The Folklore Podcast

In this episode, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman takes a look at some of the old (and a few of the modern) customs and traditions associated with Valentine's Day. From the medieval period, by way of early house visiting traditions and love divination, the episode explores many of the UK practices before travelling around the world to look at a selection of other ways that Valentine's is celebrated

Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman is joined in this episode by folklore blogger and film academic Icy Sedgwick to discuss the genre of horror and supernatural in film. The discussion explores the research being undertaken by Icy as part of her PhD on the representation of hauntings on the movie screen and particularly looks at the tropes we find in folkloric accounts of ghosts. Do these translate to the portrayal of the ghost in film, and do the films themselves create their own folklore and mythos which works its way back into our own cultures? To keep the Folklore Podcast running and providing free content each month, please consider a small monthly donation at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

To kick off Season 4 of The Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman examines traditional New Year customs and celebrations around the world, noting the many similarities in different cultures as well as the unique aspects found from place to place. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, and keep the show running, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The Krampus has become a big folkloric figure at Christmas time in recent years. But less discussed and of equal interest are the female figures of the Perchten from the alpine regions. On this, the final episode of Season 3 of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman redresses the balance in an interview with alpine folklore expert Al Ridenour, the creator of the Bone and Sickle podcast. To support the Folklore Podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In the first of two episodes of the podcast examining festive folklore for December, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman looks at the history and origins of the Mummers Play and other Yuletide folk plays and traditions. Contesting the broad opinion that they plays 'are just pagan' the episode traces similarities and differences through other performances such as the pantomime and the Commedia Dell'arte before examining other similar practices such as the Mummering house visits of Newfoundland and the Irish Wrenboys. This episode also contains recordings of performances made in the field. Support the continuing free episodes of the podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Prejudices against people because of the colour of their skin are unacceptable. And yet, it is often socially accepted to make fun of people because of the colour of their hair. Why should this be any different? And is there any evidence to back up the beliefs? In this episode Mark Norman, the creator of The Folklore Podcast, discusses the beliefs, superstitions and folklore attached to those sporting red hair. To support the continued ad-free production of the podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

As beautifully performed and presented as it was, there is far more to the concept of the 'genie' than Disney's manic blue singing version in Aladdin. The genie is the Westernised version of the Jinn, the supernatural being from Islamic and Arabian mythology and lore. On this episode of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman and researcher Tracey Norman are joined by Dedra Stevenson, an author from the UAE who draws on a lot of this folklore in her fiction writing. Dedra explains exactly what the Jinn are, and how they are a very real part of Muslim beliefs. Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon for extra content and rewards at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The lullaby as a song type is found in cultures all over the world. Whilst the familiar interpretation is as a gentle song to lull a child to a restful sleep, in this episode podcast creator and host Mark Norman offers some alternative readings where the lyrics and back-story are somewhat darker and more likely to induce nightmares. The episode also features a guest talk from Armenian folklore researcher and lecturer Hasmik Matikyan on the lullaby as a form of work song, drawn from her own cultural experiences and interviews.

The mythology of the Norse peoples is a rich and varied one, but little is found in the archaeological record to tell us much for certain. Some things we speculate about, others we get from primary sources. But what are these sources?In this episode of the podcast, Noah Tetzner from the "History of Vikings" podcast gives a basic introduction to the area of Norse mythology, discussing the mythic landscape and beliefs from the Scandinavian regions.

A guest lecture from the great British folklorist Jeremy Harte who examines the character of the miller in folklore. Recorded live at the Folklore Society Conference at the Museum of English Rural Life in 2018. Access all episodes of the podcast for free at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

This episode features two guest speakers, recorded live at the flagship conference of The Folklore Society in 2018, held at the Museum of English Rural Life in Reading and examining aspects of rural life and folklore from around the world. Rosalind Kerven presents "Spinners, Servants and Midwives: Women at Work in British and Irish Folk Narratives" and Jo HIckey-Hall speaks on fairy lore in her paper "Wilt gie us the lend of thy plough and tackle?: Fairies at Work". Full details of the guests and other episodes of the podcast can be found at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

This guest talk was recorded at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic's Ritual Magic conference in May 2018. William Dawson Bellhouse (1814-1870) was many things - magician, surgeon and galvanist to name but three. His personal magical workbook, the survival of which is uncommon among 19th century cunning folk, is now in the collection of the New York Public Library. The book provides a window into Bellhouse's methods, derived from both popular tradition and printed works including the Heptameron and the works of Agrippa. Its contents provide us with insights into the spiritual toolkit of a practitioner of ritual magic working at the time.

This episode of the Folklore Podcast is the first featuring expert presentations from the Hidden Charms 2 conference in Salisbury - a conference organised by Brian Hoggard of the Apotropaios website with John Billingsley and Jeremy Harte. The conference featured a day of talks on protection magic, charms, concealed apotropaic objects and similar themes. In this talk, "Witch Bottles - Findings from the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic" - collections researcher and museum manager Dr Peter Hewitt discusses some of the bottles held at the museum, and argues that we may use folklore to help to decode the meanings that these bottles have for us in the modern world. Dr Hewitt suggests that their uses were far more varied than just as protective devices. To access a transcript of this episode, join the Folklore Podcast Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In the winter of 1855, after a heavy fall of snow, residents across a large area of the county of Devon, in the South West of the UK, awoke to find a mysterious trail of prints in the snow. Looking like an hoof, the single-file line of prints allegedly covered a distance of some 100 miles, ignoring obstructions in their path and continuing over high walls hayricks and even the roofs of houses. No satisfactory explanation has ever been given for the event, which became known as the Great Devon Mystery. Although the case has been widely reported, interestingly it is not the only time that this has happened. Very similar lines of marks have been found in different parts of the world over the last 175 years or so. It's just that the other cases are much more obscure. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman compares and contrasts cases from 1840 through to 2009.

In this episode of the Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman is joined by guest Dr Claudia Schwabe, assistant professor of German at Utah State University. Amongst other things, Claudia teaches classes on fairy tales and in this interview she discusses the content of her forthcoming book "Craving Supernatural Creatures" which examines German fairy tale creatures through the lens of American Pop Culture.

Of all the objects in your house, the mirror probably has more superstitions attached to it than any other. It may be used for divination. It may be a portal to another dimension. And woe betide you if it should fall off the wall and break. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, folklorist Mark Norman - the creator and host of the podcast - looks at the mirror through history and in various cultures to explore some of the more obscure folklore attached to it. Research assistance provided by Tracey Norman. Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon to earn more content and rewards at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

This episode presents a recorded folklore talk from the archives of the podcast creator and host, Mark Norman. Alien Big Cats was recorded in September 2013 at the Folklore Society conference 'Beasts in Legend and Tradition'. The talk, presented by writer and folklorist Steve Patterson, examines the zoological phenomenon of out of place cats in the landscape. Whilst there is plenty of evidence to suggest that big cats do live in the British landscape, Steve discusses the ways in which these cases feed into the folklore narrative of the creatures before moving on to discuss the image of the cat in mythology. To access bonus content and support the running of the Folklore Podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

There is no doubt that modern day ghost hunting is a big deal. From television programming to participatory events, the search for evidence of ghosts is more prevalent than ever. But how does folklore have a role to play in paranormal investigation? Benjamin Radford is editor of Sceptical Inquirer science magazine, a critical investigator and author or co-author of over 20 books and many hundreds of articles. In the episode of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman discusses Ben's book 'Investigating Ghosts' and looks together they look at the important place for folklore in the field of ghost investigation.

Many fairy tales have their roots in a much darker past, but these origins are watered down to make the tales more wholesome or moral. But did the story of Hansel and Gretel really stem from a case of entrepreneurial intrigue and murder in 17th century Germany? And did the Grimm Brothers know more than they were letting on it their version of the story? Why do the illustrations in their book look so similar to modern day locations? In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman examines a case to which their is certainly more than it seems at first glance. To support the Folklore Podcast and earn rewards, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

There is a piece of artwork which has been around for many years and has a long and involved narrative surrounding it. It may be found in thousands of homes in differing prints and is usually known as The Crying Boy. This image has a wonderful and fascinating urban legend attached to it - a legend which has been tracked and analysed for many years by Dr David Clarke, the guest on this episode of The Folklore Podcast. Is The Crying Boy really cursed? Find out its history in this episode.