Curious Ordinary

I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of books, websites and articles for those curious souls who are interested in folklore and mythology. I will continue to update the list as I discover new treasures.

Recommended Websites

Folklore Thursday
Yokai.com
The Willow Web
The Witch, The Weird and The Wonderful
Folklore Fun
Icy Sedgwick's Blog
Australian Fairy Tale Society
Tofugu's Yokai Series


Links on this Website

If you are interested in reading more about Japanese Folklore, this post is full of links and resources.
For those interested in occult studies, see this post for a recommended reading list.
For those interested in creativity, see this post for recommended reading.
If you are keen to learn more about dragons, this post has lots of resources.
Catlovers can find lots of resources about cats in folklore and art here.


A Small Selection of Articles from around the Web

Phillip Pullman Why we believe in magic
How Fairy Tales Invite Childen to Think
The Persistence of Myth
The Gods a…

In several months I will be taking a long-awaited return trip to Scotland. Consequently, I have been reading about Scottish folklore and have started gathering together resources and links that may be of interest to others which I have shared below.


Folklore and Mythology

Scottish Folklore: Folklore Thursday
Scottish Myths, Folklore and Legends
Six Ancient Myths from the Scottish islands
Sgeulachdan: Tales from the Scottish Highlands and Hebridean Islands
Folklore in the Scottish Highlands
Supernatural Scotland
Scottish Ghosts, Myths and Legends - downloadable e-book and audios
Scottish Heroes and Villains
10 Scottish Myths And Legends
Scottish Myths and Legends


Regional Folklore

Angus Folklore Blog


 Fairy and Folk Tales

Scottish Fairy Tales, Folk Tales and Fables - links to individual stories
Scottish Fairy and Folk Tales (online at Sacred Texts)
Folklore (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig) - Multiple scanned texts available
The Selkie Bride



Legendary Creatures

List of Creatures in Scottish and Gaelic Folklore
Six scar…

There is something magical about cats. Perhaps that's why they are the most popular pet on the planet and feature prominently in the folklore, myths and artwork of so many cultures throughout time. Believed by many to have special powers, and often the companions of royalty or witches, they are mysterious creatures and hold a special place in our hearts. I've included below some links for anyone interested in exploring more about cats in folklore and art.


Cats in Folklore and Mythology

Cats in Folklore: Not Just a Witch's Familiar - Icy Sedgewick
Cat Folklore and Legends from Around the World
14 Legends About Cats From Around the World
Cats and World Mythology
Cat Magic, Legends, and Folklore
Black Cats
Beware of the Cat: Tales of the Wicked Japanese Bakeneko and Nekomata – Part 1
Beware of Cat: Tales of the Wicked Japanese Bakeneko and Nekomata – Part Two
Cats Throughout History: Tales of Good, Bad and Just Plain Kooky Feline Legends
Meet the “King of Cats” From Celtic Folklore
Ancie…

I became interested in Taoist philosophy over twenty years ago after reading a book called Life Without Stress by a dentist called Arthur Sokoloff. I picked it up in a bookstore on my travels and I guess it would have been unremarkable had it not provided insights that were to change the course of my thoughts over the next two decades. Taoism is one of three major religions of ancient China and while it is often discussed in the west as having two branches, philosophical (Daojia) and Religious (Daojiao), within China there is no such distinction. Rather it is a combination of mythology, folk practices, religious rites and a philosophy first written about by the legendary Lao Tzu in the Tao De Jing.

In the west, the ideas of going with the flow and living a natural and spontaneous life have been absorbed by the new age movement and some of the real wisdom has been lost. In my own explorations of Taoist philosophy I was always attempting to find a way to incorporate the ideas realistica…

I have developed something of an obsession with Japanese folklore lately and have decided to gather together some resources and keep them in one place in case any one else is interested in exploring this fascinating area. My recent (and first ever) trip to Japan has fuelled the fires even more so I will update this post as I discover more.


Folklore

Japanese Folklore and Mythology - New World Encyclopedia
Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist and Shinto Deities
Japanese Mythology and Folklore
Japanese Folklore: Fushimi Inari-Taisha and Kitsune Fox Legends - Folklore Thursday
Japanese Folklore of the Ocean - Folklore Thursday
Uncanny Japan
Sacred Trees, Shinto Shrines, and the Takasago Pine Story
Lucky Rice Cakes and the Moon Rabbit
Sea Demons, Pearls Divers, and Ise Grand Shrine
Nekomata, cat myths and cat shrines of Japan
6 Things You Should Know About the Inari Fox in Japanese Folklore
Japan’s Folklore Chronicler, Shigeru Mizuki (1922-2015)
Urban legends from Meiji-period Japan
Kodama – The Tree Spirit
Ja…

Dragons are one of the most enduring of mythical creatures and hold a special place in the hearts of many people. They have been present in the myths, folklore and art of a diverse range of cultures throughout time, and stories about them continue to this day. This post is primarily a collection of links to resources for those interested in finding out more about these amazing mythical creatures.


Dragon Websites

Encyclopaedia Britannica - Dragon
American Museum of Natural History - Dragons
Folklore Thursday: Dragon Legend - Myth or Half Truth?
Live Science - Art Dragons Real?
Ancient Origins: Dragons - Exploring the Ancient Origins of the Mythical Beasts
Mythology.net - Dragons
Mythology wiki - Dragons
American Museum of Natural History - Natural History of Dragons
Draconikia Dragons - The History of Dragons
Smithsonian - Where Did Dragons Come From?
Immortal Mountain - Chinese Bestiary, Dragons
Circle of the Dragon - Dragon Mythology
Wikipedia - List of dragons in mythology and folklore
Dragon Drea…

I was reflecting recently on the type of content that had been shared during Folklore Thursday's cities and urban areas theme. It was interesting to me that there was a significant amount of folklore that was of the spooky kind. There were plenty of ghosts, hauntings and the supernatural. I pondered the reason for this, and for the eerie nature of a lot of urban legends. Now, I may be totally wrong, but I can't help wondering if it isn't the case that when a lot of people find themselves together in cities, somewhat isolated from the natural world, that the tone of tales also becomes rather unnatural. Things don't feel right when we isolate ourselves from the natural order of things.

In cities, particularly in the past, people worked indoors and lived in very close quarters. The streets were dirty and the air often dirtier. Away from nature, crammed into these conditions, tales took a more sinister tone and I wonder whether that is a symptom of the human cut of from wh…

Benzaiten, also known as Benten, is the Japanese goddess of all that flows, including water and rivers but also words, music, poetry, speech and learning. She originated in India as the Hindu goddess Sarawati and shares a lot of the same characteristics. Over time she evolved into a Buddhist goddess and is now included as the only female amongst the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan.

'Benzaiten Seated on a Dragon' - Keisei
Benzaiten in Art

In art she is often depicted holding a musical instrument and her image is usually connected in some way with water. In Japan she is closely associated with dragons and snakes. Her connection to snakes is possible derived from Saraswati who is said to have killed a three headed snake. This is possibly the root of the Japanese tales below, which connect her to the dragon.

Goddess Benzaiten by Celeste Angus                               From a miniature shrine                                                                                                …