“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.
Dolphin Folklore of the Ancient World
Dolphins are frequently found in ancient Greek and Roman folklore, where tales tell of their roles in medicine and myth, and as helpers to Gods and mortals.
The Seal Children: Sealskins and Soulskins. Or, When We Were Migrants
The first story that I found in this land where I live was The Seal Children, and as we walk the path to Maes Y Mynydd where the story is set, my mind wanders back through selkie stories.
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.
Tree Folklore: Birch, the Lady of the Wood
The birch has a particularly graceful, flowing habit that always reminds me of a stream of water, extending right to the tips of its delicate black twigs in a shower of leafy droplets that tremble, suspended, in their fall.