Storytelling Archives - Page 7 of 11 - The Last Tuesday Society

Fairies & The Witches Who Loved Them – Professor Diane Purkiss

When we think of fairies, we might still think of something small and sweet, something kind and helpful. But that is not the way that fairies were seen in earlier periods in the British Isles. Instead, fairies were a branch of revenant, akin to the restless dead, and willing to welcome those who died before their time into their midst. We know this from Scottish witchcraft trials, in which men and women who had dealings with the fairies were accused of trafficking with demons, something they were all too willing to believe because of the dark experiences they had with fairies and their kind. And yet fairies also represented a connection with the barren and unproductive parts of nature, as well as a possible link to dead relatives and friends, often accessible through the stone creations of previous generations of human beings. Fairies are nature spirits, but they are dark and terrifying, and they remind people of what they have tried to control, discard or destroy.

Bio

Diane Purkiss is Professor of English Literature at Keble College, Oxford. She was formerly Professor of English at Exeter University. She is the author of the highly acclaimed The Witch in History , and Troublesome Things: A History of Fairies and Fairy Stories

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Samhain – stories of encounters with ghosts and the darker face of faerie – Hugh Lupton

Let Hugh Lupton tuck you into bed and tell you tales of Ghosts and Faeries

Beltane and Samhain (May-eve and Hallowe’en) are the two points in the year when the boundaries between the worlds grow thin. As the light wanes and autumn’s chill deepens into winter, the stories of Samhain have a darker hue than those of Beltane. The spirits of the dead mingle with the more malign forces of Faerie. In this storytelling performance Hugh Lupton will invoke the spirit of the season with stories of Tam Lin, Fionn McCumhail, the Ferrishers and various ghosts.

Bio

Hugh Lupton has been a professional storyteller since 1981. He tells stories from all over the world, but his particular passion is for the hidden layers of the British landscape and the stories and ballads that give voice to them. He is also a lyricist and a novelist and has published many collections of traditional tales. His novel ‘The Assembly of the Severed Head’ explores the moment the Mabinogion moved from being part of a fluid oral culture to becoming a written text.

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The Fairies of Suffolk – From Green Children to Tom Tit Tot: Francis Young

Suffolk may not be the first English county that most people would associate with fairies, but there are more accounts of strange encounters with otherworlders from medieval Suffolk than from any other county in southern England, and the county has a rich 19th-century folklore of fairies compared with neighbouring counties. This talk will explore the fairy lore of Suffolk, from the 12th-century tale of the Green Children of Woolpit to the familiars of 17th-century witch trials and the world-famous Tom Tit Tot, the subject of a fairytale recorded in the 19th century.

Speaker Bio

Francis Young is the author of 18 books, most recently Magic in Merlin’s Realm: A History of Occult Politics in Britain. His history of British fairy belief, Twilight of the Godlings, will be published by Cambridge University Press in 2023.

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The Recognition of H. P. Lovecraft – a Zoom lecture by S. T. Joshi

When H. P. Lovecraft died in 1937, it seemed as if his work was headed toward oblivion. No book of his stories had appeared in his lifetime, and his tales were embalmed in the crumbling pages of Weird Tales and other pulp magazines. Yet, over the past 85 years, Lovecraft the man and writer has become an icon in popular culture, and his work has been disseminated worldwide in countless editions; it has also been adapted into film, television, comic books, video games, and other media.

How did Howard Phillips Lovecraft achieve this posthumous worldwide fame? S. T. Joshi, one of the world’s leading scholars on Lovecraft, will trace the history of Lovecaft’s publications – beginning in the amateur press, moving on to the world of the pulps, and then to the rescue of his work shortly after his death by his friends and colleagues. Over the ensuing decades Lovecraft’s work began appearing in more than 30 languages, and criticism of his work also flourished, both in popular venues and in the academic community. Joshi will touch upon the high points of this remarkable development – one that is unique in the annals of literature.

S. T. Joshi has been involved in the study of H. P. Lovecraft for decades. He has prepared corrected editions of Lovecraft’s collected fiction, essays, poetry, and letters, and has written the definitive biography, I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H. P. Lovecraft (2010), along with many other critical and biographies studies of Lovecraft and other writers of weird fiction. For further info see: http://stjoshi.org

Your host for this event will be the writer Edward Parnell, author ofGhostland: In Search of a Haunted Country, who in his early teens became a fan of Lovecraft’s weird fiction. Edward lives in Norfolk and has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. He is the recipient of an Escalator Award from the National Centre for Writing and a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship.Ghostland (William Collins, 2019), a work of narrative non-fiction, is a moving exploration of what has haunted our writers and artists – as well as the author’s own haunted past; it was shortlisted for the PEN Ackerley 2020 prize, an award given to a literary autobiography of excellence. Edward’s first novelThe Listeners(2014), won the Rethink New Novels Prize. For further info see: https://edwardparnell.com

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Giants in Scandinavian mythology and folklore – Dr Tommy Kuusela

In Old Norse mythology, the giants – or jǫtnar, as they usually are referred to in the sources – are the fearsome enemies and opponents of the gods. The world itself is created from the body of a primordial giant by Óðinn and his brothers. The most renowned gods, Þórr and Óðinn, continuously seek out giants and challenge them for fame in battle or knowledge; the gods also begot children with giant women while hindering the giant from marrying the goddesses. Some giants lived among the gods and others could invite them to their halls for feasts. Loki, who lived among the gods, was said to be a half giant. He was a trickster in the mythological sources, sometimes aiding the gods, sometimes hindering or even causing them harm. At the cosmic events known as Ragnarǫk, the giants, together with Loki, will marsh against the gods for a final battle that will lead to the destruction of the world. Giants are everywhere in the Old Norse mythology and the concept of giants is multifaceted, they are simply not just chaotic beings. Giants also appear in the Old English poem Beowulf. The first half of the poem describes how the hero Beowulf travels to Denmark and fights against Grendel, a monster defined as a þyrs, an Old English word that is similar to Old Norse þurs, one of many words for giants. Beowulf later kills Grendel’s mother with a sword forged by giants. We can safely say that giants are everywhere in the myths and legends of the north. This is also the case in the younger folklore material were giants are described as ancient and enemies of the church, they are creators of the landscape and live in mountains or in the deep forests of Scandinavia. Most of them are considered extinct, but a few lingered on and could even breed children with humans, children known for their strength and character. In this lecture, I will present different perspectives on giants, moving from Old Norse mythology to younger folklore accounts, and discuss similarities and differences. I will also show examples of traces of giants in archaeology, rune carvings and architecture.

Bio

Dr. Tommy Kuusela (PhD in History of Religions); Researcher and archivist at The Institute for Language and Folklore in Uppsala, Sweden

Recent publications (in English):

* Kuusela, Tommy. 2022. “Initiation by White Snake and the Acquisition of Supernatural Knowledge”, in The Wild Hunt for Numinous Knowledge: Perspectives on and from the Study of Pre-Christian Nordic Religions in Honour of Jens Peter Schjødt / [ed] Karen Bek-Pedersen, Sophie Bønding, Luke John Murphy, Simon Nygaard, and Morten Warmind (Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift, 74), Aarhus: Afdeling for Religionsvidenskab/Institut For Kultur og Samfund, pp. 153-169.

* Kuusela, Tommy. 2021. “The Giants and the Critics: A Brief History of Old Norse Giantology”, in Folklore and Old Norse Mythology / [ed] Frog and Joonas Ahola (Folklore Fellows’ Communications, 323). Helsinki: The Kalevala Society, pp. 471-498.

* Kuusela, Tommy. 2021. “Swedish Fairy Belief: Traffic Accidents, Folklore, and the Cold Light of Reason”, in De Natura Fidei: Rethinking Religion Across Disciplinary Boundaries. Volume II / [ed] Mathew Jibu George, New Delhi: Authorspress , 2021, pp. 256-276.

* Kuusela, Tommy. 2020. “Spirited Away by the Female Forest Spirit in Swedish Folk Belief”, in Folklore: the journal of the Folklore Society 131 (2), pp. 159-179.

* Kuusela, Tommy. 2019. “Halls, Gods, and Giants: The Enigma of Gullveig in Óðinn’s Hall”, in Myth, Materiality, and Lived Religion: In Merovingian and Viking Scandinavia / [ed] Klas Wikström af Edholm, Peter Jackson Rova, Andreas Nordberg, Olof Sundqvit, Torun Zachrisson, Stockholm: Stockholm University Press, pp. 25-53.

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Trolls in Nordic Myth & Folkore – Dr. Tommy Kuusela

We have all seen supernatural trolls in movies, art, advertisement, video games, or maybe as statues, dolls and miniatures for different board games; from the trolls of famous artists such as the Norwegian Theodor Kittelsen and the Swede John Bauer, to the charming (initially Danish) trolls seen in the animated movies by Dreamwork studios, the delightful Finnish Moomin trolls by Tove Jansson, and the big clumsy trolls of Peter Jackson’s adaptions of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. Trolls have become well-known and are everywhere in popular culture. But are they the same kind of trolls that we find in older texts – in Old Norse mythology or the folk legends and folktales of the North? The trolls were supernatural beings in nature, and their natural environment was the pre-industrial fishing and farming communities of Scandinavia. Although common in folklore, descriptions of them differs from the trolls we encounter in contemporary culture. The trolls of folklore and myths could be violent and threatening, they sometimes appear as big, nasty and ugly, but most were described as ambivalent, some even as beautiful and helpful. This lecture will look closer at the history of trolls; from the meaning of the word troll, the earliest trolls in Viking Age mythological poetry, the many different types of trolls that appear in manuscripts from the Middle ages, the trolls of folk belief, folk legends and folktales that have been recorded until the early 20th century in Scandinavia, to the trolls of contemporary popular culture and the trolls that lurks on the internet.

Bio

Dr. Tommy Kuusela (PhD in History of Religions); Researcher and archivist at The Institute for Language and Folklore in Uppsala, Sweden

Recent publications (in English):

* Kuusela, Tommy. 2020. “Spirited Away by the Female Forest Spirit in Swedish Folk Belief”, in Folklore: the journal of the Folklore Society 131 (2), pp. 159-179.

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An Evening in Asgard – The Home of the Norse Gods – Lena Heide-Brennand

Asgard was the spectacular home world of the Aesir gods. Odin, Thor and Loki are characters that “everyone” these days have some knowledge about due to their appearance in a lot of different types of popular culture. The gods and demigods of Asgard have definitely become fan favourites, but it turns out that there is generally little knowledge of who these heroes are really based on. In this lecture I will introduce you to the most famous gods of Asgard and tell you all about the impact they had on the Vikings back in the days when Thor and Odin played a major role in Scandinavian everyday life. Historians refer to three principal sources that depict Asgard; the Poetic Edda, the Prose Edda, and Heimskringla, which consists of several sagas. They will be the sources for this lecture as well. This will be an evening of captivating tales about the main characters of Asgard and the creatures that existed alongside them; we will meet Odin’s mighty horse Sleipnir, Midgardsormen -the world-circling serpent and the monstrous wolf Fenrisúlfr. Norse mythology has a cacophony of crazy creatures, charismatic gods and beautiful goddesses that will fascinate, spark curiosity and entertain you all at the same time.

Bio

Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience

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“Odin battles Fenrir” drawing by Arthur Rackham 1910

“Loki tricks Alberich” The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie sketch by Arthur Rackham,1910

The Erotic Folktales of Norway – Lena Heide-Brennand

Once upon a time, in the nineteenth century, the famous Norwegian duo P.C. Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe began traveling all around rural Norway, collecting the tales, legends, and fables that the locals had to tell them. Most of these stories were published at the time they were collected and written down. However, there was a significant number of other tales that were suppressed and hidden away due to their explicit depiction of the sexual side of human experience. The manuscripts stayed hidden from public in the archives of the University of Oslo for nearly a century before being brought to light and published in Norway for the first time in 1977 under the title “Erotic Folktales from Norway”. It was a huge success and sold a lot of copies and it was obvious that people took a great interest in the adult stories as well. In this lecture we will be focusing on those steamy, hilarious and astonishingly graphic stories that have been passed down through generations in all corners of the cold North.

Like the traditional stories told to children, erotic folktales also include stories about the Hulder, Trolls, the famous Ash Lad, and princesses, as well as sinners and Adam and Eve. The only difference is that these characters are showing a very sexual side of themselves that is meant for adult listeners only. In this lecture, maybe we will find out just how far men would go to experience the intimate company of the alluring Hulder? And what would happen to the women once they were spellbound by the handsome Nøkken before he decided to drown them? Have you ever wondered if the Ash Lad was sexually involved with any of the princesses he visited? Welcome to an evening that might make you blush, laugh and cringe all at the same time. NB! Explicit language and adult content.

Bio

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More Mythical Creatures in Scandinavian Folklore – Lena Heide-Brennand

A follow-up lecture on more of the magical, mysterious and scary creatures we meet in Scandinavian folklore that we did not have time to introduce you to in the first lecture. This time we will get to know the legendary Kraken, the good and evil little Vette, the dangerous Draugen and the eerie Mare, in addition to a the more famous Icelandic elves (Álfafólk). We will take a close look at the origin of these characters that have haunted and scared the Scandinavian people through centuries, and there will be spine chills guarantees when myths meet tales claiming to be based on true stories re-told by those very few individuals who were lucky enough to survive an encountering. Welcome to another evening in the company of the most fascinating legends Scandinavian folklore has to offer.

Bio

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Draugen

Illustration by Joakim Skovgaard (1889 el. 1890). ‘The Werewolf”.

Icelandic elves

The Treasure Seeker and other Suffolk Ghost Tales by Kirsty Hartsiotis

Suffolk – a peaceful, rural county with big skies, rolling fields, unspoilt beaches and quaint towns and villages. But all is not as quiet as it seems. Could that be the eerie clanking of gibbet chains at the crossroads? Did you see a desolate face at an upper window or a spectral white form lurking in the hedgerow? Cats are not always lucky – and beware a north Suffolk broad in the still, small hours of Midsummer Night. Kirsty Hartsiotis tells with spine-chilling freshness a selection of fabulous ghost tales from all corners of this beguiling county. So pull up a chair, stoke the fire and prepare to see its gentle landscape in a new and eerie light…

Bio

Kirsty Hartsiotis, who is originally from Suffolk, has been a storyteller for more than twenty years, both solo and with her group Fire Springs. She came to storytelling with a lifelong love of stories and history, and a background in drama, heritage and education. She’s also a writer, and is the author of Suffolk Folk Tales and, with Cherry Wilkinson, Suffolk Ghost Tales, as well as a number of other folk tale collections. With her other hat on, she’s a museum curator, curating the Designated Arts and Crafts Movement collection at a Gloucestershire museum, and an Accredited Arts Society lecturer in art history – and folklore.