Fairies were said to be active at Hallowe'en.
Sunday 31 October 2021
PIG FISH
A strange fish captured in the Danube in 1997. While the head and tail resembled those of a fish, the body was piglike. Its body was covered by bony plates. Unfortunately, the website from which I derived this information has now disappeared from the Internet.
Saturday 30 October 2021
Friday 29 October 2021
NOS GALAN GAEAF - THE WELSH HALLOWE'EN
The Welsh, like the Irish and Scots, are a Celtic nation and have their own equivalent of Hallowe'en. Both were essentially to mark the start of the year in ancient times.
Thursday 28 October 2021
SOME HALLOWE'EN FACTS
There are misconceptions about Hallowe'en, so we have stated a few facts about it.
1. Hallowe'en was originally a pre-Christian festival held in Ireland. It was called Samhain. Samhain was not the name of a pagan god.
2. An equivalent feast was held in other Celtic countries. It was regarded as the beginning of the year. It was regarded as being a time when access to and from the Otherworld was easy.
3. After the Irish and Scots became Christians, they continued to celebrate Hallowe'en, but it was not regarded as a pagan feast, merely as a time of year when spooky magical beings roved about.
4. It is still celebrated in this way by many, although modern Pagans have revived it as a pagan feast. It has no connection with Satanism.
5. The name Hallowe'en is given to it because it was the evening before the Christian Feast of All Saints (November 1st).
6. It was brought to the United States by Irish and Scottish immigrants.
7' It was the custom in Ireland to carve spooky heads from turnips at this time. In America pumpkins were adopted.
We hope this has cleared up many false ideas about Hallowe'en which have circulated. By the way, Samhain is pronounced as sowin. First syllable rhymes with cow, second with gin.
Wednesday 27 October 2021
Tuesday 26 October 2021
WAS IT A BEAR?
Did a bear look after a 3-year old child? It has been suggested it was, in fact, Bigfoot.
Monday 25 October 2021
MYTHOLOGICAL HUNGARIAN BIRD
Have you heard of the Turul? (You need to scroll down a little to find this article.)