About Mythfolks: in pursuit of forgotten folklore and hidden cultural stories

Hi there, and welcome to Mythfolks! Thanks for stopping by.

Mythfolks is a resource dedicated to authentic and obscure folklore related to everyday human beliefs, legends and customs from around the world.

I’ve always been fascinated by history and psychology - why people think the way they do, why they act the way they do and how the beliefs and actions of our ancestors helped shape the world today.

From a young age, grounded folklore stories are all around us. Is there an 80s or 90s child who didn’t play the urban legend Bloody Mary game at a sleepover?

Or did anyone not grow up hearing that it was bad luck to walk under a ladder or have a black cat cross your path? Or everyone’s favourite - that sitting too close to the TV will make you go blind (or in some parts, make your eyes square!).

While classical mythology - the grand Greek and Roman gods, Norse sagas, Egyptian pantheons - is a vital part of human history and does appear on Mythfolks from time to time, these topics are covered exhaustively elsewhere.

Here, mythology mainly supports broader topics that rely on ancient belief systems, such as Moon folklore and superstition, or civilisations like Mesopotamia that receive less mainstream attention.

Otherwise, Mythfolks exists to uncover the more down-to-earth, local, day-to-day beliefs of real people from around the world - the superstitions, customs and rituals, the ghost stories, the weird creatures and all the other things that go bump in the night...

The “truth” paradox of folklore and the nuances that get lost in the internet age

Folklore “truth” isn’t the same as truth in other subjects. Two towns just miles apart can hold completely different versions of the same story based purely on how oral retellings evolved.

Neither version is wrong - both are true within their own context - and it’s those details that give folklore its real texture.

But these details are often overlooked, or left buried in old texts that are fascinating if you have the time and inclination to dig through - but this isn't always practical.

Vintage texts are particularly important for accuracy because they often contain some of the earliest written records of oral tales, gathered directly from local sources and preserving details that might otherwise have been lost.

So I do the research for you. Every article on Mythfolks is written to be easy to follow while offering real depth and is supported by multiple reliable sources, including those vintage texts as well as more recent scholarly journals and books.

In an age of surface-level summaries and repeated information, returning to these original sources is more important than ever.

Mythfolks is a growing resource for storytellers, educators, students and anyone interested in history, culture and the role of stories in shaping humanity.

So, if you’re curious about how we became who we are or you just want a little strange and wonderful history - welcome. There’s plenty to explore!