We’ve been looking at the ‘King in the Mountain‘ folklore trope this month. We’ve had Frederick Barbarossa, sleeping beneath a German mountain. Or King Arthur, asleep under Sewingshields Castle in Northumberland. And Sir Francis Drake, awaiting the summons of his drum near Plymouth. This week, we’re looking at Brân the Blessed – another slightly different […]
Folklore
Drake’s Drum: A Hero Slumbers Awaiting His Call
English folklore is crammed with variations on the ‘king in the mountain‘ story. In these tales, legendary heroes sleep away the centuries in some remote or hidden place. There’s a version of the Arthurian legends that claims Arthur and his court lie suspended in time beneath Sewingshields Castle. But the stories often focus on kings or […]
Can King Arthur be found sleeping under Sewingshields Castle?
King Arthur continues to hold a fascination for folklorists and the public alike. After all, the deeds of Arthur and his knights are now legendary. They’ve become part of Britain’s mythology. One of my favourite versions of the Arthurian legends was the Channel 4 mini series, Merlin. It starred the very excellent Sam Neill as Merlin and the […]
What Is The King In The Mountain Folklore Trope?
The recent popularity of superheroes could suggest a desire for some highly-powered individual(s) to come and save the beleaguered planet from itself. But the concept isn’t anything new. Folklore offers a similar story type, known as the King in the Mountain. The motif is also known as ‘king under the mountain’ or ‘sleeping hero’. Famous […]
Why are these 3 plants essential in a witch’s toolkit?
One of the enduring images of witches is the lone figure, hunched over a bubbling cauldron, a handful of roots in one hand, and a questionable bundle of ingredients in the other. We’ve basically got Shakespeare to thank for that. “Hubble bubble, boil and trouble,”and so on. And such an image nearly always involves plants […]
Candles and Folklore: Bringing Luck and Casting Spells
Candles are a common item around the modern home. We use them for emergency lighting during a power cut. Or we light them to alter the mood during a romantic dinner or a pampering bath. They’re also synonymous with magic – think of wishing on your birthday cake or lighting candles for a spell! Today […]
