Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 12

Are the Dancing Fairies of Northumbria Benign or Malevolent?

Tales of fairies exist all over the world, and there are hundreds to choose from right here in the British Isles. Yet they often have a particular ‘flavour’ or motif that lets you group them together. One of the common motifs of folk tales in the northeast of England is that of dancing fairies. It […]

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4 Amsterdam Ghost Stories from the City of Canals

Amsterdam is famous for a lot of things, from its picturesque canals to the Anne Frank House, and more besides. What you might not expect from the Dutch capital is a series of Amsterdam ghost stories. Though why not? The city enjoys some 800 years of history, including wartime occupation, economic boom times, and floods. […]

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4 Barcelona Ghost Stories from the Catalonian Capital

Barcelona lies on the Mediterranean Coast in Catalonia. It’s a gorgeous city, famous for architect Antoni Gaudí, artist Joan Miró and writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón, among many others. Yet you’ll find more than a few Barcelona ghost stories amid the winding streets and Gothic cathedrals. Strange histories abound in Barcelona. Astruc Sacanera, an astrologer and […]

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4 Paris Ghost Stories from the City of Light

Paris is known as the City of Light, but it’s seen its fair share of darkness over the centuries. It’s not surprising that Paris ghost stories loiter on the boulevards, amid the tourists and fashionable locals. And they even have celebrity ghosts. Oscar Wilde apparently haunts room 5077 of the Westin Vendome hotel (Brace 2019). […]

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3 creepy tales of the Devil, the helpful dead, and ghosts in Venice

The Jewel of the Adriatic is a gorgeous wonder, filled with masks, bridges, alleyways, and mystery. But there are also ghosts in Venice, often only seen in the brief half-light when daytime gives way to the night. I went to Venice back in August 2017, and paid a visit to the Libreria Acqua Alta. I […]

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Folklore of Thistles: Protection from Evil, Predicting Rain, and a Mental Boost

Thistles aren’t a single plant. The term ‘thistle’ refers to a group of plants in the Asteraceae family. The main thing they have in common is the fact they’ve got prickles to try to stop herbivores from eating them. Three specific groups, the Carduus, Cirsium and Onopordum, are usually the plants people mean when they […]

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Folklore of Daisies: Love Divination and Daisy Chains

The daisy is a familiar sight at this time of the year in the UK, popping up in lawns and on grass verges. Their proliferation, particularly on lawns, makes them an unwanted plant for some gardeners. The flowers, or Bellis perennis, are also known as bairnwort, bruisewort, common daisy, English daisy, garden daisy, and wild […]

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The Folklore of Nettles: Edible Stings, Returning Curses, and Warding off Evil

Most people at some point will have experienced the pain of a nettle sting. I once managed to fall hands-first from a fence into a whole patch of nettles. So it’s hardly surprising that people consider them unwanted or unloved plants. The stinging nettle, or common nettle (Urtica dioica) is Europe’s most common nettle. Other […]

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Celandine Folklore: A Remedy To Keep Away Witches?

Plants often become unwanted plants when they’re especially prolific. Celandine is one such plant, quickly spreading to fill an area with its glossy green leaves and dizzyingly bright yellow flowers. But celandine is also a confusing plant, since the two varieties with the same name are unrelated. The greater celandine Chelidonium majus is a member […]

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Dandelions in Folklore: Making Wishes and Wetting the Bed

Dandelions are cheerful little splashes of colour in lawns and borders. They flower longer than any other plant, providing food for early pollinators. Sadly, not everyone loves them as much as I do. They’re often considered weeds, and are somewhat unwanted plants. But remember. Weeds are just flowers that grow where we don’t necessarily want […]

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