Treasury of Folklore – Woodlands and Forests by #FolkloreThursday’s Willow Winsham and Dee Dee Chainey

Treasury of Folklore – Woodlands and Forests: Wild Gods, World Trees and Werewolves is due from @BatsfordBooks in August, available to order now!

An entertaining and enthralling collection of myths, tales and traditions surrounding our trees, woodlands and forests from around the world.

From the dark, gnarled woodlands of the north, to the humid jungles of the southern lands, trees have captured humanity’s imagination for millennia. Filled with primal gods and goddesses, dryads and the fairy tales of old, the forests still beckon to us, offering sanctuary, mystery and more than a little mischievous trickery. From insatiable cannibalistic children hewn from logs, to lumberjack lore, and the spine-chilling legend of Bloody Mary, there is much to be found between the branches. Come into the trees; witches, seductive spirits and big, bad wolves await you.

With this book, #FolkloreThursday aim to encourage a sense of belonging across all cultures by showing how much we all have in common.

Treasury of Folklore: Seas and Rivers by #FolkloreThursday’s Willow Winsham and Dee Dee Chainey

Treasury of Folklore: Seas and Rivers Sirens, Selkies and Ghost Ships from @BatsfordBooks, available here!

Enthralling tales of the sea, rivers and lakes from around the globe. Folklore of the seas and rivers has a resonance in cultures all over the world. Watery hopes, fears and dreams are shared by all peoples where rivers flow and waves crash. This fascinating book covers English sailor superstitions and shape-shifting pink dolphins of the Amazon, Scylla and Charybdis, the many guises of Mami Wata, the tale of the Yoruba River spirit, the water horses of the Scottish lochs, the infamous mystery of the Bermuda Triangle, and much more. Accompanied by stunning woodcut illustrations, popular authors Dee Dee Chainey and Willow Winsham explore the deep history and enduring significance of water folklore the world over, from mermaids, selkies and sirens to ghostly ships and the fountains of youth. With this book, Folklore Thursday aims to encourage a sense of belonging across all cultures by showing how much we all have in common.

Willow Winsham‘s NEW book, England’s Witchcraft Trials, is now available! 

Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

With the echo of that chilling injunction hundreds were accused and tried for witchcraft across England throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. With fear and suspicion rife, neighbour could turn against neighbour, friend against friend, with women, men and children alike caught up in the deadly fervour that swept through both village and town. From the feared covens of Pendle Forest to the victims of the unswerving fanaticism of The Witch Finder General, so-called witches were suspected, accused, and dragged into the spotlight to await judgement and their final fate.

Dee Dee Chainey‘s A Treasury of British Folklore: Maypoles, Mandrakes and Mistletoe

Did you know, in Yorkshire it was believed a person lying on a pillow stuffed with pigeon’s feathers could not die? Or that green is an unlucky colour for wedding dresses—in Scotland they would not even serve green vegetables at the wedding breakfast? In the West Country, the seventh son of a seventh son has the power to cure ringworm. You’ve heard about St. George, but how about the Green Man, who was believed to rule over the natural world? Or Black Shuck, the giant ghostly dog who was reputed to roam East Anglia? As well as looking at the history of this subject, this book has a directory of places you can go to see folklore alive and well today. The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival, for example, or wassailing cider orchards in Somerset.

And don’t forget to pick up your copy of Willow Winsham‘s book Accused: British Witches Throughout History! 

The image of the witch – crook-nosed, unpleasant of disposition and with a penchant for harming her neighbours – is well established in the popular imagination. For hundreds of years the accusation of witchcraft has been levelled against women throughout the British Isles: such women were feared, persecuted, revered and reviled, with many ending their journeys at the stake or noose. Far from a mass of pitiable, faceless victims however, each case tells its own story, with a distinct woman at its heart, spanning the centuries down to the present. What did it really mean to be accused as a witch? Why, and by whom, were such accusations made? Was it possible to survive, and what awaited those who did? Meticulously researched and skilfully and painstakingly woven, this book will be indispensable to anyone with an interest in the popular topic of the history of witchcraft and a love of fascinating and diverse individuals. Setting each of the accused in their social and historical context, Willow Winsham delivers a fresh and revealing look at her subjects, bringing her unique style and passion for detail to this captivating read.

Folklore Films and DVDs

* Items can only be added if genuinely recommended on the hashtag day, and unfortunately not at the request of the author, publisher, author’s friends, long-lost aunt, or the publisher’s dog. If you would like to recommend a book for the list, please post the title and picture (or Amazon link) on Twitter next Thursday with the hashtag #FolkloreThursday – we’ll add as many recommendations as we can!