I am aware I am supposed to put this in a discussion thread and I'm sorry as I can't find one and I'm very new to this reddit page. But if I may ask how could I also start folklore in my own town irl instead of just writing stories to paper which I love doing too. Sorry if this was a dumb question.

I recently read about a bronze scorpion supposedly buried in ancient Antioch to keep real scorpions away. It made me curious whether other cultures had similar traditions?

Hello all, my name is Miguel, I'm from Portugal but currently live in Ireland, I am a writer and journalist, and I am obsessed with folklore and mythology so I have decided to compile a list of local legends and myths from all around the world, starting with my home region in Portugal. Maybe they're real, maybe they're not... My world is full of magic and wonder, full of mystery and horror, so I invite you to join me, at your own risk...

Hello everyone,

I'm introducing OpenClassics on behalf of our small team: https://www.openclassics.org/en

Our aim is to keep classic tales alive and encourage people to read them, drawing on established literary editions and beautiful illustrations by great artists.

We trace sources, check texts and modernize the language while preserving each story's voice. The original remains accessible, and readers can see which passages have changed. Historical illustrations and quizzes with sourced answers accompany the tales. We've also established small branches in the United States and China.

Our team brings together skills in documentary research, translation, education, image processing and web development. Modernization involves intralingual translation: reformulating a text within the same language for a new audience. Philology helps us compare the sources.

During revision, one question keeps coming up: is a passage difficult because its language has aged, or is that difficulty part of the storytelling?

Please feel free to suggest a noteworthy edition, point out a passage that could be improved, or help us write the quiz questions found at the end of each tale.

Thank you very much!

Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form from Karnataka, India, combining storytelling, music, dance, dialogue, elaborate costumes and distinctive makeup.Performances such as this keep ancient epics alive as part of a continuing oral and folk tradition.

I was wondering if anyone knew a good book or maybe even a personal story regarding the Kelpie or the Each Uisge. I've read all the books at my local library, but they have left me desperate for more stories!

I dont necessarily know if that the proper terminology, mortuary folklore...or death folklore? Did or do beliefs about improper buria;s causing restless spirits, death omens, and supernatural grave guardians function as a form of social control beyond just religious notion?

For example, many cultures have traditions saying that the dead must receive the proper burial rites or follow specific funerary customs, otherwise the deceased might become a restless, unhappy, or dangerous spirit. Did these become norms because they helped reinforce obedience to religious authorities and the institutions that controlled burial practices? Were these beliefs deliberately invented for those purposes?

Most large groups didnt develop independently and a social order amongst many groups would be needed to maintain discipline, what better way to indoctrinate people to follow your orders and way of thinking than to tell them they have to listen to you and do these specific rituals or else their beloved son's soul will become a restless shade that will visit you in the night?

The Church Grimm, an animal spirit said to protect churchyards from thieves. Could stories like these also have acted as deterrents against grave robbing, trespassing, or theft from churches, tombs, and burial sites, especially those associated with wealthy elites? In that sense, is most death/mortuary folklore just functioning as a kind of spiritual/religious/ supernatural social control. Help regulate the poor and unruly masses under the watchful eye of the ever present wealthy elite?

So this is not a new thing i’m sure but why do people when a game or movie etc releases a w*ndigo character people get mad over it (i know that part usually based on the design) but why do they mention the name in arguments or discussions when i thought a big part of it is not to speak of it’s name? It’s something i have seen alott in arguments like this even people who believe in it and i’m just curious why people do this T_T isn’t that just making it worse?

This is a folklore from Uttarakhand about our Kuldevta Kaliveer. This story is told by elders in our village

I'm obsessed with ghosts and would like some advice on where to start exploring this topic in more depth. I'm also obsessed with visual art, so I wanted to mention that I have a huge board on Pinterest and have saved a lot of boards created by other people. Could you recommend some of your favorite boards? Maybe you have favorite artists or photographers who work with ghost-themed art? I’d love to add their work to my board. And in general, I’d like to ask for recommendations for books, websites, TV shows, videos, movies, media, and anything else related to ghosts, so I can learn something new and find artistic inspiration. I think I’d like to know more unique details rather than pop culture clichés. I’m autistic and this is my hyperfixation, so I have a lot of questions ^_^
Plus, I just love expanding my ghost collection, so I’m looking forward to your precious recommendations

Hi!

Had the best news in the fact I've been accepted onto a post grad in Creative Writing (UK)

I want to focus on folklore as it's something that absolutely fascinates me.

I would love all the recommendations on books, both academic and not, on everything and anything folklore.

I also just found this sub today so really looking forward to hanging out here more.

Thanks!

I have dress up as one but I'm not sure if its actually a dead pregnant woman or a dead unborn baby. I'm from PH

I’m looking for help finding the best books on folklore creatures and tales from various regions.
Ideally, I’d like books that stay true to the oldest forms of the stories and, if I’m lucky, provide some historical and cultural context as well.

I figure I won’t find a single book that compiles all of that--especially for all the regions I’d like covered--so I’m happy to build a collection from a list of titles.

Regions I'd like to cover:

- North America
- Central America
- UK
- Eastern Europe
- Africa

Thanks in advance!

hey guys, any recommendations for where to get a (preferably 2 year long) masters in folklore in europe? i know england must have a few good ones too but tuition fees in the uk are crazy high - so if you have advices on which grants to apply to in order to get a free ride im open to that as well

Long story short, I am trying to look into German folktales/fairytales besides the Grimm fairytales and I am trying to remember if there's a story regarding to Germanic Bushman that would "abduct women" once every year...I think it's more of a ritual sort of thing but I am not 100%.

I thought I remembered watching an old documentary on it in German class (had to have been in Uni due to the content).

Or am I making it up?

What else is out there? I know iele, Muma Padurii, Martolea and Samca... but what else is good story fodder? I've been writing a story that leans hard on Romanian folklore, but I didn't want it to revolve around the usual vampire werewolf thing, though they get nods.

If you’re familiar with Western folklore, you might imagine something like a Bigfoot, ogre, or forest spirit. But Indonesia has its own terrifying figure: the Genderuwo.

In Indonesian folklore, Genderuwo is commonly described as a large, hairy supernatural being with a frightening appearance. It is often associated with old trees, abandoned places, forests, and areas believed to have strong supernatural energy.

What makes the Genderuwo interesting isn't just its appearance. In many traditional stories, it is said to be territorial and capable of psychologically disturbing people—from strange sounds and whispers to disturbing dreams or unexplained encounters.

Some Indonesian traditions describe Genderuwo not as the ghost of a dead human, but as a type of jin or supernatural entity associated with nature and certain spiritual practices.

Of course, these are elements of Indonesian folklore and traditional beliefs, not scientifically established facts.

For Indonesians, stories about Genderuwo have been passed down for generations and remain a fascinating part of local horror culture.

Would you compare the Genderuwo to any creature from your country's folklore?