Stephen G. Rae

Photograph of a carrion crow

In Cumbrian dialects, 'corby' is carrion crow

In a creation myth, the crow is a bird of magic, able to shape-shift into human or animal form

more in my "Folklore of the Lake District"
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#folklore #lakedistrict #booksky

With Halloween fast approaching, it's time to get out your Dobby Stone

Red deer stag photograph

Stag, in Druidry is one of the 'Three Oldest Animals in this World'. The other two being Blackbird and Salmon

They represent Earth, Air and Water respectively. Often, Bear represents the Fire element

Fabulous!

Picture of a white raven

It's #IndigenousPeoplesDay

In a mythology from the indigenous peoples of the americas, ravens were once only white. They helped humans master fire, and were turned black by the flames

A local folk remedy to ensure a healthy heart ❤

Front cover of Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin by Stephen G. Rae

It's #BookshopDay 📚 so may I introduce you to:

"Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin; an encyclopedia of world folklore"
by Stephen G. Rae

bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#folklore #goblins #bookwormsat

The front cover of the book entitled Folklore of the Lake District by Stephen G. Rae

It's #BookshopDay 📚 so may I introduce you to:

"Folklore of the Lake District"
by Stephen G. Rae

come on a magical journey in folklore through the Lake District and its surrounding counties
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#folklore #magic #lakedistrict

Painting by William Holmes #Sullivan

It's #WorldPorridgeDay 🥣

A man from Killin entered a Faerie Knowe (faerie hill) and found inside, a vat of porridge. It was boiling so fiercely that a lump of porridge struck him in the eye. He saw faeries in that eye thereafter🧚‍♀️

#folklore #Perthshire

A "fairy ring" of toadstools

I'm just about to step inside this "fairy ring", so if you don't hear from me for a few hundred years...

Yes 😄

Yes, and an added 'k' in lowland Scots

Yep, more or less

Yes, interesting thought

Wise Badger, art by Lily Seika Jones

In Cumbrian dialects, 'broc' is badger

Badger is held in high esteem and 'brocan' means wise man. In lore, badgers protect against witchcraft and other evils

more in: Folklore of the Lake District
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#NationalBadgerDay #folklore
art: Lily Seika Jones

Excellent, ta

A false-colour photograph, a composite of fifteen images of the Moon taken through three colour filters

The #HarvestMoon is the first supermoon of 2025, rising in the UK at 18.20 GMT on 7th October, followed by three consecutive supermoons

Below, a false-colour photograph, a composite of fifteen images of the Moon taken through three colour filters, via NatGeo

#FullMoon #SuperMoon

Sculpture of stylised vividly coloured plant with spotty blossoms sited in a gallery space

Yayoi Kusama, Flowers That Bloom at Midnight, 2009 #WomensArt

😄

Barguest, the black dog from folklore

someone else's shadow
walks with me today

~ Barguest, the spectral animal from folklore, often appearing in the form of a large black dog

~ more in my "Folklore of the Lake District"
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#haiku #bookwormsat

Every creature in Druidry offers gifts of inner knowledge and healing. But it's a very particular kind of healing; what is often described as 'medicine' by the indigenous people.

#WorldAnimalDay #Druidry
art: Aleksandr Emelyanov

It's the best place to be in this weather!

Muki the Pale Goblin, an illustration by Stephen G. Rae

Continuing with tales from my:

"Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin; an encyclopedia of world folklore"

Muki, the Pale Goblin from South America lore who lives high in the Andes, stealing unbaptised children
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#folklore #goblins #booksky

Goblin illustration by Alan Lee

Goblin Ha' is under Yester Castle. Its owner, the Wizard of Yester had the castle built over an entrance to Hell, and the builders were an army of goblins

from: "Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin"
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#31DaysOfHalloween #booksky
art: Alan Lee

Saddened to hear of the passing of Jane Goodall, zoologist and primatologist.

"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make".

Supposed body of a Redcap, the murderous Goblin from Scots folklore

Redcap is a murderous Goblin that lives in ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish Borders, soaking its hat in the blood of its victims, giving it that distinctive hue.

"Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin"
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#31DaysOfHalloween #booksky

Cover of the book, Boggarts, Brownies,Hobs and their Goblin Kin by Stephen G Rae

I thought I might do a #31DaysOfHalloween starting tomorrow; tales from my new book:

Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin; an encyclopedia of world folklore"
bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#folklore #goblins #booksky

An excellent crop of walnuts this year. The tree isn't native to the UK, brought by the Romans.

Barguest, the demonic dog from folklore

Barguest, the shapeshifting spirit may appear in a number of forms: a human, animal or inanimate object; although it prefers that of a dog

more in my: "Boggarts, Brownies, Hobs and their Goblin Kin; an encyclopedia of world folklore"

bardofcumberland.com/folklore/

#folklore #booksky

Photograph of the night's sky through trees; stars and shooting stars

#InternationalAstronomyDay

For Druids the sky is an open book, where stories of our ancestors are told each night.

The stars are home to the gods and the goddesses, and animal spirit guides who were driven into exile.