Fabulous Folklore: The Major Oak

The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, is one of our oldest trees.

It stands near the village of Edwinstowe and has been present during the age of the Vikings, the Battle of Hastings and over 50 monarchs, which is just incredible.

It is propped up by girders and planks, which sparked an interesting conversation between me and my friend: should this incredible tree be supported in this way, or should we let nature take its course?

What do you think?

Have you been to see the Major Oak? Maybe you have made friends with another very old tree? I’d love to hear your tree stories!

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Wing Maze
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Yew
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Rats Castle
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Broadbean

Fabulous Folklore: Foxgloves

I absolutely ADORE foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea), especially when I see them in the wild. They are one of those really fascinating plants with lots of interesting folklore.

One of the best things about foxgloves is the HUGE amount of local and regional names given to them. In this way they remind me of another magickal thing: wood lice ~ aka cheesy bugs / chiggy wig / granther giggles / grammer zow!

Foxgloves are also known as goblin gloves, witches’ gloves, dead men’s bells, fox fingers, flopdock, cowflop, bunny rabbits, fairy petticoats and fairyweed. 

Have you heard of these names? In what country and region are you in? What do YOU call them?

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Tulip Piskies
NEXT - A History: Midsummer Day (24th June)
NEXT - Natural Remedies: 6 Ways With Lavender Essential Oil
NEXT - Simple Magick: Power Flow for August

Fabulous Folklore: The Broadbean

Cultivated in the Middle East for over 8000 years and grown in gardens since about 1200, the broad bean or fava bean (now we’re all thinking of THAT film) are grown abundantly in my part of the Midlands.

They are a species of vetch and have the most beautiful, delicate, sweet scent that carries on the wind. There is nothing like it, although the scent of the lilac comes close. It’s no surprise that their scent is considered an aphrodisiac, it is simply beautiful.

Whilst not particularly tasty (not to me, anyway!) they are high in L-dopa, which the body converts to dopamine.

They have a lot of folklore and superstition surrounding them. They often appeared in old wortcunning recipes and spells to cure warts. Usually this involved rubbing the inside of the broadbean pod on skin, and throwing it over a shoulder or burying it. Preferably by moonlight. The belief was that by the time the pod was rotted the wart would be gone.

It is believed that the beans in Jack & The Beanstalk were fava beans. Jack, a poor Cornish country boy, trades the family cow for some magic beans which, when planted, grow into an enormous beanstalk ladder that reaches into the sky. Jack climbs the ladder to find himself in front of a giant. I sometimes wonder if the feel-good dopamine is reflected in this story by the magical appearance of the beans and the beautiful ladder reaching up into the heavens.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Wolfsbane
NEXT - Winter Aconite Magick: Herbal Lore
NEXT - Sticky Willy Magick: An Abundance of Folk Names

Fabulous Folklore: Bees

Bees appear a lot in folklore. Traditionally bee charms were hung in the house to attract health and happiness, and bees flying into the house indicated strangers soon calling. Bees resting on the roof were seen as a good omen.

For some cultures bees may have been seen as psychopomps or messengers of the dead; Mycenaean tombs were decorated with bees and some were shaped like beehives. It is possible that they believed that the soul transmuted into human form after death.

“Telling the bees” is an old British custom, one that still goes on in my local area. Bees were kept abreast of all important family matters, including births, marriages, journeys, absences. Deaths especially were reported to the bees, often before other family members.

Usually the “goodwife” of a household would be tasked with “telling the bees”. She would knock gently on the give to get their intention, and solemnly tell them the news. In neighbouring Nottinghamshire, the wife of the dead was heard singing quietly in front of the hive:

“The master's dead, but don't you go; Your mistress will be a good mistress to you.”

It was feared that failure to update the bees of such news would bring catastrophe. Failure to put the bees in mourning could end in all sorts of trouble; the bees might fail to produce enough honey, leave the hive, or even die.

In my county, whenever there was a death the top of the hive was wrapped with a piece of black fabric or crepe by the beekeeper, otherwise it was feared that the bees would not thrive. Whenever there was a wedding the hives were decorated, and pieces of cake were left out so that the bees could share in the festivities.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Kissing Gates

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Lincoln Imp

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Leicestershire & Rutland Leechcraft
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Broadbean

Fabulous Folklore: The Knockers of Cornwall

Beneath the sacred lands of Cornwall and Devon are said to be small, gnome-like creatures called Knockers. They are said to wear mining outfits, stand at roughly 2ft tall, and commit all kinds of mischief - namely stealing miners’ food.

It is said that miners’ wives would mark their husbands’ pasties with their initials, not just for identification, but for the Knockers to be able to credit the miner for giving them food. For those who don’t know what a pasty is, it’s a savoury, shortcrust, semi-circular pie traditionally filled with beef, potato and vegetables and associated mainly with the West Country. They are available all over the U.K. and come with a variety of fillings.

The Knockers got their name from the rapping and knocking noises heard by the miners. The Knockers were not viewed as negative - it was believed that they led the miners towards areas that were rich with minerals. It was also believed that the presence of Knockers meant safety; so staying on the good side of the Knockers was imperative. The miners would do this in a number of ways, including making the offering of their last bit of pasty to the Knockers by casting it into the mine.

I suspect the Doozers in the TV series Fraggle Rock were inspired by the legend of Knockers as St Anthony Lighthouse in Cornwall was the setting. My late Father-in-Law also called the house he built in Cornwall “Fraggle Rock” so as a family we have a particular love for this show and all things related.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Cornish Piskies

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Elves

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Hurlers on Bodmin Moor

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Tomte

Hello, Morris Dog!

Look at this little chap in his Morris coat! We met him on Saturday at the Ketton Wassail, though he hardly stayed still long enough for me to get a photo of him. I did get a lovely cuddle, though!

We had such a lovely time - I recorded most of it, so I have the following Instagram Reels coming:

• Morris Dancing
• The History of Morris in Rutland & Leicestershire
• Wassailing
• The Ketton Wassail

If you don’t know already I have a YouTube account and will cover these topics in greater depth there. Tomorrow I have a video called The Stoke Dry Witch coming out at 1000hrs.

I hope you’re all keeping warm, it is currently very cold where I am.

Fabulous Folklore: Friday 13th

Happy Friday 13th!

Occurring at least once a year, up to a maximum of three times, Friday the 13th is considered a harbinger of bad luck by many people in the west. The irrational fear of the number 13 has its own name: triskaidekaphobia.

The unlucky nature of the number 13 is due - in part - to a Norse myth. Some gods were having a lovely dinner party in Valhalla and then Loki showed up, uninvited, making 13. He then had Balder shot, who died, and the world became dark, making 13 an unlucky number.

Middle Ages superstition combined with stories the of Last Supper may not have helped. There were 13 disciples at the table when Judas (who betrayed Jesus) was added, which was on the 13th of Nisan, Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday.

But 13 is also the number of moon cycles and menstrual cycles in a year, connecting the number 13 to the sacred feminine.

Let’s replace fear with feminine celebration. This is a sacred day - for Friday is Freyja’s Day - and it should be treated as such.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Hecate On The Hell Staircase
NEXT - Moon Magick: The Wolf Moon
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Yorkshire Witchcraft

Fabulous Folklore: Rats Castle

It was a wet and wild October night. Tom Tinker was struggling to make his way across the muddy fields to his Leicester home when he realised he needed to take shelter. There were no farms around. The only place nearby was Rats Castle - a sinister building with a spooky reputation. Tom didn’t know what it was haunted by, but with torrential rain lashing down, he didn’t have time to worry.

He found Rats Castle and made his way in. His first task was to make a fire, well away from the chimneys and windows leaking rain. He unpacked his day sack, and set about making a cup of tea. Quite absorbed in the process, he didn’t notice the creature until it spoke.

“Eh up” it said, in true Midlands fashion.

It was the ugliest creature he had ever seen. Tall, covered in thick dark hair with horns and a tail, a huge nose and sharp, yellow teeth; Tom immediately recognised it as a bogeyman.

“Aren’t you frightened?” asked the beast.

“Not really” said Tom, handing him a cup of tea. The bogeyman drank the piping hot tea too quickly, causing a searing pain in his throat. He crumpled the tin mug and threw it at Tom, who immediately deflected the mug with a pair of pincers. The mug ricocheted into the mouth of the bogeyman, knocking out several teeth. The creature howled in pain and ran out the door.

Just as Tom caught his breath another appeared. Twice the size and with two heads! 

“Aren’t you frightened?” asked the beast.

“Not really” said Tom, offering him a cup of tea from one of his other mugs. In true bogeyman fashion he guzzled down the drink, launched the tin at Tom who immediately batted the thing back; slamming it into one face before it ricocheted off into the other, knocking out several pointy teeth from each head. The double-headed beast howled and ran off.

Before Tom could wonder what would happen next, a large hairy hand appeared down the chimney breast, feeling its way around the hearth. Without hesitation, he struck the hand with his hammer, causing a loud howl. The hand disappeared.

Gathering his things up, Tom understood that he needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Two large hands suddenly lifted the roof off the tower, and three ugly heads on one set of shoulders peered down.

“Eh up!” said the bogeyman. “Aren’t you frightened?”

“Not really” said Tom “But I’ve run out of tea, so I’m just popping home to get some more, and then we can all have a nice cuppa together!”

Tom scurried out of the door, tripping over a large tail which he quickly nailed to the floor so that the bogeyman couldn’t follow. He ran all the way home and vowed never again to return to Rats Castle.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Black Anna
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: A Personal Spooky Story
NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Tulip Piskies

Fabulous Folklore: Place Names

What’s in a name?

Generally old place names were formed from Old English words that were descriptive of the landscape that a settlement sat in, or designed so that people would know what they could find there - for example Blacksmith’s Lane, Bakery Road.

They can reflect old myths and superstitions; for example Nicker Hill, in Keyworth, “nicker” being an old name for a mythical river monster.

Some road names carry a darker reference to the past. For example Gallows Hill in Lancaster. This name refers to the place where the so-called Pendle Witches were executed, a group of people who were tried in 1612 for the murders of 10 people supposedly by witchcraft.

Locally, seven women were burnt on Woman’s Lane in nearby Leicester for supposedly bewitching a thirteen year old boy; but a quick search has revealed that this name has since been changed.

There are some interesting road names in the U.K: Ghost House Lane (Nottinghamshire), Blood Hill (Suffolk), Black Cat Drive (Northamptonshire), Witches Walk (Somerset), Bats Lane (Dorset), Broomstick Lane (Buckinghamshire), Ducking Stool Court (Essex).

I was always curious about a road named in the next village, Panter’s Lane. After doing some research I found out that Panter is an old Scottish and English (mainly Northamptonshire) word for a servant in charge of the supply of bread and other provisions in a monastery or large household. This makes sense as this village dates back to the Middle Ages, and there were two main families of note, presumably with large dwellings, that would have employed the service of others in the village.

Do you live on an interestingly named road? What’s the best road name you’ve ever seen?

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Door Knockers

Fabulous Folklore: Hag Stones

Hag, holey, witch, fairy, dobbie or adder stones are protective charms used in folk magic. Hung in windows or doorways, in barns and on boats, they were believed to protect against the evil eye, witches, evil spirits, and negative energy, whose magic would be rendered useless when the hole was peered through. It was believed they could wars off curses, sickness and theft. In my part of the world ‘witch stones’ were hung in dairies. Witches could stop cows from producing milk, or prevent cream from turning into butter.

It was believed that other worlds and invisible spirits could be seen through the hole, and they were hung in bedrooms to prevent nightmares. Worn around the neck they protect the wearer from harm.

The holes are formed from the boring of a mollusk called a “piddock”, by water, or by smaller stones grinding against the surface.

I found this stone in the cemetery, so I’m really chuffed with it! Do you have any witch stones? If so, where did you find them?

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: White Horses

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: King Arthur £23 Notes

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Wolfsbane

Fabulous Folklore: Toads in Witchcraft

I love this tiny toad with a broomstick. It is found carved in wood on the building of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, Cornwall.

Toads have been associated with Witchcraft for many hundreds of years.

During the Renaissance it was widely believed that Satan sent witches familiar spirits to help them with their work. Toads were not liked in Medieval Europe, they were seen as ugly, disgusting creatures that were associated with poison. They were believed to be able to kill people even without being a familiar, which was a common concern. The witch could use the poison of toads to others, so the poor toad became entangled in this idea of harm. Stories of toads joining the Witches Sabbath or being compared to the Devil did not help, and terrified everyday folk, adding to their belief that toads were awful creatures connected to death and filth.

The familiar of the Second Witch in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a toad known as Paddock. He has the witches throw another toad into their cauldron. It is possible that Shakespeare may have read Discovery of Witchcraft (1584) by Reginald Scot, where the word familiar is first seen in print.

It was thought that toads had a “toadstool” in their heads, a sort of magickal gemstone that acted as an antidote for poison. Amulets containing dried frogs were abundant; and cunningfolk may have used toads in their medicine and remedies, keeping them for this reason, and subsequently bolstering the idea of a witch’s familiar.

Bufagin, a toxin produced from the glands on the top of a toad’s head, may have been linked to flying rituals and ointments, but it is a steroid not an alkaloid, and as such produces an anaesthetic effect rather than a psychoactive one. However butofenin, a toad toxin and alkaloid may be a good ingredient for a flying potion.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Hag Stones 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Witches' Flight

Fabulous Folklore: The Edith Weston Poltergeist

Several miles from here is a village called Edith Weston. It has a population of about 1100 people, and is named after Edith of Wessex, Queen of Edward the Confessor.

In December 1896, huge flocks of people gathered from afar to witness the haunting of a house; then inhabited by a Mr and Mrs Gray. Extremely loud and repetitive knocking was heard at the doors and windows, and this continued for a full week before Christmas. Hundreds of people witnessed these knocks, including Mr Braithwaite of Edith Weston Hall, who owned the property.

At it’s loudest, the entire village could hear the knocking. Police, clergy and a whole host of other official people came to solve the mysterious problem, but upon investigation, the noise would shift from room to room.

Rumours and theories were spread by the worried villagers. A fifteen year old serving girl was blamed for the mysterious thumping; but when that continued in her absence, it was then blamed on the Devil, who had been invited into the house by her.

Mrs Gray became sick with the stress and worry; and Mr Braithwaite considered demolishing the property. Thankfully the noises stopped at Christmas, but no logical explanation was ever found. An investigator from London blamed the girl. Allegedly, she called “Here I am, come on you” when entering the kitchen; the noises continuing in there long after she left.

A lot of time has passed and it’s now not clear which building housed the Edith Weston Poltergeist, but stories are still told about it to this day.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Black Annis

Fabulous Folklore: Witches’ Flight

And ‘tis an art well known to Wizards old 

And wily Hags, who oft for fear and shame 

Of the coarse halter, do themselves with old

From bodily assisting their night game. 

Wherefore their carcasses do home retain,

But with their souls at these bad feasts they are,

And see their friends and call them by their name,

And dance about the Goat, and sing har, har,

And kiss the Devil’s breech, and taste his deadly cheer.

~ Henry More (1614-1687)

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair

Fabulous Folklore: Ashwell Sacred Spring

I’ve been searching for holy wells and sacred springs in my area, of which there are quite a few. I have been unable to find the one at nearby Ladywell, but my husband accidentally found the Ashwell spring on his travels. We went to see it and it is one of those sites that is tantalisingly close to the road, but easily missed! 

Ash trees are often associated with wells, and at the top left hand side of the picture you can see the trunk and leaves of the ash tree situated next to the site of the spring. It’s possible that the village is named literally after this spot, “Ash-well,” although it started off as “Exwell” in the 11th century. 

Ash trees have long been associated with Yggdrasil, the immense sacred tree in Norse mythology that is central to the cosmos, with all else existing around it. At the base of Yggdrasil was a spring where the Norns (Fate, Being, Necessity) lived. The ash was considered sacred in Britain as well as Scandinavia. 

The spring arises in a stone well house, not dissimilar to the one at nearby Greetham, and bearing an inscription that is nearly the same:

“All ye who hither come to drink. Rest not your thoughts below. Look at the sacred sign and think. Whence living waters flow.”

It was really dry when we had a look, but I’m hoping that as we edge toward the winter and have a bit more rain we’ll be able to see the small pool the spring is said to create, and perhaps I can take some sacred water.

Do you have any sacred springs or holy wells near you?

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Sheela-na-Gig

NEXT - Pagan Holidays: Imbolc

Fabulous Folklore: Stonehenge

There are many myths and legends surrounding Stonehenge, with many of these stories attempting to explain its origin. Most of these stories involve the devil, gods, giants or wizards. One such tale tells of giants holding hands, dancing in a circle on Salisbury Plain, before being turned to stone.

Another yarn describes the Devil disguising himself as a man to broker a deal with an old Irish lady who owned the stones. In return for them, he agreed to give her as a any gold coins as she could count before he finished moving them. She thought she was on to a winner with the time it would take to do this, but the Devil cheated the old woman out of a princely sum by using his powers to instantly move the stones to England, the site of Stonehenge.

After the Devil created Stonehenge he claimed that no-one could successfully count the number of stones. The antiquarian William Stukeley was quite fascinated by this story; he managed to count to 140 before stating:

"Behold the solution of the mighty problem, the magical spell is broke, which has so long perplexed the vulgar. They think 'tis an ominous thing to count the true number of the stones and whoever does so, shall certainly die after it."

Other folklore states that Merlin brought the stones over from Ireland to mark the graves of British nobles slaughtered by the Saxons and erected them on Salisbury Plain using magick.

What stories have you heard?

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Silbury Hill

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Ring Stone at Avebury

NEXT - Personal Magick: My Beltane Handfasting

Fabulous Folklore: Kissing Gates

This is a Kissing Gate. They usually have a square, semi-circular or v-shaped enclosure, with a hinged gate that swings between two posts. The hinged part “kisses” both sides of the enclosure, allowing one person to pass through.

They’re commonly found at the entrance to graveyards. Much easier to negotiate than climbing over a stile and falling into the mud in your Sunday best! There doesn’t seem to be much folklore regarding them but there is a lot of debate over their name.

Some say that the name comes from when more than one person passes through the gate. In order for a person to do so successfully, they have to kiss the next person after they have negotiated the hinge, before the next person enters. It is considered good form for everyone passing through to exchange a kiss ~ meaning you need to go walking with people you’re friendly with!

Some say that they were placed at the entrances of churchyards by the Victorians so that couples could not pass through together. Passing through gates hand-in-hand was seen as symbolic of a sexual relationship. Others maintain that the term “kissing gate” comes from “kisting gate” - a place where a coffin was put so the bearers could rest before carrying it into the church.

Another theory is that would-be lovers gathered near them. Men would pass a coin or token to a woman. If she was interested, a kiss would be exchanged and she would place the token in her purse for eternity. If she was not interested, she would throw it away. It has been suggested that the following rhyme is related to kissing gates:

“There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile, he found a crooked sixpence against a crooked style. He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, and they all lived together in a little crooked house.” That said, the Crooked House in Lavenham (see my earlier post) is also said to be the inspiration behind this poem.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Wishing Trees

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Haunted Houses

Fabulous Folklore: Silbury Hill

Silbury Hill, located a stone’s throw from West Kennet Long Barrow, is the largest artificial, prehistoric mound in Europe. It is believed to have been built sometime between 2470 and 2350 BC; making it around 4,400 years old. Its purpose to the Neolithic people who built it unknown and no burial has ever been found inside. It is comparative in volume and size to the Egyptian pyramids.

The Romans built a settlement around the base of the mound, with a road running past it, and a structure may have been built on the top during the medieval period.

Unfortunately, due to three excavations that were not properly handled between 1776 and 1970, a 14 metre crater opened on the summit in May 2000. It was made off-limits to the public, and only a few people were allowed to access the mound due to safety concerns, including my late friend Terry, the Arch Druid of Avebury, who would go up there to work the energies. It was filled with polystyrene before further research was carried out around 2007. Eventually it was filled with chalk. The summit is still officially off-limits, but you can walk around the base of the hill.

Folklore says that it is the resting place of King Sil, who lies beneath the mound, with the hill encasing a life-sized gold statue of him astride his horse.

It was also said that the Devil created the mound. He was on his way to Marlborough to bury it under a heap of earth when he met a cobbler carrying a bag of worn out shoes. The Devil, who never seems to quite know what he’s doing when it comes to these schemes, asked the cobbler how far it was to Marlborough. The clever cobbler replied that it was so far away he’d worn out all the shoes trying to reach it. Dismayed, the Devil just dropped the earth where he stood, creating Silbury Hill.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Nine Ladies Stone Circle

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Ring Stone at Avebury

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Major Oak

Fabulous Folklore: The Hurlers on Bodmin Moor

The Hurlers, situated on Bodmin Moor, are three stone circles that date back to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. Their arrangement in a row is unique in England; and whilst the exact function of The Hurlers is unknown, it is believed to be a ceremonial monument and a meeting place for community gatherings.

It is possible that these stone circles mark a processional route between the Stowe’s Hill Neolithic hilltop settlement in the north, to the Caradon Hill barrow cemetery in the south.

Local legend says the stones were men who were turned to stone for playing hurling on a Sunday, with The Pipers, two nearby standing stones, being two men who were also turned to stone for playing music on a Sunday. This makes a lovely change from them being women, who were popular targets for being turned to stone in myths and legends about other stone circles across the U.K., for example the Nine Ladies on Stanton Moor in Derbyshire.

This is a fantastic site to visit but the weather can be extremely changeable ~ or even just extreme! ~ but the horses and cows seem to like it.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: The Ring Stone at Avebury 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Duloe Stone Circle

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Cornish Piskies 

NEXT - Nine Ladies Stone Circle 

Fabulous Folklore: The Tulip Piskies

Somewhere along the River Tavy on Dartmoor, a sweet and kindly old lady lived in a beautiful little cottage, surrounded by flowers. She had lavender and hollyhocks, rosemary and mullein. Forget-me-nots and lilies, sunflowers and tulips. She worked hard to create a beautiful garden that bloomed all year round; it was her pride and joy. She was proud of the tulips, especially the red ones.

This sanctuary extended beyond her garden. She lived next to a green meadow which was covered by piskie rings. The locals held the rings as caused by piskie-led ponies being driven round in circles in the dead of night. But the old lady knew differently.

One night the lady was woken by a sweet tune drifting in through her window. She lay there for a few minutes before realising the tune was a lullaby. She sat up in her bed and cast her gaze out of her window - her prized tulips were shimmering and waving in the moonlight to the gentle tune. As she woke properly from her slumber and her ear sharpened, she realised the tulips were gently singing along to the tune.

This continued for a number of nights, and the old lady, tuned in to the ways of the world, realised what was happening. The piskies were bringing their babies to the tulips, laying each precious baby within a tulip flower. The tulip nannies gently rocked and sang the piskie babies to sleep, while the adult piskies danced their merry dance until the break of dawn. No ponies were needed to make the rings; the piskies made them all by themselves.

The piskies loved the land surrounding the cottage, and they loved the old lady. They never forgot her kindness. Her tulips lived longer than those of the other villagers. They smelt a little bit sweeter, and shone a little bit brighter.

Sadly, in time, the old lady died. The old man that moved into the cottage did not care for flowers or tulips or pretty things; he wished only to grow vegetables for himself. He built a fence to keep animals and birds out the garden. The piskies saw to it that nothing would flourish and grow ever again; and the whole garden soon became barren and empty, much like the old man’s heart.

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Toads in Witchcraft

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Oak Apple Day

Fabulous Folklore: Neptune - God of The Sea & Freshwater

This is Neptune’s Grotto at Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire. The Romans celebrated Neptune as the god of freshwater, and of the sea. It was thought that Neptune was associated with freshwater springs long before he became associated with the ocean. He was appropriated from his Greek pantheon counterpart, Poseidon, ruler of the seas.

Neptune only had one temple in Rome, situated near the Circus Flaminius, a Roman racetrack. Like Poseidon, Neptune was worshipped as a god of horses. They were said to pull the chariot he travelled in over the sea. Neptune was one of only four Roman gods to whom it was considered appropriate to sacrifice a bull. The others were Apollo, Jupiter and Mars.

Neptune was often described as a tall, white-bearded figure who carried a trident. The Romans celebrated him on Neptunalia, the festival of Neptune, on July 23rd. He was petitioned in times of drought and heat. Ironically, and rather coincidentally, we visited this grotto within a few days of this date; in the height of a heatwave.