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The Legend of Lady Godiva

2/8/2015

Sketch of Lady Godiva - Public Domain

The popular legend of how Lady Godiva rode naked on horse back through the streets of Coventry to save the people from a crippling and unjust tax known as the Heregild, is one of the most renowned stories in British folklore. The Heregild was a tax imposed on the English by the Danish King Canute to pay for his body guard.

According to the legend the event happened on a market day and had profoundly beneficial consequences for the people of Coventry. The problem with legends is that there are often more than one versions of the same story and events that happened in the distant past get changed and exaggerated until it is difficult to discern the accuracy of accounts. This article presents a version of the popular legend of Lady Godiva as it exists today and has been put together from a number of other versions. It is the first of a planned series on the subject each of which will present different view points on the legend, such as the historical and pagan contexts of the story. Read more

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The story of the Centaurs in Greek mythology

2/8/2015

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Drawing of centaur - Pearson Scott Foresman - Public Domain

n Greek mythology the Centaurs are also known as the Kentauroi. They are beings that are semi horse and semi human. Their torso and head are in human form, and their body is the form of a horse. Being half human and half animal they were in continuous conflict with themselves and the world around them.

Some scholars think that the Centaur represents a conflict in human nature. Being half human and half animal, the Centaurs could not fully bring into being their humanity resulting in their nature becoming increasingly bestial and wild and, in effect, caught between two worlds. The fact that even a few such as Chiron manage to overcome this condition suggests that in the end they were capable of redemption from savagery. Read more

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The legendary Robin Hood

2/8/2015

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Robin and Sir Guy - Public Domain

The legendary adventures of Robin Hood and his Merry Men are among the best known and popular folk tales of the British Isles. In different forms of adaption they have won worldwide fame and popularity. As well as the swashbuckling action there is the popular appeal of a hero with the highest ideals and integrity who robs the rich to give to the poor.

A working class hero In earlier versions of the legend his status was that of a yeoman who had fallen foul of the law through injustice. In this role as a working class hero he successfully cocks a snook at the law and authority, gaining much sympathy and support from the peasants and yeomanry who saw themselves as oppressed by an all powerful royal hierarchy.

Sherwood Forest

In Robin’s day Sherwood was one of the Royal Forests and was subject to the Forest Laws. These were designed to protect the game such as deer, boar, wolves or hares and game birds for the benefit of the king.

The penalty for breaking them was notoriously harsh. People living in or around a Royal Forest were subject to these laws and they were believed to be the cause of much resentment. The forest and everything in it belonged to the king and he alone could give permission for its use. This would only be given to his barons and noblemen on license and at a price. Ordinary people could not hunt, clear or cultivate land within in its bounds. Read more

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Folklore around the Northern and Southern Lights

2/8/2015

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Northern lights (Aurora Borealis)

The northern lights and the southern lights are natural phenomena that occur in the night skies over the polar regions of the planet. Today, we know they are caused by gas molecules in the atmosphere colliding with solar particles. This releases energy as light and creates colorful displays of light that display in fold-like shapes, streamers, rays, arches and many other amazing forms.

The northern lights are also known as ‘Aurora borealis’ and the southern lights as ‘Aurora australis.’ In Roman mythology Aurora was the goddess of the dawn, so Aurora borealis means ‘dawn of the north,’ and Aurora australis means dawn of the south.

They can be very beautiful and awe-inspiring and at the same time mysterious and even frightening. Many different cultural and ethnic groups who lived in places where they are seen have developed many myths and legends to try and explain and make meaning of them in their own terms. Read more

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The Legend of Lady Godiva

The story of the Centaurs in Greek mythology

The legendary Robin Hood

Folklore around the Northern and Southern Lights

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