Do You Collect Legends, Myths, Fables, and Folklore?

Legends, myths, fables, and folklore make for fascinating reading. These whimsical, sometimes scary, tales and creatures date back to ancient civilizations. and some legends were created during the 20th century, referred to as urban myths or urban legends. Collecting these imaginative stories is a hobby.

But surely I am not the only one who is interested in this subject. Do you like to collect legends, myths, fables, and folklore? I do. I have an entire board dedicated to collecting them on Pinterest.  If this is also one of your hobbies, here are a few you might like to add to your collection.

♦  The Centaur and the Unicorn

I only wanted a picture of a unicorn.  I'm a fan of the BBC fantasy series "The Adventures of Merlin" and I really liked the episode about the unicorn.  But then I found this cool free image  (free to use; no attribution required).  The image description said "Horseman and Unicorn".  I'm like "Horseman".  (???)  Ummm ... a horseman by any other name is called a Centaur.  One can't talk about myths and not mention the unicorn, my favorite mythical creature.  However, the horseman is not exactly one of my favorite mythical creatures.  But since he was in the image, he got lucky and is being included in my collection!  LOL.

A long-standing myth about the unicorn:  "Only virgins who were pure of heart were believed able to tame a unicorn."  ("The True History of the Unicorns")

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ANGELS: Psychopomps (Guide of Souls or Spirits of the Dead)

“Top 10 Psychopomps of Ancient and Modern Mythology” ~ https://t.co/UyHiOylhJG ~ IMAGE: Number 7 is Azrael, the Angel of Death, takes on the role of a psychopomp in Islamic mythology. #TopTenList pic.twitter.com/MibT0HSp6E

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

“A psychopomp is a god, spirit, or demon who is responsible for guiding the spirits of the dead on their journey to the underworld.” (Quote source.) An angel named Azrael is not mentioned in the Old Testament or New Testament scriptures. The Angel of Death (or Destruction) mention in Revelation is called Abaddon.  Just sayin'.

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ANIMALS: Myths About Cats Throughout History

"8 Craziest Myths About Cats Throughout History" ~ Here are some of the more curious #beliefs different cultures have held about felines throughout #history. https://t.co/f9cjmcpf8v via @cheezburger #Caturday #cats #catlovers #societyandculture #myths pic.twitter.com/znwjhQKwFx

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

The ancient Egyptians may have been cat lovers and thought these creatures were sacred (Cats in Ancient Egypt), but other civilizations were not that enthralled with them. Did you know some people believed they worked for the devil?

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HEAVENLY BODIES: Is there a Lady on the Moon or a Man?

10 Interesting #Myths and #Legends About the Moon | Exemplore ~ https://t.co/B7pw6vcpbI ~ FROM Chang'e (the lady who lives on the moon) TO Werewolves (creatures who only come when there's a full moon). #Top10List pic.twitter.com/0VgT1zbekr

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

Being a westerner, of course, I knew about werewolves and how they don't come out unless there's a full moon. But I never knew heard about the lady who lives in the moon. It's a very famous Chinese myth.

The Exemplore article referenced in the tweet discusses 10 myths and legends about the moon: Chang'e; Moon Rabbit; Selene / Luna; Tecciztecatl; Anningan; Mawu; Soma; Rona; Mayan Moon Goddesses; and Werewolves.

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HERBS: Thyme is Associated with Medicine and Myth

Thyme is a wonderful #cookingingredient and #medicinalherb.
“Thyme, the Herb Of Courage | https://t.co/jXO5BHzasb” https://t.co/wRj9u7L12Z #herbandspices
In #GreekMythology, a “bed of thyme was thought to be a home for fairies, and a patch was often set aside for them." pic.twitter.com/Z5E11XlAlS

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

The ancient Greeks would set aside a bed of thyme or a patch in the herb garden as a home for fairies. The term fairy dates back to the Europeans in the Middle Ages, however, “...the earliest form of faeries can be found loosely in the mythical beings in Greek mythology, such as the nymphs, satyrs and sileni.” (Source: TimelessMyths )

From fairies to dead people? Another interesting myth or tradition that developed over time was using this herb with funerals. “The Egyptians used it in embalming their dead. That association with death persisted through the Middle Ages where thyme was often placed in coffins to assure safe passage to Heaven for the dead.” (Source: Thyme: Advice From the Herb Lady )

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A Wizard Casting a Dragon Spell
Wizards, spells, and dragons are the stuff of legends and folklore.  A part of English folklore wizards are wise men with magical powers who can cast spells, for the good, unless the wizard becomes corrupt; and of course, wizards have power over dragons.

Image credit

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Dragons in British Folklore – Tales Handed Down Through the Centuries

"10 Dragons From British Folklore" @listversehttps://t.co/ZmYzgbAhnl

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

Are you already familiar with any of these myths and legends?

Content first appeared at Vrily.com