The FolkLore Press

📣 arriving 29 July 2025; available in print and ebook; online or can be ordered at your local bookstore: "Folklore of the Lake District" ghost stories, folk tales, nature lore, dialect, verse bardofcumberland.com/folklorepress #book #ebook #folklore #lakedistrict

On a summer's evening, the merfolk would bask on the rocks that stretch out to the sea, beyond Turnberry Lighthouse. Their mesmerizing singing captured the heart of many an Ayrshire lad and lassie. #folklore #Turnberry #Ayrshire art: Arthur Rackham

Although Ents come from Tolkien's Middle-earth, they are similar to the tree deities of folklore - Oak Man, Dryad, Leshy - the forest guardians 'ent' is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for 'giant' #Tolkien #AlanLee #folklore art: Treebeard by Alan Lee

Merlin, driven mad with grief when his men were slaughtered in battle, finds refuge in the Caledonian Forest. His loneliness interrupted by visits from forest creatures and nature spirits, and he thereafter gains the gift of prophecy. #merlin #alanlee #druidry art: Alan Lee

'Ghilli Dhu' is a male faerie living in Scottish forests where birch trees grow in abundance, camouflaging himself in leaves and moss, and only coming out at night. He comes to the aid of lost children, but is wrathful with other trespassers. #faeriefriday #folklore #Scotland

Trow live on Orkney and Shetland. Their name is derived from the Scandinavian Troll. They live in earth mounds called Trowie Knowes, venturing out at dusk to listen to music, and to kidnap musicians to their knowes. #folklore #Scotland art: Stephen G. Rae

📣 arriving 29 July 2025; available in print and ebook; online or can be ordered at your local bookstore: "Folklore of the Lake District" ghost stories, folk tales, nature lore, dialect, verse bardofcumberland.com/folklore #bookologythursday #lakedistrict

Pech are gnome-like beings in Scottish Highlands lore. They are short of height but extremely strong, and built the great stone circles and burial cairns. They brew the finest heather ale. #gnomes #folklore #Scotland

Adriaen Collaert's engravings of 1583 depict personifications of Aristotle’s classical elements: Air - birds, insects and angels Fire - phoenix and salamander Earth - life and death; land creatures Water - bounty of the mighty sea

The Four Elements are a series of four oil paintings by the Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo in 1566 Air - represented by birds Fire - burning wood and cannons Earth - land animals Water - marine creatures

My late grandmother would recall the tale of the gean-cánach, the love talker. A trickster, a male faerie similar to a leprechaun, known for seducing men and women, although he is particularly fond of shepherds and milkmaids #fairytaletuesday #ireland art: Maximilian Pirner

Fachan lives in the Highlands of Scotland. He's easily identified by his one eye, one arm, one leg, and poor dentistry. He dislikes humans and will attack them with a club if they impede on his territory. #folklore #Scotland art: Brian Froud

The illustration for an unpublished version of Tolkien's "The Hobbit" by Peter Klucik #Tolkien #TheHobbit

The Nuckelavee, thought to derive from the Orcadian word  knoggelvi, meaning "Devil of the Sea". It's a demon from folklore that combines both equine and human elements; it's breath like a poison. #folklore #supernatural #orkney 🖼 Joan Llopis Doménech

"When people try to rain on your parade... pee on theirs" ~ Josh Stern #demonology #magic art: Compendium Of Demonology and Magic, 1775

"In the Wide World the Wood-elves lingered in the twilight of our Sun and Moon, but loved best the stars; and they wandered in the great forests that grew tall in lands that are now lost" ~ J.R.R. Tolkien #Tolkien #MoonDay 🌖🌑🌔

Rat King is a vile-looking composite creature made up of a number of rats whose tails have become entangled. In lore, Rat King is psychic and can control other rats, and is generally believed to be an omen of death #FolkloreSunday #FolkHorror art: R. Dongjun Lu

One of my favourite artists, Richard Dadd; perhaps best known for his depictions of fairies. His most notable paintings were created while a patient at Bethlem and Broadmoor hospitals. Dadd was convinced his father was the Devil and killed him. art: Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke

#WordoftheDay - kittlin a kitten in Scots dialect; from the Old Norse 'ketlingr' as my grandfather would say: "it's as dark as a kittlin's ee in the coal hoose" which roughly translates as: "it's as dark as a kitten's eye in the coal house" #caturday #dialect #scotland

The Scottish Wildcat, also know as the Highland Tiger. A wildcat dwells in The Otherworld, called Little Cat, it guards a vast treasure. For a would-be thief, Little Cat transforms into a flaming arrow, reducing said thief to ashes! #caturday #folklore #Scotland 📷 Tony Hamblin