the willing – or unwilling – consumption of
Archaic Living Religion: Mythology’s Residence in the Dark Hinterland of the Collective Psyche
This piece aims to present the inter-connection between folk tales and myths, and psychology. I then show how this connection
Lived Folklore in the Fairy Census
The Fairy Census: 2014-2017 is a collection of modern fairy sightings. These have been collected through an internet questionnaire via
British Legends: The Founding of Britain — Brutus of Troy and the Prophecy of Diana
Brutus of Troy was a legendary Trojan exile who some medieval chroniclers claimed was responsible for the founding of Britain.
Dragon Legends: Myth or Half-Truth?
Dragons play a popular role in legend, Where might their origins have begun, and can we see parallels between them
Women on a Quest: The Hawaiian Saga of Pele the Volcano Goddess and Hiiaka
The saga of Pele's youngest sister Hiiaka is a heroic quest across the Hawaiian archipelago. It conveys a perspective of women
This, That and the Other: Folklore of the Three Realms
A lot of folklore is concerned with other realms. Worlds that exist apart, yet overlap or interact to varying degrees.
King Arthur, the Mabinogion and Wales’ Legendary Landscapes
The National Library of Wales discuss their exhibition 'Arthur and Welsh Mythology', and how Welsh folklore is engrained in its
Trows, Changelings and Wise Women in Early Nineteenth Century Kirkwall
A nineteenth century autobiography written by the minister William Leask offers a fascinating insight into supernatural belief in contemporary Orkney.
Off the Grid: The Epic Tale of The Dun Cow, or… How Now Brown Cow?
There was once a bright-white cow which travelled round the world, giving milk enough for all comers. Whoever drank of
The Duality of Modern Haitian Vodou
When the traditional Vodun religion of West African slaves collided in the Caribbean with the incoming Christianity of colonists, Haitian
A Welsh Legend: The Men in the Cave by Horatio Clare
In this short story, Horatio Clare presents a retelling of the sleeping hero tale of Arthurian legend through the eyes
Spinning a Tale: Spinning and Weaving in Myths and Legends
Spinning is a fundamentally human thing, and something that we have been doing since far into the ancient past.
Fairy Folklore: Come Away, O Human Child
To be led astray, Peter Pan style, by a fairy – ‘pixie led’ – is an old fear from isolated
Protection and Punishment: Beliefs About Angels in Tudor and Stuart England
In Tudor and Stuart England, angels were believed to deliver messages, protect the godly, carry souls to heaven, punish sinners,