Myth and Folklore Blog

  Photo by  Bence Balla-Schottner  on  Unsplash Zelinda and the Monster: Father Goes to Town: There was a man with three daughters, all different in disposition. They all asked him for something from town when he left. Rosina asked for a dress, Marietta wanted a shawl and Zelinda wanted just a rose. Their father was headed back when he realized he had no rose, he went into the field and found one to pick. Once he picked the rose, a monster appeared and began to threaten him. This monster threatened the man's life. The father begged and begged, he had three daughters at home alone he needed to care for. The monster let him go, but required a life. Zelinda in the Castle: Zelinda heard her father's story and knew it was all her fault, she volunteered to be given to the monster. When they got there, the beast was satisfied with his sacrifice and sent the father out. He kept the girl there and fell in love with her. Zelinda was indifferent, she could not love such a hideo...

Photo by  kenny  on  Unsplash This story is part of the Italian Popular Tales unit . Story source: Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane (1885). Zelinda and the Monster: There was a man who had three daughters all vastly different from one another. One had the fairest disposition, the others envied her greatly. The daughters asked their dad for presents, Rosina asked for a dress, Marietta wanted a shawl and Zelinda wanted just a rose. The man saw the rose in a beautiful rosebud he looked and there were no living souls in the area. Once he pulled the flower from the stock flames came from the earth and a terrible monster with the figure of a dragon hissed at him threatening to kill him for destroying his rosebush. The man begged for his life for his family to make sure they would remain safe. He assured the man that someone must die for the crime he had committed. Zelinda and her father went to the garden since it was her fault she volunteered to go. They retur...

Photo by  Ikiobelung  on  Unsplash  Story source:  King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table  by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902). A long long time ago there was no king in the Kingdom of Aldarir. Every knight throughout the realms wanted to have their chance at the crown. Many men tried to take the kingdom and so the local wizard decided to do something about it. The wizard Trygve who's name means "trustworthy," used magic to lock the castle. The only person who could unlock the castle would be true ruler over Aldarir. The key was placed in plain sight, almost as a welcoming sign to try the door. The key knew who would be worthy and who would not. Knights from near and far came and gathered to line up politely and attempt to unlock the door. Some the door would throw them far away, some would just get their wrist twisted and some could not even see the key. None could turn the key in the lock. The guards of th...

  Photo by  Omar Prestwich  on  Unsplash This story is part of the King Arthur unit . Story source: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902). Sir Lancelot tied his horse to a tree and stopped for a bit. He dreamed of knights and woke up and his horse was gone so he left by foot.  Sir Bors was told by the hermit that he must wear this garment instead of a shirt on his quest for the grail. He took off his clothes and put on a scarlet coat. On shore he found a vessel and as soon he stepped foot onto the boat it took off as if he had been flying.  The king fell ill, and soon he may die. The three knights gave their forgiveness while he was on his death bed. Galahad was proclaimed king, Galahad's soul left his body and was carried by angels up to heaven. Since then no man dared to say they had seen the holy grail. When a year and two months passed Sir Percivale died as well and was buried by his side. 

Photo by  Omar Prestwich  on  Unsplash This story is part of the King Arthur unit . Story source: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902). A long time ago there was no king in Britain. Every knight tried to get the crown for himself. Merlin the magician decided that on Christmas they should all meet. They saw a large stone in the courtyard that said whoever could pull the sword from the stone would be the king of England.  They decided on New Year's Day a tournament should be held to see who could remove the sword from this stone. Sir Ector brought Sir Kay and his foster brother Arthur for the tournament. Kay realized he did not have his sword and begged Arthur to grab it for him. When Arthur came back the sword was not Kay's, but the sword from the stone. Sir Ector told Arthur this made him the rightful king, since this sword was enchanted and none could draw it that was not born a king. They put the sword back in ...

 Photo by  Ant Rozetsky  on  Unsplash Story source:  American Indian Fairy Tales  by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). A long long time ago, the winds where chaos. They had no dominion over certain land and they roamed free as they pleased. Children feared the North Wind as it was cold and brought snow and ice to their lands. The North Wind was loud and fast, and children ran and hid from it. The South Wind, however, was quite the opposite. He was just a nice guy honestly. The South Wind would walk around enjoying the sun, smelling flowers, and napping on hills. Whenever the South Wind came to town the children rejoiced.  Wherever the South Wind was traveling at that time, it was summer. The North and South balanced each other well, but the North Wind had a plan. He wanted to become more powerful than his nemesis the South Wind. The North Wind knew the South Wind's routine very well. Every night the South Wind would lay down on a hill...

Photo by  Selvan B  on  Unsplash Story source:  American Indian Fairy Tales  by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). Inside old Iagoo's teepee it was warm and cheerful, even though it was cold in the forest. Iagoo broke the silence to tell a story to Eagle Feather and Morning Glory.  He told them a story of a boy who never grew to be more than three feet high. He had a sister who was much taller and stronger than him, and so she would collect food for both of them and care for him in every way. She did not realize how strange of a boy he was, and how mischievous he could be. She made her brother a bow so he could care for himself.  Winter was coming and to keep himself from freezing he needed to find a warmer garment. He tried to pluck the feathers off of birds to make a coat and keep warm, but as he shot at the birds they got scared and flew away. Each day he tried again, and when he shot 10 birds he knew he had enough. He showed his si...

Photo by  Aaron Burden  on  Unsplash Story source: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). Old Iagoo was a well known storyteller. His grandfather had told him many tales and stories that he remembered. He was a favorite of the children, he was able to make beautiful necklaces and bows and arrows. Winter is when he told his stories. The kids were scared of how loud the wind was and they asked old Iagoo if he thought the wind could hurt them. He responded that the north wind could do no hard to those who are brave and cheerful. He realized he should tell the children a story about it.  His story about the North wind began a long long time ago where there dwelt a tribe of fisherman. The land of ice stretched over the top of the world for miles. There was a limit to the wind's power, as strong as he was. He was no match for the south wind. The south wind was in the pleasant land of the sunflower. Where he dwelt, it was always ...

  Image Source: Blackfeet Nation Land How Men and Women Discovered One Another: Men and women did not know each other long ago, the men were put in one place, and the women in another.  One day an old man was traveling and he noticed there were women. They were frightened and laid down to hide.  The old man saw them laying and assumed they were dead. One woman tricked him and used her dead weight to let her arm slap his face and make his nose bleed. They both ran and he lost them, he was very angry and this is how women found out about men.  The Smart Woman Chief: The men came to feast with the women and the women chose husbands. The old man wanted to trick the woman chief into marriage by masquerading as the chief. The woman chief had been making dried meat so her clothes were covered in blood and she was dirty.  She was refused by the old man. She went back to the camp to change into something cleaner. The old man then recognized her but she would not pay him ...