A Joker in the Pack: The Folklore of Playing Cards
When you think of fortune telling, you'll probably think of tarot cards. You wouldn't think of playing cards - they're for poker and bridge, right? Wrong! You can absolutely use them for fortune telli...
28 Mar 202017min
Fortune-Telling Made Easy: 4 Strange Forms of Divination
People often turn to fortune-telling for comfort in times of crisis. They might suddenly try augury, phrenology, tasseography, and many more, just to get a sense of control over an uncertain future. ...
21 Mar 202025min
From the Fool to the World: The History and Folklore of Tarot Cards
When you think of fortune telling, you might think of tarot cards. Perhaps you think of a woman poring over strange images in a darkened room. Or maybe you think they're evil, only capable of foretell...
14 Mar 202017min
Meet Fortuna, Goddess of Luck, Abundance, and Fate
Need to bring a little luck or good fortune into your life? Click here to learn about Fortuna, the Roman goddess of all things fortunate. But beware the bad luck, too... Let's meet her in this week'...
7 Mar 202016min
Who was Spring-heeled Jack, the Victorian scourge of London?
Spring-heeled Jack looms large in Victorian folklore, springing through gaslit streets. Who was he and why did he terrorise London's streets? Let's find out in this week's episode of Fabulous Folk...
29 Feb 202019min
Inviting Sin-Eaters to a Funeral: Fact or Folklore?
Sin-eaters appear in Welsh records back to the 1680s. Though there is some dispute as to whether the custom was genuine, or misinterpreted by an over-zealous scholar. Were they real, or a neat snippet...
22 Feb 202014min
Cemetery superstitions: How to avoid bad luck in a graveyard
Cemeteries are either fascinating monuments to social history, or eerie gardens populated by the dead. There are also a plethora of superstitions that dictate how a burial should happen, how people sh...
15 Feb 202018min
Roses are Red: The Sinister Side of Valentine's Day Folklore
Sending mean cards? Eating mashed earthworms? Using jack o’lanterns to light medieval love banquets? They’re all surprising yet vaguely sinister ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Find out more abou...
8 Feb 202015min
