Draugen is a sea monster in Norwegian nautical folklore, thought to be the ghostly remnants of a fisherman who died at sea. He usually appears during storms, covered in seaweed and sailing in half of a boat. He is very fond of beer, and is known to roam around coastal dwellings in search of it.
Though in modern fantasy the term "dryad" means any tree nymph, to the ancient Greeks the dryads were only nymphs of oak trees. Other nymphs included daphnaie (laurels), epimelides (apple trees), meliae (ash trees), anthousai (flowers), and kissiae (ivy). #WyrdWednesday#folklore#mythology#greekmythology#Greek#fairy
According to Scandinavian folklore, fairies are shapeshifters that can take on various guises. Sometimes they take the form of insects or frogs, and other times they appear as a white mist hovering above the meadow. They can also be invisible.
It's St Mark's Eve! In the 17-19th centuries, people might hold a vigil in the church porch between 11 pm and 1 am to see visions of who would die that coming year pass into the church. In some traditions, they did so for 3 successive years to see the apparations [Image by me] #FabulousFolklorePodcast#Folklore#StMarksEve#FolkTraditions#FolkloreThursday#FolkloreBlog
Gwalchmai/Gawaine is one of the few warriors of King Arthur who doesn't have any superpowers in the original Welsh King Arthur stories, but is ironically the only who does have powers (superhuman strength based on the sun) in many later Arthurian romances.
🎨Howard Pyle #MythologyMonday#BookChatWeekly#mythology#folklore#KingArthur#Arthuriana#Wales#Celtic
Today is St Mark's Eve, the "spookiest day of the year after Halloween."
Folklore tells us that the ghosts of those destined to die in the coming year will join a "procession of the dead" from their local church between 11pm & 1am.
Keep your eyes peeled if you're out after dark. #stmarkseve#folklore
According to Norwegian folklore, mare twigs ('marekvister') are structures that appear on a birch tree because a mare has been riding it. It was believed that hanging mare twigs in the bedroom would keep the nightmare inducing mares at bay. These structures are actually caused by the fungus Taphrina betulina.
Surprisingly, it was not King Arthur's sword that was one of the 13 Treasures of Britain in Welsh legend, but instead his cloak Gwenn. This silk cloak was white as snow and had a reddish-gold apple sewn at each of its corners. It could turn King Arthur invisible.
🎨Rubin Eynon #FolkloreSunday#mythology#folklore#Wales#Cornwall#KingArthur#Arthuriana
Norwegian gnomes (nisser) are easily recognizable due to their distinctive fashion choices. They are almost always dressed in shades of blue, brown and grey, and their hats are bright red. When they turn their hats inside out, they become invisible.
Folk tradition meets MOT centre. I popped into Libby Bovey’s small but brilliant exhibition in Bristol this week. If you’re into that sort of thing it’s well worth a look. On until 24th at BS1 6TJ.
There is a wide variety of trolls in Norwegian folklore: trolls that are so huge you can barely distinguish them from the mountains, trolls whose noses are so long they use them to stir their porridge, and law-abiding trolls who always pay their taxes on time.
Both parts of my Debut folk horror audio drama are now available to listen to! Enter a world immersed in Shropshire Folklore, ruled by Devil Himself. There's something very strange afoot up the stiperstones!
Hi! 34/FTM. Avid #gardener finding happiness in the soil. #Garden completely from seeds. #Writing is my life. It is everything to me. I #tiedye most of the clothes I wear. My #cat is my best buddy and constant companion.
In the past, it was traditional to set egg white in a glass cup on Holy Thursday evening. On Good Friday morning, predictions would be made based on the pattern or shape of the egg white. For example, a ship meant travel.
The story of the Children of Lir is one of the best known tales of Ireland. This story tells of Lir and his wife Aobh and their four children called Aodh, Fionnghuala, Fiachra and Conn. Lir's wife died and he married again. At first she loved them dearly but after a time she grew jealous of their father's affection for them.
One day she bore them away and put them under a spell. They were turned into four white swans at Lake Derravarragh in County Westmeath #Mythologymonday#folklore
It's so important to me to remember when writing, whether named or unnamed, the subject of folklore is people. It is their experiences and stories that shine through. So we must focus on that personhood, and treat them with kindness and empathy always 💚