Necropants and Icelandic Witchcraft in Folklore
The Confusing Case of the Demonic Money Pants “The flame of fancy still burns, bright and warm, in all this desolation, even as the great ice-body of Iceland contains a…
Milk Hares and Troll Hares – Witches & their Minions in Medieval Swedish Churches
In Nordic countries there are numerous tales of these creatures crafted by witches and tasked with stealing milk from the homes of ordinary townsfolk – what could be more “otherly”?
Does this Medieval Spoon Depict a Dog-Headed Man?
The Cynocephalus Spoon “They inhabit the mountains as far as the river Indus. Their complexion is swarthy. They are extremely just, like the rest of the Indians with whom they…
In Search of the Bear King Part 2
In Search of the Bear King, Continued “The bear king is said to have one horn out of his head” Jón Áranson Icelandic Legends and Adventures, Volume 4 In my…
In Search of the Bear King Part 1
In Search of the Bear King “Myth is much more important and true than history. History is just journalism and you know how reliable that is.” Joseph Campbell The second…
The Barnacle Goose
When Truth is Stranger Than Fiction “…making it is an occupation for pretty girls rather than for men; for they are always at home, and reliable, and they have more…
The Wampus Cat
“When the Wampus is on the prowl the only game abroad is the fool hen.” Henry Tyron Fearsome Critters Cryptids on the North American continent are typically seen as both…
The Barometz
Discovering the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary “Wherefore I say you, in passing by the land of Cathay toward the high Ind and toward Bacharia, men pass by a kingdom that…
The Al-Mi’Raj
The tales of Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great, lay out a life of excitement and wonder. Conquests, foreign lands, and bizarre creatures. Stories from his…