Olivia
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oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Olivia
@oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
330 followers 210 following 280 posts
Professional Storyteller. Folklore Lover. Believer in magic.
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oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Belsnickel combined kindness with cruelty at Christmas. Torn and tattered, furred and masked with a lolling tongue, he travelled alone. Cakes & sweets for the good, and a thwack of his hazel switch to punish the naughty... #FolkyFriday
Creepy looking large male figure dressed all in furs with a fur mask covering his face carrying a large carpet bag over his shoulder.
December 5, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by Olivia
dreamswarm.bsky.social
Old Father Christmas figure was associated with good cheer and merriment rather than gifts for kids, but he did bring mulled wine and wassail punch. He here is in a Victorian drawing, complete with yule log, holly crown and mischievous glint in his eye! I love the pagan Holly King vibe
#FolkyFriday
Father Christmas with long white beard, holy crown and carrying a yule log and bowl of wassail punch
December 5, 2025 at 3:09 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Demonic Lilith was said to be the first wife of Adam. She refused to lie beneath him, cursed him and fled to couple with demons and give birth to 100 daughters - lilim -a day. Later misogynistic myths told of Lilith possessing women by entering them through mirrors... #MythologyMonday
🎨Rosetti
Pre-Raphaelite painting showing a red haired Lilith brushing her hair and gazing into a mirror, in a room filled with roses.
December 1, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Reposted by Olivia
selinesigil.bsky.social
"See how high the hornets' nest; 'twill tell how high the snow will rest." Many creatures go higher off the ground with nests at winter #folklore
December 1, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Olivia
wunderkammertales.bsky.social
There is a Yuletide tradition in France telling of the witch La Guillaneu riding her headless fairy steed through French winter nights.

But follow us to Brittany today for our 2nd #Yulefolklore tale, where La Guillaneu takes on a quite different guise!

Link in the comments

🎨 Ari-Matti Toivonen
December 1, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Reposted by Olivia
wunderkammertales.bsky.social
Magic, tall tales and #Yulefolklore

A story a day – told over the holidays, until 6 January.

So, come, gather around the fireplace and listen to dark seasonal tales of trolls, witches & other things that go bump in the Winter!

Find the link for today’s first tale in the comments

🎨Hannah Ward
November 30, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Reposted by Olivia
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
In Irish folklore the cry of the owl heralded death and general ill fortune. To counter this, folk threw hot peppers or vinegar into the fire. They believed this would result in the owl getting a sore tongue and hence not be able to hoot and bring death... #LegendaryWednesday
🎨Doug Larue
Brown owl with large yellow eyes, perching on a branch appearing very soft and cute.
November 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Banshees used the waxwing as a torch to guide them through the dark Irish nights...
🎨Mounir Khalfouf #LegendaryWednesday
A grey waxwing bird with a red crest of feathers and blue tail feathers is nibbling at some berries, as it perches on a branch.
November 26, 2025 at 4:23 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
There is much Irish folklore of how robin got their redbreast. One scrap of lore says it was when robin flew into hell bringing water to the lost souls... 🎨Anster-Fitzgerald
#WyrdWednesday #LegendaryWednesday
A large robin defends its clutch of eggs by flying above its nest towards a yellow winged fairy that is threatening it with a thorn held like a sword.
November 26, 2025 at 3:47 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
In Irish folklore the cry of the owl heralded death and general ill fortune. To counter this, folk threw hot peppers or vinegar into the fire. They believed this would result in the owl getting a sore tongue and hence not be able to hoot and bring death... #LegendaryWednesday
🎨Doug Larue
Brown owl with large yellow eyes, perching on a branch appearing very soft and cute.
November 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Thank you @forteanlondon.bsky.social for such a wonderful day of wildness, weirdness and warmth at #TheHauntedLandscape! Talks ranged from lost burial grounds in London to legend-tripping, taking in uncanny creatures and the wheel of the year in between. I loved it!
November 26, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Olivia
cerihoulbrook.bsky.social
The littlun & I really enjoyed a spooky storytelling session with Olivia Armstrong in the atmospheric setting of Sopwell ruins as part of @beinghumanfest.bsky.social - we heard about the Green Lady of Hertfordshire (witch, fairy or ghost? It was up to us to decide) & the Tale of Little Grey
November 11, 2025 at 10:17 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
In the wild Russian winter of 1835, ballerina Marie Taglioni's carriage was stopped by a highwayman. She was ordered to dance on the snow in the moonlight. After that, she kept artificial ice in a box to remember that starry night, which in turn inspired artist Joseph Cornell... #WyrdWednesday
A wooden treasure box opened to reveal a necklace dangling from the lid and twelve squares of shiny artificial ice.
November 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
European crows were said to go down to Hell once a year to present the devil with a tribute of feathers... 🎨Herzlmeier
#WyrdWednesday
A crow wears its black feathers like a cloak and black boots on its feet, it stalks across a stubbly field. It has a straw in its beak. The day is cloudy and still.
November 19, 2025 at 11:20 AM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Irish wake games were intended to remind the deceased they were a treasured part of society, to send them away happy, and hopefully prevent them from returning... #FolkloreThursday

🎨Nathanial Grogan
A large gathering in a timbered barn depicting an Irish Wake from a couple of centuries ago. In one corner is a storyteller holding forth to their audience. In another a group of young girls are sitting close to the large open fire. In the foreground youths are playing a game.
November 13, 2025 at 7:21 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Take a pack of cards, cut them, choose a card - make your wish. Now shuffle the cards into three piles. If your card is in the first pile, the wish will come true. If in the second, the wish will take time. In the third? It will not come true at all... #FolkloreThursday
A young woman is resting her head on playing cards spread out across the table. Her eyes are closed. A lit lamp glows.
November 13, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Olivia
folklorethursday.bsky.social
Hello #FolkloreThursday 🐉

Thank you to Crystal @crystalponti.bsky.social for hosting before the break!

I'm @shanonsinn.bsky.social your last host today for the "Folklore of Games and Pastimes" event. 1 hour left 🃏🎲

To play, use the #folklorethursday hashtag in a themed post

1920 N. Rockwell
A painting shows realistic figures, a man and a woman, sitting across from each other at a small table. There is nothing in the background though a large red circle acts as a frame. The woman has her head thrown back and the man stares intently at her with a smile on his face. Both of their hands are on a Ouija board.
November 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Olivia
paintingsoflondon.bsky.social
'Wapping' (1941) by John Minton

(Imperial War Museums)
November 13, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Olivia
selinesigil.bsky.social
The Irish wake calls for games and shenanigans #Folklore www.irishcentral.com/roots/tradit...
Traditional Irish wakes called for drinks, pranks, games, and songs
The Irish have historically put their own spin on the practice of wakes and grieving the dead. Drinks, games, and songs all played a role in traditional Irish wakes.
www.irishcentral.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Reposted by Olivia
21rosa.bsky.social
Repost for #WyrdWednesday #FolkloreThursday and #PhantomsFriday
forteanlondon.bsky.social London Fortean Society @forteanlondon.bsky.social · Oct 13
The Haunted Landscape 2025: Ghosts, Magic and Lore
22 November 2025 10 am - 5 pm @conwayhall.bsky.social and online

A legendary trip through the Haunted Landscape with our day of expert talks on British ghost, magic, and folklore.

#TheHauntedLandscape

www.conwayhall.org.uk/whats-on/eve...
1/10
November 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Olivia
cerihoulbrook.bsky.social
From making witch-bottles to sitting in historic ruins listening to spooky stories, 9th November is a date for your diary if you're in Herts - @herts.ac.uk & @beinghumanfest.bsky.social have teamed up to create a full programme of fun #Folklore family events. Come and join us!
October 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
Me being Little Red!👇
katrinanavickas.bsky.social Katrina Navickas @katrinanavickas.bsky.social · Nov 4
Great evening with lovely colleagues at the Being Human Festival launch at BFI Tottenham Court Rd.
@beinghumanfest.bsky.social
Speaker in front of banner Kaja Franck talking. Woman with back to front
November 13, 2025 at 4:41 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
In Polynesian tradition, kites originated in the spirit world, a way of connecting heaven with earth and sending messages to the gods... #FolkloreThursday
A group of people have gathered by the hillside. they are flying kites, one is shaped like a huge owl and the other like a dragon, smaller ones are flying in the skies too.
November 13, 2025 at 1:23 PM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
My wee brother is no good.
Chop him up for firewood.
When he's dead,
Cut off his head,
Make it into gingerbread.

Belfast Skipping Rhyme.
📷Shirley Baker &📷Getty Images & 📷 Harry Benson
#FolkloreThursday
Two young girls standing in the road hold a skipping rope, a third girl jumps over the rope, her ponytail flying up. a tiny child walks away down the street towards the guns of two British soldiers sticking downwards out of the doorways in the street. A young girl is carrying a tin, a loaf of bread, all held tightly to her chest walking down the road seemingly oblivious to the British solider crouched down with his gun pointing downwards looking away from her.
November 13, 2025 at 10:55 AM
oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social
The origins of the roulette wheel and the concept of Lady Luck can be traced back to the goddess Fortuna, randomly turning her Wheel of Fortune and changing the fates of those upon it... #FolkloreThursday
The "Queen of Fortune" with red hair and a golden crown identified by the words The Queen of Fortune, helped by four other personifications, turns her wheel. As she does so, people next to her are tuning upside down too.
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM