Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 33
July 20, 2019
What were the three types of water nymphs in ancient Greece?
For the past three weeks we’ve been looking at mythology related to water and the sea. Our final aquatic jaunt will be to meet the three groups of water nymphs in ancient Greece. They are the Naiads, the Nereids, and the Oceanids. Just to make things more complicated, you also have undines. Wikipedia lists naiads, […]
The post What were the three types of water nymphs in ancient Greece? appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
July 13, 2019
Why do people confuse sirens with mermaids?
There’s been a lot of confusion between sirens and mermaids since the Middle Ages. Many of the images show gorgeous women with fish’s tails. Or creatures with beautiful voices capable of bewitching men. Look at Ariel in The Little Mermaid. But it’s far from their Greek origins. And the siren/mermaid confusion only really starts when […]
The post Why do people confuse sirens with mermaids? appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
July 2, 2019
Are the mermaids of folklore as vicious as legends suggest?
Mention ‘mermaids’ to most people and they might think of Ariel, the red-headed Little Mermaid of Disney’s 1989 classic. Or, if they’re old enough, they might think of Daryl Hannah in Splash! Or maybe they’ve been keeping up with the casting news for Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Congratulations to Halle Bailey for […]
The post Are the mermaids of folklore as vicious as legends suggest? appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
June 15, 2019
How To Make A Fairy Friendly Garden
The notion of fairies at the bottom of the garden is nothing new. It’s partly inspired by the now infamous Cottingley fairies, created by a pair of bored sisters using a camera and fairy illustrations. The notorious fake photos of the Cottingley fairies sold for £20,000 in October 2018. But the lure of fairies in […]
The post How To Make A Fairy Friendly Garden appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
May 25, 2019
Beetles Folklore: Scarabs, Stags, and the Deathwatch
With the dawning of spring in the northern hemisphere, we’ve been looking at the folklore of insects. Bees and butterflies are finally out and about, doing their pollinating thing. And last week, we looked at a beloved garden critter, the ladybird. Turns out ladybirds are actually beetles, so this week – we’re looking at beetles […]
The post Beetles Folklore: Scarabs, Stags, and the Deathwatch appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
May 18, 2019
Ladybird Folklore: Good Fortune and Nursery Rhymes
Mention ‘ladybird’ to most British people of a certain age and they’ll think of the well-loved Ladybird series of small, hard-backed books. I’ve even read one of the newer series aimed at mature readers, the so-called ‘Ladybird Expert’ series. Suzannah’s Lipscomb’s volume on Witchcraft is a highly recommended read! (Affiliate link) But anyway. We’re talking […]
The post Ladybird Folklore: Good Fortune and Nursery Rhymes appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
May 11, 2019
The Dragonfly in Folklore: Good Luck Symbol and Weigher of Souls
There’s something magical about seeing a dragonfly darting between the reeds on a spring day. With their jewel-like colours and ability to fly backward, they’re quite the aerial specialist. The dragonfly is one of the oldest of the insect species. They also represent both air and water, since their larvae often hatch out of water. […]
The post The Dragonfly in Folklore: Good Luck Symbol and Weigher of Souls appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
May 4, 2019
Why Are Bees Considered Such Good Luck In Folklore?
The world watched in horror as one of the most famous cathedrals burned. But amid the billowing smoke and crackling flames, a tiny miracle happened. The 180,000 bees who live on the roof of Notre Dame decided to take a nap, no doubt inspired by the carbon dioxide in the smoke. And survived the fire. […]
The post Why Are Bees Considered Such Good Luck In Folklore? appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
April 27, 2019
Butterflies in Folklore: Love, Death and the Soul
Spring has sprung in the northern hemisphere, even way up here in northern England. Birds sing and bees are starting to drift around on warmer days. It won’t be long until we start seeing butterflies too. Some species have even been sighted as long ago as late February in the UK. But what superstitions or […]
The post Butterflies in Folklore: Love, Death and the Soul appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
April 20, 2019
Brân the Blessed: The Talking Head to Protect Britain
We’ve been looking at the ‘King in the Mountain‘ folklore trope this month. We’ve had Frederick Barbarossa, sleeping beneath a German mountain. Or King Arthur, asleep under Sewingshields Castle in Northumberland. And Sir Francis Drake, awaiting the summons of his drum near Plymouth. This week, we’re looking at Brân the Blessed – another slightly different […]
The post Brân the Blessed: The Talking Head to Protect Britain appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
