Rabbits are often associated with spring, even in the Americas: the Centzon Tōtōchtin, the Four-Hundred Rabbits of Mexica myth, are rabbits who, during the revival of spring, meet and have debauch drunken parties with fermented fruit drinks. #LegendaryWednesday

sMany old buildings in Europe, even churches, have carved on their walls a face made of leaves or vomiting vegetation, called a "Green Man." There's a lot of debate about how this design began or what its purpose was, but many assume it originally represented a pagan god.

If a tree reaches 100 years of age, its soul develops the ability to manifest out of its body. In Japan this is called a Kodama (木霊), a tree with a manifesting spirit. What form they take varies, and they can defend their forest with force. #LegendaryWednesday

: M. Meyer

Depictions of fairies vary over time and who is doing the telling. Some appear as gorgeous humans, of full height or taller than humans, while others are depicted as grotesque or extremely tiny. Many folklorist tie the latter to Anglicization. #LegendaryWednesday

: J. Duncan

Tsurara-onna are by their nature tragic. They are Icicle Women of Japan, formed from the minds of lonely hearts, and appear for a season of fleeting, passionate love. Then, when the snow melts, so too does the Icicle Woman, leaving only a memory. #LegendaryWednesday

: M. Meyer

In #JapaneseFolklore there is a tale about a mysterious lake in Tottori Prefecture surrounded by sand dunes. In the centre of the lake were two small islands covered in trees. Nearby was a wealthy man's house where a maid named Otane worked. She was very kind and would... #LegendaryWednesday 1/5

#WyrdWednesday #LegendaryWednesday: „On All Hallows Eve Tuamgraney Woods come alive with strange beasts, dark of fur and red of eye. Not so long ago, a young man decided he'd take a walk through those woods on that fateful night, but he got more than he bargained for!
A great black dog arose before him, as well as a black hare and a black ram. He swung his stick at the ram but it passed through the shadowy form as though it was nothing but thin air, although the ram's horn gored him well enough! He fled from that place with the howling of the black dog in his ears, like hell's own laughter.“ #Celtic
Source: https://emeraldisle.ie/the-cu-sidhe

Hypnos is Sleep itself, living in a cave where Day and Night meet above the Lethe, the River of Forgetfulness. His twin is Thanatos, death itself, and he has a thousand sons, including Morpheus, Dream itself. #LegendaryWednesday

: J.W. Waterhouse

The tradition of winged humans as angels or gods dates back to Mesopotamia, where often gods are just that: winged humans. In Assyria especially this trend takes off, thus making winged humanoids very "Biblically-accurate" before the Bible's writing. #LegendaryWednesday

Tawûsî Melek is often called Peacock Satan, an angel of the Yazidi faith. Told by God to bow to no one, when the angels are presented humanity to submit to, he alone does not bow when told by God to bow. Here he is not punished: he becomes master of angels. #LegendaryWednesday

Ready to take to the road in 2025? According to Colombian folklore, walk around with an empty suitcase to symbolize this desire, and it will manifest: you'll be globetrotting in no time! #LegendaryWednesday

#introduction: I've been tooting as @NeuKelte@todon.eu since #Imbolc 2022 before I moved here.
I'm interested in all things #Celtic, but particularly the #IronAge and the myths of the Gaels and the Welsh.
I regularly post about my Nua-#CelticSoulJourneys to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and the Isle of Man.
You'll find my toots under the following hashtags: #MythologyMonday, #FairyTaleTuesday, #LegendaryWednesday, #WyrdWednesday, #BookologyThursday, #FindsFriday, #FolkloreSunday

We need #degrowth, a #DonutEconomy & #SystemChange to #Conviviality in a #CaringEconomy of #Partnerism within #planetboundaries

People in Ireland and Scotland get nervous if February 1st is unusually sunny, as it may be because the fairy hag Cailleach has decided to extend the length of winter. She made the day sunny so she could stockpile firewood before pummeling the land with pitiless blizzards.
Mairin-Taj Caya

Tristan is by far the most multitalented of King Arthur's knights in folklore. As well as being one of King Arthur's best fighters, Tristan is a skilled poet, singer, harpist, hunter, swineherd, and master of disguise. The Welsh legends also make him a wizard.
Edmund Leighton

#LegendaryWednesday: `The Tuatha de Danann at one time gave to the Gael a faery ship, that would carry all who used it wherever they wished to journey. Fionn mac Cumhaill knew where to find it: at Ben Edar` (now called Howth). #Celtic
Source: Heroes of the Dawn by Violet Russel

#LegendaryWednesday: `#Cliodna had three beautiful birds accompany Tadg on his journey home to Ireland: `one of them blue and his head crimson, and one was crimson and his head green, and the third was speckled and his head the colour of gold, and they lit on the great apple-tree, and every bird of them ate an apple, and they sang sweet music then, that would put sick men into their sleep.
"Those birds will go with you," Cliodna said then; "they will give you guidance on your way, and they will make music for you, and there will be neither sorrow or sadness on you, by land or by sea, till you come to Ireland.`
Source: `Tadg in the Island` from `Gods And Fighting Men`, by Lady Augusta Gregory
https://x.com/FairyEncyclope1/status/1770140760186200563

#LegendaryWednesday: `As #CúChulainn was going home by the narrow path, he met an old hag, blind in one eye. She asked him to make room for her to pass, but he said there was no room, unless he would throw himself down the yawning ocean cliff that was on the one side of it. But she asked him again to make way for her, and he would not refuse, so he dropped over the edge with only his one hand keeping a hold of the path.
As she walked past him, she suddenly stamped her foot on his hand! But at that, he swung up again on the path and struck off the hag's head. For she was Ess Enchenn, the mother of Aoife's champions slain by him, and it was to destroy him she had come out to meet him. And so Cúchulainn returned to Ireland, a finer warrior than he had ever been, and despite Forgal the Wily’s tricks, the very first thing he did was to go and find Emer, and make her his wife.` #Celtic
Source: https://emeraldisle.ie/the-trials-of-cuchulainn

#LegendaryWednesday: `The bridge to #Scathach’s island was enchanted, and could shrink itself down to the width of a sapling, or flex and buck like a wild horse, dipping into the ocean to become wet and slippery! And a great far drop to jagged rocks below it was too.
Not deterred, #CúChulainn took a run at the bridge and was thrown off when it arched its back like an angry cat. A second time he approached, more carefully now, and again was deposited on his rear end to the great amusement of the crowds.
Then he became filled with rage, and the hero-light shone about him, and he was gripped by a warp spasm. With his famous salmon leap he jumped to the middle of the bridge when it was bent to a great height, and before it could recover from its surprise, he had leaped to the other side!` #Celtic
Source: https://emeraldisle.ie/the-trials-of-cuchulainn

#LegendaryWednesday: `#CúChulainn was saddened by the loss of his fellows but resolved to carry on with his journey, for he'd sworn an oath to see it through to the end, even if that end be his own. But now he had no idea of the path he must take, facing an untracked land filled with peril.
He was greatly alarmed to see a powerful beast like a giant lion coming towards him, but it didn't attack – instead it blocked his road whichever direction he took. Seeing then that it meant him no harm, he sprang onto its back and let it carry him where it wanted.
For four days they travelled until they reached the ends of the realm of men, and they saw an island with four young boys playing in the lake around it. The lads started to laugh and jeer when they saw him riding the beast, and Cúchulainn burned with shame, so he jumped off and told the beast to be on its way.` #Celtic
Source: https://emeraldisle.ie/the-trials-of-cuchulainn