Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 19

Brownies in Folklore: Household Help or Hindrance?

For many in the UK, brownies recall troops of girls clad in brown and yellow, earning badges in a prelude to joining the Girl Guides. Yet they reference the helpful fairies that apparently did housework overnight to help their chosen households. Katharine Briggs considers the brownies as one of the “most easily described and most […]

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The Barguest: Demon Dog, Silly Sprite or Spectral Hound?

The barguest is a fascinating creature, most often found in the folklore of northern England. Folklorist William Henderson noted the barguest tales covered Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire (1879: 274). That said, some appearances also crop up in Lancashire and Cumbria. In many tales, the barguest was most popularly a death omen. In a most fitting […]

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Self-Publishing versus Traditional Publishing

Well, hello there, and welcome to this first Ask Me Anything for authors. I had an absolutely cracking question submitted, so thank you very much for that! You can read the post or listen to the audio version here. And the question is, Which do you think is best self publishing or finding a publisher? […]

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The Northumberland Silky: Mischievous Fairy or Lonely Ghost?

Many lonely and remote parts of the British Isles echo with tales of local spirits. Whether they’re fairies, remnants of older mythologies, ghosts, or Land Spirits decked out in another guise, their stories live on. The north east of England has one such spirit known as Silky. William Henderson lists Silky among the ‘local sprites’ […]

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Cider Folklore: Wassailing and the Apple Tree Man

We’re finishing the Folklore of Drinks theme with cider folklore. Cider has a long history, especially here in Britain. When the Romans arrived in Britain, they discovered the locals drinking a beverage made from apples. It wasn’t quite cider yet, and no one knows how long this drink existed prior to this point. Cider then […]

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Meeting The Devil’s Drink: Coffee Folklore in Legend and Ritual

Like its hot beverage sibling tea, coffee is an incredibly popular drink all over the world. Director David Lynch reportedly said, “Even a bad cup of coffee is better than no coffee at all” (James n.d.). Here in the UK, we imported £780 million worth of coffee in 2020 (Ridder 2022). And, like tea, coffee […]

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Wine and Witchcraft: A Beverage fit for Apotropaic Success

Like beer, wine has enjoyed a long and prosperous history. It’s been enjoyed by the ancients, used as a safe alternative to water, prescribed as medicine, and offered in ritual. And like beer, wine also has patron deities from a range of cultures. We even have a link between wine and witchcraft. But how does […]

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The Folklore of Tea: Magic, Predictions and Poison

Tea is not simply the ‘go-to’ comfort beverage in the UK. Bill Laws describes tea as a history-changing plant (2016: 26). So naturally, the folklore of tea is bound to be an extensive topic. The earliest records about tea are a preparation guide written during China’s Tang dynasty between 760 and 762 CE. That said, […]

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The Legends and Folklore of Beer: Remedies, Witches & Saints

Beer is a popular drink in many parts of the world. In the US, it’s the most popular alcoholic beverage. It’s not surprising then that we’d have plenty of folklore of beer to explore. It also enjoys an incredibly long history. Barley beer is likely to come from the Middle East, since evidence of beer […]

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The Lily and the Lady: Plants of Purity and Protection

There are few flowers quite as recognisable as the lily. Yet despite its beauty, the lily (Lilium) is a toxic plant. All parts of the plant are poisonous, which is why it’s recommended not to grow them if you have pet cats. It’s probably helpful then that the orange variety represents hatred and revenge, as […]

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