Once upon a time there were two friends, Koala and Tree Kangaroo. They were very good friends and both were very proud of their beautiful long tails.… Read more “How Koala got His Stumpy Tail: An Australian Myth”
Category: Folklore and Fairytale
Beira, the Scottish Queen of the Winter
When I first washed up on Scottish shores, the only folk stories I heard had to do with Haggis; no one around had any interest, or knowledge,… Read more “Beira, the Scottish Queen of the Winter”
The Curious Case Of Elmer McCurdy, The Bandit Who Wouldn’t Give Up
Imagine this: you’re working as a prop hand for a very successful T.V. show in 1976, a production called the 6 Million Dollar Man. An upcoming episode… Read more “The Curious Case Of Elmer McCurdy, The Bandit Who Wouldn’t Give Up”
The Axeman Cometh, Or The Birth Of Reality Tele-Violence
Newspapers have received and published more than their fair sure of publicity seeking letters from serial killers. In our modest(!) state of Kansas, we had the B.T.K.,… Read more “The Axeman Cometh, Or The Birth Of Reality Tele-Violence”
The Fable of Aesop
While his work has stood the test of time, very little is known about the man for whom Aesop’s fables were named. Was he a singular historical… Read more “The Fable of Aesop”
Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Beautiful
If you wander through the forests of Slavic speaking lands, you may come across a most curious hut. For one thing, outside the hut, you may find… Read more “Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Beautiful”
Pan Twardowski and the Devil, or the Art of the Deal
Dr. Faust was not the only alchemist to sell his soul to the Devil. While the character etched out by Marlowe and Goethe is among the most… Read more “Pan Twardowski and the Devil, or the Art of the Deal”
