The Ancient Roman Love Holiday Before Valentine’s Day Was Ca…
Lupercalia is an ancient fertility Roman festival that was held February 13-15. The festival was held to both promote fertility along with purging the city of evil and illness. Although it was an ancient festival; it was celebrated for many centuries. In Roman mythology, Lupercus is... Read more
Halloween Origins - Commemorates the Fall of Lemuria
Halloween is often considered the world's oldest human celebration as it has been traced back continuously to Celtic traditions a few thousand of years ago. But an oral tradition of legends places Halloween’s origins back much further, to the fall of Lemuria which many... Read more
Will-o'-the-wisp
Few mythical "creatures", if you can call this one, share the kind of worldwide mythology that the will-o'-the-wisp has. In different cultures around the world, this unexplained phenomenon is known by different names and descriptions, but there are a few similarities that seem to... Read more
Original Irish Jack-O-Lanterns Were Truly Terrifying!
A far cry from the grinning pumpkins of Halloween today, the original Jack-o-Lanterns, named for Jack O’Lantern of the Irish myth, were actually quite terrifying. They were carved from turnips or beets rather than festive orange pumpkins, and were intended to ward off unwanted visitors. Read more
The Jack-O-Lantern
When we think of Jack-o-Lanterns today we think of the carved pumpkins with candles lighting them brightly from within; but did you know that the Jack-o-Lantern actually has deep historical roots and originally didn't even involve a pumpkin? The Jack-o-Lantern stems from an old... Read more
The Pied Piper of Hamelin - A Fairy Tale or Is It?
Once upon a time on the banks of a great river in northern Germany there was a town called Hamelin. The citizens of Hamelin were honest and content. Many peaceful, prosperous years passed until one day, an extraordinary thing happened to disturb the peace. Hamelin... Read more
Folklore of the "Blue Moon"
There is a lot of folklore about the moon. Modern folklore has it that full moons make for better parties and higher booking rates at mental hospitals, but all the serious studies I've read deny the relationship. The most interesting bit of modern folklore from... Read more
Bats - Myths, Folklore and Facts
Bats “Suspicions amongst thoughts are like bats amongst birds, they ever fly by twilight” Francis Bacon (1561-1626) Of all the creatures associated with the night, perhaps the most misaligned and misunderstood is the Bat. Fictional characterizations in modern culture, in movies and on TV, have given the... Read more
Spider Mythology and Lore
Spider I’ve been walking in my neighborhood lately and have been admiring all of the Halloween decorations set about in people’s yards. There are, of course, Jack- O’-Lanterns, ghosts, witches on broomsticks, piles of gourds on porches, bats, and spiders in webs and hanging from... Read more
The Folklore and Mythology Surrounding Crickets
Crickets "A Loud Cricket means Money is Coming" When it comes to Chinese superstition, the cricket plays a critical role. Throughout history, they have resembled intelligence and good fortune. In fact, if a person were to harm a cricket, it was believed they would have great... Read more
