Folklore

Hummingbirds are tiny nectar-drinking birds found in the Americas from Alaska to Chile. The name refers to the humming sound made by the bird's rapidly beating wings. The jewel-like hummingbird...

Firefighters are emergency technicians trained to assist in almost any emergency, from their namesake fires, to car accidents, to natural disaster evacuation and control, to neutralizing hazardous...

Historically, the Masonic symbolism in the design of the confederate flag is nothing more than coincidence. A brief examination of the flag's history shows its design was mainly influenced by...

The third Friday the 13th of 2009 occurred in November - the maximum number of unlucky Friday the 13ths that can occur in a year. Who believes in these silly superstitions? Winston Churchill and...

Do you have an important decision to make? Are you having trouble deciding between two choices? Let a tossed coin make the decision for you. Here is the technique you should use to toss a decision...

Fairies are popular today as ornaments and characters in children's stories, but at one time were believed to be common visitors to homes and farms and a part of everyday life. Fairy legends...

Weavers make Navajo rugs in two basic styles: traditional and pictorial. Only the designs on pictorial-style rugs---adapted, but never copied, from sand paintings---have symbolic meanings.

It's coming. The zombies will overrun our society by their huge mass of numbers. They aren't intelligent, but they will spread like wildfire. Numbers almost always defeats strategy. We can only...

Brace yourself, winter is approaching quickly. How bad will it be? Will we suffer through multiple ice and snow storms, or will we see a mild, pleasant winter? You can ask the animals to...

Wicker Man was a Druidic effigy built out wood and straw, then covered with grass to form a giant man. Legend states that the Druids packed the hollow statues with humans and animals and set them...

Ring games have been in existence for at least 200 years. The origins of such games are the subject of debate among folklorists.

Fairy's are Gentle Creatures, If you would like to become one, then you will have to listen, and read BETWEEN the lines... everything I am telling you has something inside of it you need to find...

Is “Knock-Knock” falling away into the wax museum of chuckle history making way for more sophisticated high-speed humor? I doubt it, but this morning on a Sacramento “Good Day” show, veteran...

IT'S GAME DAY!!! For all you food and football fans out there, this is how to make the best darn taco sauce for those pre-game fixins! It’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s portable, and you can...

Seamlessly woven into everyday life, superstitions outlast culture after culture. For centuries, passers-by have avoided walking under ladders for fear of attracting bad luck. This superstition...

Japanese lanterns are a familiar site outside and inside of Japanese restaurants, in gardens during parties and in homes as decorations. Nowadays Japanese lanterns are mostly used to light...

The pagan Celts revered the sun as an extremely powerful symbol, associated with healing, fertility and a source of life. In the days of ancient Britain, where the weather was harsh and survival...

What is oral history? It is the knowledge, traditions, experiences, memories, celebrations, and customs that we or our ancestors have experienced. These experiences and living traditions provide...

Laurus nobilis, commonly referred to as a bay laurel or a daphne, grows as a tree that produces fresh bay leaves, often used in cooking. Mysticism surrounding this tree extends back to ancient Greece.

According to legend, Joseph Peavey was standing on the banks of the Penobscot River in Upper Stillwater, Maine, observing the yearly log drive when he had a revelation. The tools the log drivers...

The thumb ring is deeply rooted in history. It was used by medieval archers for protection from their bows and Chinese military officials to determine rank. Today, it has become more of a fashion...

Fate can be both a liberating and terrifying prospect for many. The concept goes back to ancient times and has been used as a justification for many events.

The bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) is a large shrub that is native to the Mediterranean area. It has numerous historical and present uses.

For centuries the paper from birch trees has been used to decorate everything from candles and crafts to collecting and storing food. Native American tribesman lined their canoes and wigwams with...

The Rider Tarot deck, also known as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, has established itself as one of the more recognizable mass-produced tarot decks. First designed and distributed in 1909, the deck...

Anyone traveling Route 232 (2nd Street Pike) through Wrightstown, Bucks Co. PA has noticed the unusual property near Swamp Road’s famous Octagonal Schoolhouse.

Everyone can use a little luck in their lives. Luckily for them, there are special lucky numbers that can be calculated for every person based on either their birthdays or their names. The...

Should you see a doorway with a water-filled plastic bag hung over it, you should know that flies are not likely to be inside. Flies, it seems, don't go where the water bags hang. So if you want...

The fabled phoenix was an awe-inspiring bird of extraordinary beauty and strength. The phoenix has been depicted in numerous ancient cultures, first referenced by Hesiod in the eighth century B.C....

Every Scorpio you meet will be slightly different. Just because two people are both Scorpios does not mean they will be exactly the same. However, there could be similar qualities that each...

Tattoos and body art have a deep history in the South Pacific. Tattoo art from Hawaii is rich and varied in its presentation.

Poseidon was a god in Greek mythology who ruled the realm of the sea. In Roman mythology, Poseidon is called Neptune, but the characteristics are the same.

Advocates of apple cider vinegar (ACV) proclaim its numerous health benefits, including weight loss. As with any weight loss program, support weight loss with ACV with smart nutritional choices....

Dowsing with a pendulum originates from antiquity, stemming from pagan and orthodox societies. Pendulums can be used for dowsing to find earth energies, such as water or fire lines found...

Today we understand fossils to be traces of ancient life we can use to understand evolutionary relationships between extinct and modern organisms. But fossils were once thought to have...

Medieval cures were hit-and-miss and often relied on crude medical procedures that were anything but curative. In an era of rampant blood-letting and feverish attempts to balance the body's four...

On the Big Island of Hawaii lies the largest volcano in the world, Mauna Loa. Many myths and legends surround this volcano but the most famous myths of all are related to the Hawaiian fire...

"Two peas in a pod" is a popular idiom used to describe two items or people that appear close or similar. It derives from the fact that two peas from the same pod are nearly identical and unable...

Sacagawea (sometimes written Sacajawea) was a Shoshone Indian woman born in Lemhi County, Idaho, who helped explorers Lewis and Clark make their way to the Pacific Ocean and back. Little is known...

People who are born under the Virgo sign have birthdays between August 23rd to September 23rd and their astrological sign is the "Virgin." One of the main characteristic that defines Virgo, is...

Misconceptions abound about what magic is. Many people think that magic is "evil" or that is just smoke and mirrors performed on stage to make things disappear. Magic spells are real and they have...

Known as "Cluain na Gclai" in Gaelic, the Irish region of Mount Talbot was renamed in 1656 by Sir Henry Talbot of Malahide.

The moon never actually changes colors. Humans perceive it as being different colors due to atmospheric changes, the moon's position in the sky, pollution or the seasonal tilt of the Earth.

There are natural and healthy ways to add a little spice to your love life and enhance your libido without the help of strong medicine or pills. All you need to do is mix certain herbs that have a...

Colors aren't just for decoration, they're also used to provoke a certain response from the viewer. Just as white is typically worn at weddings to symbolize purity and black at a funeral to...

Longevity touches upon the concept of human immortality, and while myths have spoken about people living centuries or longer, the reality is much harder to prove. Many of the supposedly oldest...

Colonel James "Jim" Bowie first gained recognition for his skill with a knife following his role in the "Sandbar Duel" in Mississippi in 1827. As the fame of Jim Bowie and his knife spread, demand...

Bows and arrows in the myths of ancient and medieval times depict lessons in life that still have meaning. Most tell a story of human emotions such as love, greed, envy or fear. Some are based...

In many cultures, there is a creation myth that tells of the gods creating humanity and then destroying the disappointing results. The Mayan culture of Mesoamerica shares in this tradition and has...

Whether you are visiting a house that you have heard is haunted or one that you want to check, to find out if it's haunted, or you just want to have some scary fun on Halloween, you need to make...