In Alexander Dumas’s 1847 novel The Man in the Iron Mask, the three musketeers are once again united to defend honor and the crown. This time, they work together to replace the King of France with his twin brother–the titular Man in the Iron Mask. Yet, while much of this story is literary nonfiction, the kernels of truth are compelling. In fact, there was a real Man in the Iron Mask. With that said, historical mysteries are interesting because when they remain unsolved for centuries, speculation tends to overshadow factual accounts. This is definitely true in the case of the man in the iron mask, who was an unknown figure in history, likely imprisoned for political crimes against King Louis XIV.
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The Ferocious Ogres of Folklore and Myth
According to folklore, Ogres are, in fact, not like onions. That is, while they actually do have layers, they are far more terrifying than their portrayals in media. For instance, ogres come in many shapes and sizes. This includes their description in famous literature, to their awesome power in roleplaying games.
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Spring-Heeled Jack: Folklore and the Supernatural
“Enchanted by that dark and mist-blown strawberry spring, and by the shadow of violent death that walked through it on those nights eight years ago. The shadow of Springheel Jack.” – Stephen King | Strawberry Spring
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Jack-o-Lanterns, Folklore, and the Devil
A pumpkin is just a pumpkin. A turnip is just a turnip. Carve a face into them and suddenly you have a jack-o-lantern. While these carved-out, festive fruits are something to behold, they also have a mythic history to them altogether. These stories carry a deeper connotative meaning then just spooky faces to put on your doorstep. In fact, jack-o’-lanterns may be one of the most important objects in the modern Halloween tradition.
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Was Halloween Built on Sacrifice? The Truth Behind Samhain
In Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree (1972), a group of boys are whisked away on a magical Halloween eve and venture through time to learn the true meaning of Halloween. They encounter many obstacles and a great deal of folklore in the process. Some of it is true and some of it not true. All of it is laced with darkness. But just how sinister is it really? While there are many allegations that the ancient tradition of Samhain is actually a sacrificial party for pagans, there seems to be no first-hand accounts of this fact. In actuality, the folkloric origins of “sacrifice” have more to do with propaganda and less to do with tradition.
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The Violent Crimes of the Werewolf of Bedburg
In the annals of lycanthropy, there are many stories of violent crime against humans from one with wolf-like attributes. The story of Peter Stumpp is one such story. Historians and speculators have immortalized his crimes in the history books, as judiciaries of the era accused Stumpp of lycanthropy. Not exactly a modern crime. But just like the infamy of the Witches of Salem, today the public knows Stumpp as the Werewolf of Bedburg. Unfortunately, his crimes go beyond simple murders by moonlight.
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The Boggart, Folklore’s Little Prankster
There are many iterations of violent cryptids out to harm humanity throughout folklore. You have your dragons, medusas, ogres, and vampires. Sometimes, though, you have some annoying but helpful ones. The Brownie in Scottish mythology is one of them, and so is this post’s topic: the Boggart.
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Wendigo Analysis: Origin, Description, and Symbolism
The cold and forbidding forests of Canada and Northern Michigan are home to a plethora of natural wonders. Surely, the frozen landscape is beautiful enough. But when the winter wind howls and the trees crack–surely something evil creeps in the frightful dark. In Indigenous cultures, the beast goes by the name “wendigo.” This post will analyze the lore around this monstrous creature and see how the strength of folklore influences culture and history to this day.
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Ghost Lake: The South Manitou Island Lighthouse Hauntings
Michigan has many strange things in the surrounding waters, and many haunted lighthouses on it shores. Allegedly, the spirits of the patrons and keepers still linger around the lighthouses. Regardless, the South Manitou Island Lighthouse hauntings are familiar occurrences in the Mitten state.
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The Haunted Song of Bete Grise: Legends of the Singing Sands
The loss of a loved one dominates many ghost stories that have been shared throughout history. In fact, even the Paulding Light‘s background is related to the loss of life. In this post, we will see familiar and unique qualities related to folklore in the Singing Sands of Bete Grise.
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