Myth vs. Reality
A couple of months ago, my two eldest signed up for lessons in medieval broadsword techniques at our local grange. The instructor had studied extensively in Europe and was on fire for the subject –…
Tag: Legend & Mythology
Robin Hood “Telling His Beads”: A Catholic Reflection on the Prince of Thieves
The legends of Robin Hood and his Merry Men exert a near universal appeal, and have done so for generations. From ballads to books to films, the daring rebel spirit of the Prince of Thieves…
A Selkie Lover
Let some of deadly sirens sing I’ll none of their tempting take Their love only death will bring All the world with them’s at stake. But in the cooler, northern seas Where rocky coasts and…
Black Dogs and the Wild Hunt
Wisht Hounds and Black Shuck In Greek myth, the goddess Hecate roams the earth on moonless nights with a pack of ghostly, howling dogs. Similarly, the Old French term for the Wilde Jagd is…
Outside the Law: A Robin Hood Story
~ by Avellina Balestri Robin slunk up the stairs, trying hard not to let his teeth chatter together as he passed by his father’s study. He had learned to walk like an animal in the…
Roots: Commonality of Folk Tales
“What big teeth you have, Grandma!” I guess you know which tale that quotation comes from, but did you know that many folk and fairy tales are much more ancient than most people think? There’ll…
The Wild Hunt: An Exploration of Its Origins in European Folklore
The following article looks at the origins of the Wild Hunt in folklore and some of the variations around Europe. A separate piece considers the idea of the black dogs that are linked to the…
Seeking Permanency in Perishable Things: An Analysis of The Epic of Gilgamesh
[E]xamine its foundation, inspect its brickwork thoroughly. Is not (even the core of) the brick structure made of kiln-fired brick… Describing the durability and permanency of a brick wall, The Epic of Gilgamesh is the…
Prometheus Continued: Prometheus Fire-Bringer
Chorus Heracles is ascending from the dark of Hades. With him are many souls who drank of the sacrificial blood. After the refusal of the arrogant Prometheus, He poured the remaining blood into the River…
