Hello, and welcome to the May 2022 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. Please allow me to begin by thanking Wylie Beckert, the artist who painted the stunning Tam Lin work of art in this month's social media cards, for permitting me to use her painting. Isn't it gorgeous? You'll find her online at wyliebeckert.com and patreon.com/wyliebeckert.
Hello, and welcome to the April 2022 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. Before I begin, one of my colleagues in Poland is volunteering much of her free time to help refugees arriving from Ukraine, so I asked what those of us who are far away from the war might do to help. She recommends donating to Lambda Warsaw, which is helping queer refugees find safety and support in Poland.
Hello, and welcome to the March 2022 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. This is the third of three dispatches inspired by followers of the Folklore & Fiction project, and we owe our thanks for this month's discussion to Danielle Cudmore's interest in writing exercises for her student teachers in Sweden, who want to bring these exercises into their middle school classrooms. So this edition is all about helping young people become better storytellers.
Hello, and welcome to the February 2022 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. This edition is the second of three dispatches inspired by requests from followers of the Folklore & Fiction project, and we owe our thanks to Maria Diaz's interest in "The King with the Horse's Ears" for this month's discussion. In it, I'll be exploring the central motif in the tale via several folk narratives and discussing themes found in their plots.
Hello, and welcome to the January 2022 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. First up, a bit of housekeeping. After three years of writing and podcasting on folkloristics for storytellers, I've opened a Patreon account. Patrons are listed on the Folklore & Fiction website, they receive a copy of the monthly Folklore & Fiction dispatch by email, and they have access to exclusive posts about folkloristics, writing, and music, among several other benefits.
Hello, and welcome to the Folklore & Fiction dispatch. At the summer and winter solstices, I mimic the sun and pause to reflect on my own creative work. In this edition, I'm discussing my theatrical adaptation of a little-known tale of magic titled "The Belt and the Necklace," forthcoming as part of the Odyssey Theatre's "Other Path Podcast" series.
Hello, and welcome to the November 2021 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. In this edition, I'll be exploring ATU 450 "Little Brother and Little Sister." Let's begin with a Child Ballad for which there is no associated tune, titled "The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea." Please note that there are spelling variations in Francis James Child's original text, and there is a line missing as well, which I have preserved below.
Hello, and welcome to the October 2021 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. In this edition, I'll be exploring ATU 113B "The Cat as Sham Holy Man." Let's begin with a Syrian fable about the king of mice, the king of cats, and a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Hello, and welcome to the September 2021 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. In this edition, I'll be exploring ATU 2014 "Chains Involving Contradictions or Extremes." Let's begin with a Palestinian story that tells us right in the title where it fits among folklore genres and contains a treasure chest of narrative jewels to admire.
Hello, and welcome to the August 2021 Folklore & Fiction dispatch. In this edition, I'll be exploring ATU 1284 "Person Does Not Know Himself" by way of an Irish story entitled "Seán na Scuab" and ATU 1326 "Moving the Church" by way of a German story by the same name. Both tale types feature short, humorous anecdotes about fools, and they form the foundation of this month's broader folkloristic discussion of comedic narrative.