The humble mouse appears in a surprising amount of folklore. Both a harbinger of death if spotted in the house, and a medical remedy for a range of ailments, it seems the mouse both harms and heals. This reputation even stretches back to ancient Egypt, demonstrating just how ambivalent humans have felt about the tiny […]
animals
Horses in Folklore: Black Bess, Hag Riding, and Spectral Steeds
Humans first domesticated horses in around 3500 BC (Tallis 2012). Since then, they’ve pulled our chariots and carts, carried royalty and soldiers, worked on farms, and been steadfast companions. Horses are actually a prey animal, which perhaps explains their vulnerability to supernatural attack by witches and fairies. Yet as the stories in this article will […]
Dogs in Folklore: Loyal Companions and Witches’ Familiars
Britain is supposed to be a nation of animal lovers, especially when it comes to pet dogs. According to the PDSA, 29% of UK adults own a dog, which gives an estimated population of 10.6 million pet dogs. By comparison, 24% of UK adults have a cat, but because cat owners often have more than […]
Deer Folklore: Omens, Cults, and White Stag Legends
Human relationships with deer stretch back thousands of years. Archaeologists uncovered red deer skulls at Star Carr in Yorkshire which are 11,000 years old. No one knows what they were used for, if they had practical applications or were used in shamanic rituals. But it suggests some kind of relationship between humans and deer, even […]
Rats in Folklore: Signs of Bad Luck and Harbingers of Doom
Rats get the blame for an awful lot throughout history – usually spreading the plague. Clearly, they don’t spread the plague…but the fleas they carry do. It’s not just the plague they carried. They’d also ruin food supplies. In ancient Egypt, people believed rats represented both destruction and discernment. They’d decimate food stores, but they […]
Did the Queen Rat of London really live in the sewers?
If you’ve read China Miéville’s King Rat, then you’ll know dark things can stir beneath London. But perhaps it’s not a King Rat. Perhaps it’s a Queen Rat. Only those who venture into the deep, dark places would encounter such a creature. Let me introduce you to the toshers. What does a tosher do? When the River […]
