The Bunyip: Australia’s Mysterious Man-eating Swamp Beast
Folklore is filled with tales of man-eating beasties and Australia is no exception, home to the dreaded Bunyip.
Plagues, Fires and Human Sacrifice: Hidden Meanings of London Nursery Rhymes
Kim McGreal explores the curious and macabre origins of some well-known childhood nursery rhymes.
Lost Mines and the Secret of Getting Rich Quick
old! The very word fuels the imagination. And when that furnace is stoked, folklore is not far behind. Legends of lost mines are at the heart of traditions inspired by gold, greed and dreams of sudden wealth. Tales of mines won and lost are international, but they are especially common in the West of the […]
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.
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.