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Posted by: Stephanie Hall
The 19th century saw an explosion of interest in sea serpents as well as other mysteries of nature in the United States and Europe. This was the dawn of an age when legend met science with the idea that science could solve ancient mysteries. One could say that we are still in that age, although …
Posted by: Stephen Winick
If you’re curious about modern holiday beliefs and calendar customs, you might be reading or doing research about them online. Chances are, you come across some stories that the presenters claim are ancient, and reach into the pre-Christian past. One popular story you might have seen recently involves the origin of the Easter Bunny. Essentially, …
Posted in: Animals, Easter, German Americans, Jacob Grimm, Legends, Myths, Narratives, Religion, Uncategorized
Posted by: Stephen Winick
The Easter Bunny, like Santa Claus, is the bringer of gifts on a popular American holiday. Throughout the country, the swift little creature is said to deliver decorated eggs to children on Easter. In some variants of this story, the bunny is even said to lay eggs, presenting a challenge to biology teachers everywhere! So what’s the story on this odd tradition? Let’s take a look. We'll examine claims that the Easter Bunny is related to a pagan goddess, Eostre or Ostara. We'll also look at the origin of the Easter Bunny in Pennsylvania Dutch and German traditions, including the Easter Hare.
Posted in: Animals, Easter, Easter, German Americans, Holidays, Jacob Grimm, Legends, Myths
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
This is the second part of a two-part article on the folklore of trains. Part one, focusing on the development of railroads in the United States and related songs and lore can be found here. Part Two: Trains and American Culture The coming of the railroads made profound changes in life and culture in the …
Posted in: African Americans, Alan Lomax, Charles Lafayette Todd, Folksong, George Korson, John Lomax, Legends, Robert Sonkin, Robert Winslow Gordon, Sam Eskin, Sidney Robertson Cowell
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
Part two of this article is available at this link. Part One: The Development of the Railroads The advent of railroads in the United States is part of the country’s coming-of-age story as an industrial power during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Because of this, trains and people associated with the developing railways became …
Posted in: Alan Lomax, Austin Fife, Charles Lafayette Todd, Charles Lafayette Todd and Robert Sonkin, Cowboys, Folksong, John Lomax, Legends, Robert Sonkin, Ruby Terrill Lomax, Zora Neale Hurston
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
On June 28, 1778, at the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, women brought aid to the wounded, assisted doctors as nurses, did laundry, made clothing, brought food and water to soldiers, brought more water to cool the cannons, and more. These were the most common tasks performed by the wives and families of the soldiers …
Posted in: Legends, U.S. Revolution, Women's History
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
During the week of August 25, 1835, the world was treated to a fantastic story of scientific discoveries by the famous British astronomer, Sir John Herschel. He had realized the speculations of his father, astronomer Sir William Herschel, as he discovered life on the moon.[1] Or so the readers of The New York Sun were …
Posted in: Legends
Posted by: Stephen Winick
This post looks at the origin of "Ring Around the Rosie" and its history. It asks whether there is any reason to believe the story that the rhyme is about the plague. And it introduces the idea of metafolklore, folklore about folklore.
Posted in: Folksong, Legends, Medieval Folklore, Metafolklore (Folklore about Folklore), Poetry
Posted by: Stephen Winick
Albert Einstein, the physicist behind the Theory of General Relativity and other crucial theoretical advances of the 20th century, is often considered one of the greatest scientists of all time. But did you know that he also liked folklore? At least, he did according to some commentators. A direct quotation, often attributed to Einstein, runs: …
Posted in: German Americans, Legends