The Isle of Skye is rich in fairy lore. One of the most magical-looking is the miniature landscape of grassy, cone-shaped hills and whimsical rock spirals of Fairy Glen. There is no documented folklore linking the landscape to the realm of myth, and there have been no actual sightings of fairies, Fairy Glen is rich… Continue reading Isle of Skye: Fairy Glen
"The Legend of the Pussy Willow" In an old Polish legend, many springs ago, a mother cat was crying at the bank of the river where her kittens were drowning. The willow at the river's edge longed to help her, so they swept their long graceful branches into the waters to rescue the tiny kittens… Continue reading Legend of the Pussy Willow
The Scottish Wulver Unlike the French loup garou, not all werewolves terrorise humans giving into their blood lust. The Scottish wulver of the Shetland islands, just north of the Scottish mainland, is a benevolent werewolf. The wulver was thought by the ancient Celts to be its own species between a man and a wolf. Folklorist… Continue reading Scottish & Irish Werewolf Folklore
Publisher’s Description Baba Yaga is an ambiguous and fascinating figure. She appears in traditional Russian folktales as a monstrous and hungry cannibal, or as a canny inquisitor of the adolescent hero or heroine of the tale. In new translations and with an introduction by Sibelan Forrester, Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the East in… Continue reading Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales
The feared fairy bell and impending death According to English folklore, Bluebells were often used to call fairies…If you “rang” a bluebell like you would any normal bell, it was believed fairies would come to you. But fairies are notoriously dangerous bargainers and the need to call fairies for aid must be great to risk… Continue reading Folklore of Bluebells
I was invited to write a story for a dark speculative fiction anthology inspired by Alice in Wonderland and reimagined for an adult audience. One of the most influential characters for me was the Cheshire Cat and his luring of Alice through Wonderland, and not necessarily for the better. In writing a dark version of… Continue reading Reimagining Alice in Wonderland
The näcken is a water being from found in Scandinavian folklore. The näcken is a variant in Sweden of the Norwegian fossegrim, a river sprite that drowns children and unwary travellers in the brook. The näcken can also be bargained with and a mortal learn to play the fiddle with similar enchantment. Once taught, the… Continue reading Näcken Folklore
Christmas is a time for celebration and family gatherings, right? Strictly speaking, yes. But there are darker lores beneath the celebration many of us enjoy each year. The folklore surrounding the Krampus and even Saint Nicholas and the Butcher are grisly territory. When I travelled to Iceland in 2019 for research, I found a very… Continue reading Dark Christmas Lore
In one of my latest research themes, I explored the Ancient Egyptian mythology surrounding Sekhmet, the lion-headed goddess of war and a daughter of Ra. In one myth, Ra is angered by the Egyptian people’s lack of subservience to him and sends Sekhmet as punishment. She devours the armies sent against her until the deserts… Continue reading Ancient Egyptian Myth & War
I had a wonderful opportunity to chat with author Clare Rhoden recently about what inspires my writing. I also shared an extract from “The Golden-Lion Monkey” published in Leo (The Zodiac Series, #8) by Deadset Press.
Leanbh Pearson 
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