Category: Folklore

The Giant Phantom Dog of Tanao Atoll

The discovery of the so-called “Black Shuck’s” skeleton set me to thinking about the Black Dogs of British lore. They are almost universally associated with […]

The Pope Lick Monster

The Pope Lick Monster is/was, according to legend, a half-man, half-goat creature that lives under the Norfolk Southern Railroad trestle across Pope Lick Creek and […]

Magonia Magazine: Visions Before Midnight: Witchcraft, Folklore and the Prehistory of the Abduction Phenomenon

Ever since Vallee and Keel put pen to paper in the 1970s, it’s been an axiom among proponents of the psychosocial hypothesis that the UFO […]

The Fachan, Corriugneacht, and Suibne Guilt

Fachan, fachin. Grotesquely ugly supernatural figure in Scottish gaelic folklore, counterparts of which are known in Irish tradition. The fachan is a variety of the […]

Sheela-na-Gig

Sheela-na Gig is probably a corrupt version of the Irish meaning ‘old hag of the breasts’ or ‘of the hunkers’, referring to the figure’s typical […]

Real Vampires

Is there a scientific basis for the existence of vampires? A certain website—Steve Leighton’s http://www.Vampirewebsite.net—would have you believe there is. There’s even a Facebook page […]

Is this the skeleton of legendary devil dog Black Shuck who terrorised 16th century East Anglia?

Yesterday, 500 years after Black Shuck first went on the prowl, archaeologists were examining the skeleton of a 7ft long dog unearthed in the remains […]

Magonia Magazine: Spooklights in Tradition and Folklore

Few people today will have heard about the once common phenomenon known generally in the British Isles as ‘Will o’the Wisp’ or ‘Jack o’Lantern’. Prior […]

Dogs of God! Christian Werewolves?

This is one of those rare times in the early modern witch craze where one feels sorry for the judges. I mean they turn up […]

500-Year-Old ‘Vampire’ Grave Unearthed in Polish Marketplace

Archaeologists have discovered the grave of a suspected vampire in Kamien Pomorski, northwestern Poland.The body, which dates back to the 16th century, was unearthed during […]

I missed the Loch Ness Monster!

I’m really gutted. I missed the Loch Ness Monster by two hours!Nessie hadn’t been seen for 18 months, and a boat spotted him at 11.38. […]

Ghosts be here? A mystery writer’s guide to the Cornish coast

If ever there was a place for ghost stories, it’s Cornwall — the rugged peninsula of southwest England that tumbles into the Atlantic Ocean. Already […]

Seven Overused Monsters in Media

Humans have always had a large fascination with the supernatural. Be it out of terror, awe, or affection, the monsters that have appeared in stories […]

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter – Fargo’s urban myth made into movie

As TV’s Fargo begins its Channel 4 run, a film based on the mysterious story of a Japanese woman who froze to death in Minnesota […]

The Brag, Shape-shifting Devil Horse

I’ve only just started this column, so I’m not particularly worried about running out of ideas yet, but I did sit down for this one […]

Break out the bells and sticks: Morris dancing is back

Ridiculed as unfashionable, with a dwindling band of ageing followers, its demise was predicted within the next 15 years.But break out the handkerchiefs, sticks and […]

The strange case of the “vampire” burial in Venice.

In 2006 in Venice, Italy, archaeologists excavating a plague cemetery found something quite unusual: a skeleton with a brick in its mouth. They determined that […]

The Unicorn: Myth, Legend. Did they Exist?

The Unicorn is a legendary animal that has been described in ancient times as a horse with a large pointed spiraling horn projecting from it’s […]

Mysteries and pranks are the stuff of British country life

There’s a mystery afoot in Essex. Don’t call for Scotland Yard. Nobody’s car has been spray-painted, yobs aren’t congregating around the village cross, the fields […]

Folklore of Yorkshire -Kai Roberts (Book Preview)

The beautiful county of Yorkshire is the largest in Britain, and yet still possesses a strong and cohesive regional identity. Built on centuries of shared […]

Murdoch’s heroic dog Rigel – Update: Under Review.

It has been brought to my attention that this story is in the words of Dr. Lee ‘Total BS’. As such it has been relegated […]

The UnMuseum – Myth of the Titanic Mummy

Among the stories surrounding the sinking of the luxury liner Titanic in 1912 was a tale about an unlucky mummy whose curse was as responsible […]

Legends of human fish and archaeological findings.

The most primeval reference to a human figure with fish’s tail dates far back into 5000 BC. Latest archaeological findings reveal that there was a […]

The Jackalope

The jackalope is an antlered species of rabbit, unfortunately rumored to be extinct, though occasional sightings of this rare creature continue to occur, suggesting that […]

From a ‘mer-chicken’ to the Shapwick Monster here are five weird Dorset legends you might not know.

Dorset is home to some weird and wonderful tales. Here are five you really should know. via From a ‘mer-chicken’ to the Shapwick Monster here […]