Kaffir Folk-lore: A Selection from the Traditional Tales is a book by George McCall Theal published in 1882. It is sometimes called Kaffir (Xhosa) Folk-lore or even Xhosa Folk-lore to avoid the word kaffir, which has since become a derogatory term (in the time the book was written, however, it was frequently used to refer to the Xhosa people[ citation needed ]).
The book contains twenty-three Xhosa folk-tales and a list of common proverbs, all of which were collected from, recorded by, and verified by native Xhosa whom Theal questioned. It also includes several pages of footnotes written by Theal himself, mainly translating Xhosa words and explaining parts of Xhosa culture.
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Aos sí is the Irish name for a supernatural race in Celtic mythology – daoine sìth in Scottish Gaelic – comparable to fairies or elves. They are said to descend from the Tuatha Dé Danann, meaning the "People of Danu", depending on the Abrahamic or pagan tradition.
Thor is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, and fertility. Besides Old Norse Þórr, the deity occurs in Old English as Þunor, in Old Frisian as Thuner, in Old Saxon as Thunar, and in Old High German as Donar, all ultimately stemming from the Proto-Germanic theonym *Þun(a)raz, meaning 'Thunder'.
In Northern English folklore, the Barghest or Barguest is a mythical monstrous black dog with large teeth and claws, though in other cases the name can refer to a ghost or household elf, especially in Northumberland and Durham, such as the Cauld Lad of Hylton.
Journey into Mystery is an American comic book series initially published by Atlas Comics, then by its successor, Marvel Comics. Initially a horror comics anthology, it changed to giant-monster and science fiction stories in the late 1950s. Beginning with issue #83, it ran the superhero feature "The Mighty Thor", created by writers Stan Lee and Larry Lieber and artist Jack Kirby, and inspired by the mythological Norse thunder god. The series, which was renamed for its superhero star with issue #126, has been revived three times: in the 1970s as a horror anthology, and in the 1990s and 2010s with characters from Marvel's Thor mythos. The title was also used in 2019 for a limited series as part of the "War of the Realms" storyline.
Selkies are mythological creatures that can shapeshift between seal and human forms by removing or putting on their seal skin. They feature prominently in the oral traditions and mythology of various cultures, especially those of Celtic and Norse origin. The term “selkie” derives from the Scots word for “seal”, and is also spelled as silkies, sylkies, or selchies. Selkies are sometimes referred to as selkie folk, meaning 'seal folk'. Selkies are mainly associated with the Northern Isles of Scotland, where they are said to live as seals in the sea but shed their skin to become human on land.
Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr are the goats who pull the chariot of the god Thor in Norse mythology. They are attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century.
Charles Godfrey Leland was an American humorist and folklorist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was educated at Princeton University and in Europe.
A Slavic dragon is any dragon in Slavic mythology, including the Russian zmei, Ukrainian zmiy, and its counterparts in other Slavic cultures: the Bulgarian zmey, the Slovak drak and šarkan, Czech drak, Polish żmij, the Serbo-Croatian zmaj, the Macedonian zmej (змеј) and the Slovene zmaj. The Romanian zmeu could also be deemed a "Slavic" dragon, but a non-cognate etymology has been proposed.
"The Twelve Dancing Princesses" is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm and published in Grimm's Fairy Tales in 1815. It is of Aarne-Thompson type 306.
Qamata is the most prominent God among the Xhosa-speaking people of South-Eastern Africa. Qamata is the creator and protector of heaven and earth. Qamata is the all knowing and omnipresent God in the third dimension. In the second dimension lives ancestors who ceased to be in the physical realm and are guardians of humans living on earth. It is believed that - during their existence in the physical world and by the instruction of Qamata - ancestors created spiritual entities that would be responsible for guiding human life on earth. Humans may not see them, but they appear spiritually, in dreams or a chosen person sees them in the day. They appear in the form of figures humans can physically recognise e.g. a fish, snake, lion or bee. These entities exist separately from the creatures which they possess and have a clear identity of their own. Their intended existence was not only guidance, but also a form of communication between the physical and spiritual realms. In return, humans identifying as part of the Xhosa tribe would then perform a spiritual ritual as confirmation that the message has been received, the necessary steps have been taken and also to receive the blessings which Qamata has given. The Xhosa symbolism for Qamata is the Sun as it represents the cycle of life, from birth to adulthood to death and rebirth in African Spirituality. The symbolism of Qamata is a depiction of the power of African spiritual imagery on the human mind and the consciousness of the Xhosa people. The image inspires the conception that Qamata created all things, is all powerful and all knowing. The Xhosa God has neither part nor lot so far as physical appearance(gender, colour etc.), alleviating the ideology of a God being superior to human life but rather encouraging human potential and discouraging the assumption that you are inferior to your own characteristics.
The South Africa Medal (1853) is a campaign medal instituted in 1854, for award to officers and men of the Royal Navy, British Army and locally recruited Cape Mounted Riflemen, who served in the Cape of Good Hope during the Xhosa Wars between 1834 and 1853.
Glashtyn is a legendary creature from Manx folklore.
The Xhosa Wars were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa Kingdom and the British Empire as well as Trekboers in what is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa. These events were the longest-running military action in the history of European colonialism in Africa.
Dindsenchas or Dindshenchas, meaning "lore of places", is a class of onomastic text in early Irish literature, recounting the origins of place-names and traditions concerning events and characters associated with the places in question. Since many of the legends being related also concern the acts of mythic and legendary figures, the dindsenchas has been an important source for the study of Irish mythology.
The moss people or moss folk, also referred to as the wood people or wood folk or forest folk, are a class of fairy folk, variously compared to dwarfs, elves, or spirits, described in German folklore as having an intimate connection to trees and the forest. In German, the words Schrat and Waldschrat are also used for a moss person. The diminutive Schrätlein also serves as synonym for a nightmare creature.
George McCall Theal, was the most prolific and influential South African historian, archivist and genealogist of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Malagasy mythology is rooted in oral history and has been transmitted by storytelling, notably the Andriambahoaka epic, including the Ibonia cycle. At least 6% of Madagascar are adherents of the religion, which is known as Fomba Gasy, and surveys show it is likely at least half practice some aspects of it. Adherence to Fomba Gasy is high amongst the Sakalava people, as they are reluctant to convert to faiths of foreign origin.
In the folklore on the Anglo-Scottish border, the Brown Man of the Muirs is a dwarf who serves as a guardian spirit of wild animals. Also is a Folklore story, called "Brown Man of the Moor" in the Richardson's Table Book in the 19 century according to Publications of the Folklore Society of North England, where appear the creatures: boggleboes, bogies, redmen, portunes, grants, hobbits, hobgoblins and brown men.
Hachikazuki or Hachi Katsugi is a Japanese folktale of the Otogi-zōshi genre. It refers to a maiden of noble birth who wears a bowl on her head and marries a prince.