The world watched in horror as one of the most famous cathedrals burned. But amid the billowing smoke and crackling flames, a tiny miracle happened. The 180,000 bees who live on the roof of Notre Dame decided to take a nap, no doubt inspired by the carbon dioxide in the smoke. And survived the fire. […]
folklore
Butterflies in Folklore: Love, Death and the Soul
Spring has sprung in the northern hemisphere, even way up here in northern England. Birds sing and bees are starting to drift around on warmer days. It won’t be long until we start seeing butterflies too. Some species have even been sighted as long ago as late February in the UK. But what superstitions or […]
Brân the Blessed: The Talking Head to Protect Britain
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 […]
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 […]
