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Folklore

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music

How This Demon Dance Banishes Illnesses in Sri Lanka's Remote Jungles

The kankariya dance all started with a legendary demon queen named Kuweni.
Zinara Rathnayake May 4, 2023
witchcraft

The Mysterious, Naked Night Runners of Western Kenya

"When the wind blows you run away because you think it’s a night runner.”
Joel Balsam May 4, 2023
forests

This Norwegian Water Spirit Just Wants to Teach You How to Fiddle

But make sure you bring the fossegrim the proper offering—or else.
Diana Hubbell May 3, 2023
cryptozoology

Argentina’s Loch Ness Monster Lurks Beneath a Patagonia Lake

Nahuelito’s plesiosaur visage can be found all over the small town of Bariloche.
Juan Relmucao May 2, 2023
Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Hämmelsmarsch Fountain

Some believe that the artist behind this whimsical statue inserted his own likeness as a way to discreetly flip the bird.
Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Melusina Statue

This magenta statue commemorates the legendary marriage between a mermaid and the city's founder.
Tokyo, Japan

Kimi-Chan

This sculpture bears a tragic backstory that may have inspired a hauntingly beautiful children's song.
León, Nicaragua

Museum of Traditions and Legends

Housed in a 20th-century prison, this small museum recounts local Nicaraguan myths.
fairytales

What Is a Fairy Fort?

In Ireland, fears about disturbing the fair folk have saved thousands of these mysterious ancient structures.
Sarah Durn February 2, 2023
Ipswich, England

The Ogre of Eagle Street

This monstrous face has watched over the passersby for centuries.
Pune, India

Baneshwar Cave Temple

A centuries-old Hindu cave temple is tucked away in a quiet suburb.
holiday

The Dancing Snow God That Brings Blizzards to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Heikki Lunta even has his own song.
Daniel Bromfield January 5, 2023
science

Aurora Hunters Capture the Wonder of the Northern (and Southern) Lights

A curated collection of images shows why this natural phenomenon has fascinated and inspired humans for millennia.
Gemma Tarlach December 21, 2022
santa claus

Krampus Is the Christmas Icon We Need—And Maybe the One We Deserve

At Milwaukee’s Krampusnacht, we go in search of the essence of Santa’s unholy enforcer.
Gemma Tarlach December 9, 2022
museums

Podcast: The Wren’s Nest

Atlanta’s oldest house museum is dedicated to preserving Black American oral traditions.
The Podcast Team November 8, 2022
witchcraft

Podcast: Witch Cakes

A baked good thought to ward off evil might have kicked off one of America's most notorious witch hunts.
The Podcast Team October 28, 2022
cryptozoology

Beware the Thunderbird, Badass Cryptid of the Skies

The source of storms and an (occasional) kidnapper, the massive ancient beast has inspired muscle cars and jet fighters.
J.W. Ocker October 26, 2022
murder

The Haunting True Story of Bridget Cleary’s “Changeling” Murder

There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore.
Sarah Durn October 21, 2022