Folkrealm Studies
  • Folkrealm Studies
    • Eskimo Folktales: The Red Skeleton
    • Paiute Mythology: The Legend of the North Star
    • Scottish legends: The each-uisge
    • Scottish legends: The Cu Sith
    • The Last Song of Thomas the Rhymer
    • Legendary places: Dozmary Pool. Bodmin Moor, Cornwall
    • Chalice Well, Glastonbury, Somerset
    • Legendary places: Wishing Wells
    • Mystery, Murder and Magic at the Rollright Stones
    • Joseph of Arimathea
    • The Glastonbury Thorn
    • Victorian mysteries: Spring-heeled Jack
    • Brutus of Troy, first King of Britain
    • Beowulf - Hero of the age
    • The Mermaid of Blake Mere Pool, Staffordshire, England
    • A legend of the white hare
    • Sunken Bells: The Legend of the Kentsham Bell
    • Dartmoor folklore: Vixiana the Witch of Vixen Tor
    • Origins of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
    • Japanese folktales: The stonecutter
    • Japanese folktales: The Bamboo cutter and the Moon-child
    • Russian folktales: The Fool and the flying ship
    • European Folktales: The Hunter and the Swan Maiden
    • To love a Swan Maiden
    • The Swan Maiden's challenge
    • German Fairy Tales: The Six Swans
    • The Evolution of Christmas
    • Introduction to Chilote mytholgy
    • Chilote mythology: The Royal Family of the Sea
    • El Caleuche: The ghost ship of Chilote folklore
    • Supernatural beings in Chilote mythology
    • Corineus, first Duke of Cornwall
    • Cornish folklore
    • Cornish legends: The tasks of Jan Tregeagle
    • Jack the Giant-killer fights Cormoran the Giant
    • Cornish legends: The Mermaid of Zennor
    • Cornish Folklore: The Witch of Treva
    • Lost Worlds
    • Lost Worlds: The drowning of the city of Ys
    • Lost worlds: The town beneath Kenfig Pool
    • Lost worlds: The drowned Russian city of Kitezh
    • Lost worlds: Cantre’r Gwaelod of Wales
    • Lost worlds: El Dorado
    • Lost worlds: The sunken realm of Tyno Helig
    • Lost worlds: Semerwater
    • Lost worlds: The town beneath Lake Bala
    • Lost Worlds: The Hidden Cherokees of Pilot Mountain
    • Welsh mythology
    • Welsh legends: The Lady of Llyn y Fan Fach
    • Welsh legends: King March's ears
    • Welsh legends: The Afanc of the River Conwy
    • Welsh legends: The birth of Taliesin
    • The Legend of the Church of the White Stag
    • Welsh legends: Mereid of Cantre’r Gwaelod
    • Publications by zteve t evans
    • Tales of the Lost, the Drowned and the All-Seeing Eye: Vengeance Will Come!
    • Folkrealm Tidings
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The frightening appearance of Spring-heeled Jack

3/6/2015

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PictureSpring heeled Jack - Public Domain
Spring-heeled Jack was a legendary character who first appeared in Victorian London. He would terrify people by springing out on them and by his fearsome appearance.

Victorian London

In Victorian times London was the largest city in the world. It had experienced an explosion in population as people moved from the countryside in search of work as the Industrial Revolution unfolded.
In 1800 the population was about one million people but by 1880 it had reached 4.5 million.

This influx of people from the countryside was supplemented by people coming from foreign countries to live and trade in the great city. It was a melting pot of cultures where people brought their own traditions, superstitions and folklore with each adding to the other.

The rich and middle class lived in comfortable and spacious homes but lived in relatively close proximity to the poor and working class whose housing was usually in overcrowded slums. The streets were badly lit at night and crime was rife. In such an atmosphere urban legends sprang up and spread rapidly.

Spring-heeled Jack was generally described as having a long pale face, horns on his head and had the ability to breathe blue and white fire from his mouth. His eyes were also said to glow red and he wore a tight fitting garment of white over his tall, thin, body covered by a dark cloak. His hands were like sharp metallic claws.

He got his name from his acrobatic abilities and was said to be able to spring and leap huge distances to escape capture. According to two witnesses he could speak good English.  Read more


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The Fall of Phaethon in Greek mythology

3/6/2015

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PictureThe fall of Phaeton - Giovanni Bernardi - Public Domain
Greek mythology contains many stories that have relevance and significance today.  The story of Phaethon’s downfall is one such myth.  Phaeton was a young man who felt embarrassed and humiliated because he was illegitimate and did not know who his father was. He knew his mother who loved him and he had sisters who loved him but this was not enough.

Ever since he was a boy his play mates had taunted him because he had no father and was illegitimate.  This upset him greatly so one day he went to his mother, Clymene and begged her to tell him who is father was.   His mother told him his father was the sun god, Helios (Apollo).  Read more


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The legendary Moddey Dhoo of Peel Castle, Isle of Man

3/6/2015

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PicturePeel Castle, Isle of Man - Public Domain
The Moddey Dhoo of Peel Castle goes back at least to the reign of Charles the Second of England.  In those days there were soldiers stationed at Peel Castle as guards.

When the first sightings of a large black dog with a long, shaggy, unkempt coat were reported, some accounts said it was like a huge spaniel.  No one knew who it belonged to, where it had come from, or how it got into the castle.

Its presence was a complete mystery, always appearing after the gates were shut.  Sometimes it would appear in one room, and at other times would be seen in different parts of the castle and grounds.

Every evening after the fire was kindled in the guard room fireplace and as the cold and gloom began to dissipate the dog would be heard padding down the passage to enter the guard room.

The huge creature ignored the frightened guards and making no sound lay by the fireside until dawn.  Then just before the sun rose it would get up and pad into the passage and disappear until evening when it would reappear again.

The dog is said to have had a supernatural appearance and although the guards were frightened of the beast they would ignore it.  Instead of drinking and reveling they would tend to keep sober and quiet so as not to disturb, keeping on their best behavior.  However, now instead of one soldier taking the key to the Captain’s quarters, two would go.  No one would walk along the black passage alone after the appearance of the dog.  Read more


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The Welsh folktale of Gelert the faithful hound

3/6/2015

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Picture
Prince Llywelyn

Llywelyn the Great (1173 – 1240) was a prince of Gynedd in North Wales in the days of King John of England who was his liege lord. He was a major figure in the power struggles of Wales and also involved with the politics of England, allying himself with the Barons who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta. Over a period of forty years through war, diplomacy and strategic planning, he came to be regarded as acting leader and principle power over most of Wales. He was one of only two Welsh princes to earn the title ‘Great.’ His ancestor, Rhodri was the other. Although Llywelyn had sided with the Barons over the Magna Carta there had been times when he had been an ally of King John. In thanks, John had given is daughter, Joan, to be Prince Llywelyn’s wife, possibly to cement their alliance.

The legend of Gelert

The Prince was a great huntsman and as a wedding gift King John had given him a most magnificent and massive Irish wolfhound who was named Gelert. Around people the dog was gentle, friendly and obedient. In the hunt Gelert was a tireless and fearless hunter and soon rose to be leader of Llywelyn’s hunting pack. He was also loyal and faithful to his master and soon became a great favourite of Llywelyn’s. 
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The tragic folktale of Maude’s Elm

3/6/2015

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Picture
The folktale of Maude’s elm is a story of cruelty and injustice.   Time has blurred the edges of reality and as the story was passed mostly by word of mouth gaining a degree of exaggeration and embellishment along the way.  Norman’s History of Cheltenham, by John Goding is one of the earliest and best narratives of the legend and Tony McKormack also provides a very good more recent account.

The Darling of the Village

In the village of Swindon not far from the town of Cheltenham there a lived a young girl called Maude.  She was regarded by everyone as the belle of the village and very much loved by all the villagers.  Her mother’s name was Margret Bowen. She and her daughter lived in a cottage, now known as Maude’s Cottage, with Margret’s brother, Godfrey Bowen.  Maude and her mother earned their living by spinning wool which was sold in the nearby town of Cheltenham.

Maude Goes Missing

One morning Maude had set off to sell some spun wool in Cheltenham but failed to return by nightfall. Her worried mother, frantic with fear, raised the alarm amongst the villagers who formed a search party.   It was a black night and the villagers finding no trace of Maude in the darkness were forced to give up. At dawn the search party resumed the hunt for the girl.  Read more


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Folkrealm tidings

3/6/2015

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“And those who have heard deeply the rhythms and hymns of the gods, can recite those hymns in such a way that the gods will be attracted.”
― Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life & Work
Picture
Green Man in Ludlow parish church - Photographer: Simon Garbutt - CC BY-SA 3.0
Folkrealm Tidings is the web journal of Folkrealm Studies and aims to provide news, information and food for discussion and thought on matters related to myths, legends, folklore, folk tales, traditional art, dancing and culture.   We will provide information and stories on events, interesting people, writers, musicians and artists which we think deserve to have a stage.
                                                                                                                   zteve t evans
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