Fabulous Folklore with Icy

Here's this month's book review episode! Check out A Treasury of British Folklore by Dee Dee Chainey: http://www.icysedgwick.com/treasury-of-british-folklore/ And The Magpie & The Wardrobe : http://www.icysedgwick.com/magpie-wardrobe-curiosity/

Some people fear the number 13 so much they take the day off work! So why is it such a reviled number? Where did that association come from? Find out in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the post here: http://www.icysedgwick.com/number-13/ Check out my folklore photos on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/fabulousfolklorepodcast/ Tweet me at: https://twitter.com/Ic...

There are plenty of tales about cats in folklore, from the tales of ancient Egypt to superstitions around having cats on board ship. As Halloween approaches, let's look at these fascinating superstitions about our feline friends. Find the images on the blog post here: http://www.icysedgwick.com/cats-in-folklore Danny Elfman's short animation, The Yule Cat : https://indi.com/8xcwq Join the Fabulous...

If you venture behind Cathedral Buildings in Newcastle upon Tyne, you'll find a rather unusual grotesque perched on a lintel. But why is the Vampire Rabbit there? Find out in this episode! See the accompanying images here: http://www.icysedgwick.com/vampire-rabbit-newcastle/ Tweet me at: https://twitter.com/IcySedgwick Support the show on Patreon and get exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/...

The Moberly-Jourdain Incident is the most famous of the time slip stories, when two academics appeared to encounter Marie Antoinette in the gardens of Versailles one August afternoon in 1901. Are such tales simply fantasy, or do some people get a peek into a bygone world? Listen to this episode to learn more about this fascinating phenomenon. See the images here: http://www.icysedgwick.com/time-sl...

Lonely stretches of roads often host tales of a phantom hitchhiker or two. London's notorious Blackwall Tunnel is no exception. Who is the spectral hitchhiker and where did he come from? Find out in this episode. See photos of the Blackwall Tunnel here: http://www.icysedgwick.com/phantom-hitchhiker/ Tweet Icy at: https://twitter.com/IcySedgwick Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family at: h...

We're starting a new monthly feature here on Fabulous Folklore - the book review! Every month, I'll review one or more books either about folklore, or fiction inspired by folklore. First up for September, we have a pair of books by Folklore Thursday's very own Willow Winsham. Check out Accused: British Witches Throughout History : http://www.icysedgwick.com/british-witches/ And England’s Witchcraf...

Psychogeography is a practice that involves 'walking the city' as an observer. Pick a starting point, set off on foot, and pay attention to your surroundings. But can it be used as a way to encounter folklore? Learn more in this episode! See the images at the blog post: http://www.icysedgwick.com/psychogeography/ Tweet Icy at: https://twitter.com/IcySedgwick Become a member of the Fabulous Folklor...

Many think alchemy was the process of turning lead into gold. Was there more to it than that, and did it ever work? Find out in this episode! Check out the images at the accompanying blog post: http://www.icysedgwick.com/alchemy-history Tweet me with requests at https://twitter.com/icysedgwick Support the podcast on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595

The brazen head is a legendary automaton capable of answering any question you ask of it. Was it a real fortune telling machine, or a tall medieval tale? Find out in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Subscribe here for updates and get your free guide to protecting your home using folklore: http://icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore See the images and accompanying blog post at: http://www.icysedgw...

John Dee is a fascinating Elizabethan figure linked with the occult. But did this magician really conjure the devil while living in Manchester? Find out in this week's episode. See the accompanying blog post at: http://www.icysedgwick.com/john-dee/ Become a Patron on Patreon at: https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

King James I wrote *Daemonologie* as his manifesto about witches. But how influential was it? And what impact did it have on 17th century witch hunts? Find out in this episode! See the accompanying blog post at http://www.icysedgwick.com/daemonologie/ Follow me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

Many think of cats or toads when they think of witches' familiars. But what else acted as familiars? And what did they actually do? Find out about the good, the bad and the weird among witch familiars in this week's episode! Let's kick off Magical Month in style... Check the blog post for images and links to recommended reading; http://www.icysedgwick.com/witches-familiars/ Buy Icy a coffee at: ht...

The naiads, nereids and oceanids were all water nymphs in ancient Greek mythology. But who were they and what made them different from each other? Were any of them dangerous? And how are they all related? Find out in this week's episode! Read the blog post and see the images at http://www.icysedgwick.com/water-nymphs/ Tweet Icy requests for episode topics at https://twitter.com/IcySedgwick Buy Icy...

Many think sirens were beautiful creatures who sang to lure sailors to their death. But why do images show them with fish tails when they were bird women? In this episode, we'll explore the original myths about the sirens, and investigate why their representation changed over the centuries. See the images on the blog post - http://www.icysedgwick.com/sirens-mythology Tweet me at https://twitter.co...

People believe mermaids are either sweet sea-dwelling souls who dream of dry land, or vicious monsters who lure sailors to their deaths. Which is more true? Find out in this week's episode! See the images on the blog post at: http://www.icysedgwick.com/mermaids-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family at: https://www.patreon.com/IcySedgwick Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/i...

Selkies appear in the folklore of Ireland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. But are they as dangerous as mermaids or sirens? Find out in this week's episode. See the images on the blog post at: http://www.icysedgwick.com/selkies-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family at: https://www.patreon.com/IcySedgwick Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

Thomas the Rhymer pops up in British folklore as a 13th-century prophet. How did he get the gift of prediction and how did he link to fairies? Find out in this week's episode. See the images on the blog post at: http://www.icysedgwick.com/thomas-the-rhymer/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family at: https://www.patreon.com/IcySedgwick Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

If you're not deterred by the dark tales of the fey folk, what trees or flowers should you plant to create a fairy friendly garden? And what kind of gardening practices should you adopt, even if you only have a balcony or small patio? Find out in this episode. Find the images on the accompanying blog post: http://www.icysedgwick.com/fairy-friendly-garden Or tweet Icy questions and comments at http...

Northumberland features many tales of the fey folk - and the Rothley fairies appear in not one but two stories! But what exactly happens if you cross them? This episode looks at exactly that - and offers some advice for how to handle the situation should you find yourself in a similar one... Find more information on the blog at http://www.icysedgwick.com/rothley-fairies/ Become a member of the Fab...

Fairies are actually tricksters, not the sweet cherubs of Disney. So what happened when a midwife in Northumberland was hired to deliver a fairy baby? Check out the accompanying blog post at http://www.icysedgwick.com/fairies Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family at: https://www.patreon.com/IcySedgwick Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

With thousands of species of beetle on Earth, what folklore surrounds them? Learn about scarabs, stag beetles, and the Deathwatch beetle in this week's episode. See the post at http://www.icysedgwick.com/beetles-folklore/ Become a Patron for $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

Symbol of good luck and modern-day pest control, the ladybird appears throughout the folklore of many cultures. In this episode, we're going to explore where ladybirds got their name, what it means if a ladybird lands on you, and why there's a slightly creepy nursery rhyme about them. Check out the post at http://www.icysedgwick.com/ladybird-folklore/ Contact Icy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/...

The dragonfly is at once a symbol of prosperity and good luck in Asia, and also an evil omen in Europe. In this episode, learn more of the regional differences in dragonfly folklore. Check out the images on the accompanying blog post at http://www.icysedgwick.com/dragonfly-folklore Become a Patron on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icyse...

Bees hold an important place in folklore, representing a range of positive associations. But why are they considered symbols of good luck? Find out in this week's episode. Read the post and follow the links at http://www.icysedgwick.com/bees-folklore/ Friends of the Earth - Help the Bees at https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees/bee-cause-what-you-can-do Become a Patron for $1 a month at https://www.pa...