Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · 7d

Cats definitely have that aura!!

Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Sep 2

While hiking the Dolomites, be wary of tiny, mysterious footprints.

Wanderers may encounter the Mazaròl. He knows all of the secrets of butter and cheese making, but at the cost of a mortal's memories of their former life. #FairytaleTuesday #folklore

Image: Anita Stizzoli

black and white landscape image of Dolomites

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Aug 14

Will report back if I find anything interesting!

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Aug 14

Ohh your blog is lovely! I also probably have cobwebs in my egg, although I haven't tried it myself!

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Aug 14

Oomancy, or egg divination, was (and still is) sometimes performed on people believed to have received the Evil Eye. The egg is passed over the person's body to absorb negative energy and then cracked to see if the energy has left the body. #BookologyThursday

Art by Anton Pieck

clay bowl with two eggs still life on cloth

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Aug 11

Early Medieval bestiaries have perpetuated the myth that cranes on sentry duty for their flock will hold a rock. If they fell asleep and dropped it, they would be startled awake.

During this period of time, cranes were a symbol of vigilance and loyalty. #MythologyMonday

Gerald of Wales’ Topographia Hibernica (Salisbury, late 12th century–early 13th century). Blue cranes sleeping with another crane that is awake and holding a rock.

Sleeping cranes in an illustrated bestiary (England, c. 1200–c. 1210). Blue cranes sleeping with another crane that is awake and holding a rock.

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 23

Alice (1988) is a surrealist dark fantasy film by Czech film director Jan Švankmajer. It follows Alice as she wanders around a Wonderland full of bones, puppets, and taxidermy animals. #WyrdWednesday

horse skull wearing jester hat pulling on the dress of a doll

sock puppet with dentures and googly eyes next to basket

skulls dressed in clothing with fake eyes

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 17

Hares in folklore are sometimes considered unlucky, as they are often associated with witches.

It is especially unlucky to kill a hare before dawn. A witch could take revenge on the hunter for destroying their animal body. #BookologyThursday

Black and white art by prairiebones of hare with melting candles in its antlers

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 16

Soucouyants are described as female vampires in Caribbean folklore, shedding their skin by night and traveling as a ball of flame to hunt.

If a person finds their skin before dawn and rubs salt and pepper on it, the Soucouyant is destroyed. #WyrdWednesday

Art: Horrorpedia

Oil painting of old woman on fire in woods

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 10

Mo'o of Hawaiian legend are aquatic dragons that often appear as beautiful women, geckos, and giant lizards.

In one tale, volcano goddess Pele sends her younger sister, Hi'iaka, on an errand to slay three mo'o and rescue her mortal sweetheart. #BookologyThursday

Art by ArkaEdri

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 9

The gargoyles of Notre Dame Cathedral are also called "grotesques" or chimeras. They are built to resemble monstrous human-animal hybrids. Some function as water drainage, while others are purely ornamental and contribute to the imposing atmosphere of the church. #WyrdWednesday

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Reposted by Prairie Bones

Rivka @theasraidance.bsky.social · Jul 6

🌿'Fairies and Elves dancing with Mr. Mouse'
by Dorothy P. Lathrop

Illustration. A mouse dancing with three fairies among the dandelions.

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 3

The Witch-Cat Trial of 1719

William Montgomery, a mason by trade, had his house overrun by many cats. One night, he found five cats by the fireside, and a servant told him that they were "speaking amongst themselves."

#BookologyThursday

dark barn with many cats with glowing eyes

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Reposted by Prairie Bones

P J Richards @pj-richards.bsky.social · Jul 3

🍀🐇🍀To see a hare when setting out on a journey was believed to be a bad omen - but the danger could be countered by turning back and starting the journey again.
#FolkloreThursday #FolkyFriday #FolkloreSunday

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Reposted by Prairie Bones

Signe Maene @signemaene.com · Jul 2

In a Dutch folktale, a man cursed the sun. He never left his house and walked around with an umbrella in his home when the sun shone. When he died, his body was sealed in 3 coffins and entombed in a dark crypt. The sun got him as the crypt split open, and sunlight touched his body.

#WyrdWednesday

Unknown artist, 18th century. Painting of a figure sitting on a chair in nature. The figure's head is the sun. Mountains, rocks and trees in the background.

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jul 2

Kitsunebi are fire orbs created by fox spirits, a sign that other yokai are nearby.

Malevolent foxes sometimes create them to lure travelers off of forest paths, and also during the night parade of one hundred demons. #WyrdWednesday

Hiroshige, New Year's Eve Foxfires (1857)

Foxes gathered under tree with parade of ghosts

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 25

I love this album. We use the little For Sara tape as a Halloween decoration every year

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 25

The Demon Hour, or Witching Hour, is the time at night between 3:00am-4:00am when demons are said to be at their most powerful. #WyrdWednesday

Art: Dragan Bibin

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Reposted by Prairie Bones

Rivka @theasraidance.bsky.social · Jun 24

🌿An Elfin Dance
by Richard Doyle, 1870.

Victorian artwork depicting tiny dancing fairies surrounded by grasses and foliage. From 'In Fairyland', 1870.

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 24

1. Oberon and Titania (1854)
2. Titania and Bottom (1851) - Edwin Landseer
3. A Midsummer Night's Dream - Francis Danby
4. The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania (1849) - Sir Joseph Noel Paton
#FairyTaleTuesday

Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 24

A collection of illustrations from A Midsummer Night's Dream (1800s)

#InternationalFairyDay 🌿

A fairy sleeping and others surround her under morning glories

Fairy holding flower up to man with donkey head while small animals and people gather

Male and female fairy meet on forest floor

Male fairy lands i. Front of female fairy surrounded by smaller fairies on forest floor

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 21

🖤💖🖤!

a cartoon of snow white with vintagegal written on the bottom right

ALT: a cartoon of snow white with vintagegal written on the bottom right

media.tenor.com

Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 20

During Midsummer, bonfires are lit as a symbol of renewal. One custom in Denmark is to burn witch dolls made of hay. The fire would dispel their magic and cast their spirits away to the mountains. #FolkyFriday #Midsummer

P.S. Krøyer, Midsummer Eve Bonfire on Skagen’s Beach, (1906)

Midsummer bonfire in the evening with crowd of people

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 19

"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear."

- Puck, A Midsummer Night's Dream
#BookologyThursday

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Prairie Bones @prairiebones.bsky.social · Jun 18

Meeting your true love in a graveyard sounds kind of awesome, tbh!

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