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Folklore

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The adze has become a scapegoat for a wide range of misfortunes.
mythology

In West Africa, the Adze Is an Insectoid Source of Misfortune

Historians believe it originated with the fear of mosquito-borne illness.
Emma Starer Gross October 26, 2020
The 1975 Hollerin' Contest in Spivey's Corner, North Carolina.
music

The Rise and Fall of North Carolina's National Hollerin' Contest

Hollers are sort of like the yodels of the American South.
Emily Cataneo September 25, 2020
The birth of the Peach Boy.
Inuyama, Japan

Momotaro Shrine

A kitsch shrine dedicated to the ogre-slaying folktale hero born from a peach.
Entrance to the yokai tunnel.
Miyoshi, Japan

Yokai Yashiki (Monster and Stone Museum)

Hidden by the roadside in the Iya Valley, this gem brings together folk monsters and the region's unique geography.
The 15th C. north door with scorch marks, some say left by the Devil's hand, Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh.
Blythburgh, England

The Devil's Fingerprints

A legendary ghostly hound supposedly left dark marks on a place of worship.
Reconstruction of a Matyó peasant house.
Mezőkövesd, Hungary

Matyó Museum

An exploration of a small ethnic group’s heritage through their exquisite folk art.
Sesshōseki, also known as the Killing Stone.
Nasu, Japan

Sesshōseki (Killing Stone)

Believed to hold the remains of Japan's most infamous fox spirit, this stone is said to kill those who dare approach.
Heart Shaped Rih Dil Lake
Myanmar (Burma)

Rih Dil

This heart-shaped lake near the border of India and Myanmar is deeply rooted in Mizo folklore.
Be careful out there, in the imaginary lands around Oz.
maps

Escape Into These Fantastical, Imaginary Maps

When the real world feels unbearable, why not chart a course through lands that are literally unreal?
Jessica Leigh Hester April 9, 2020
While Kaori Hamura Long was homebound with flu-like symptoms, she drew Amabie wearing a mask.
art

A Healing Spirit From 19th-Century Japan Is Back to Face COVID-19

Artists are bringing back Amabie, a 'yōkai' associated with protection from disease.
Claire Voon March 25, 2020
A detail of the sculpture.
Antwerp, Belgium

Lange Wapper Statue

This legendary giant, born from vegetables, terrorized townspeople and cheated local children in games.
Loveland Frog, pleased to meet you.
cryptozoology

Meet the Cryptids Haunting Ohio's Imagination

A new exhibition pays homage to some of the Buckeye State's beloved—and infamous—legends.
Jessica Leigh Hester March 11, 2020
The Anchorage in Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina

Haint Blue Porch Ceilings

The Lowcountry color with the power to stop evil from entering a home.
Whether the Nain Rouge is friendly or fiendish, he's definitely red and demonic.
beer

The Spirited Afterlife of Detroit’s Little Red Demon

The Nain Rouge has been stirring up trouble—and maybe generating some goodwill—for more than 300 years.
Jessica Leigh Hester October 28, 2019
The spectral ship has a curious, centuries-old history.
ships

The World's Most Famous Ghost Ship Is an Enduring Symbol of Empire

The Flying Dutchman's long afterlife began with a British power trip.
Isaac Schultz October 24, 2019
Acequia Madre.
Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico

Acequia Madre

The remains of a centuries-old water system that inspired local legends of secret tunnels.
Tarot Room.
Skagaströnd, Iceland

Museum of Prophecies

This museum dedicated to divination also honors a local 10th-century prophetess.
Wooden kappa
Shimanto-chō, Japan

Kaiyodo Kappa Museum

A whimsical museum dedicated to the mischievous kappa, a mythical cucumber-loving water sprite.