In Dutch Folklore "Fro" is the son of Nerthus and was gifted Gullin the first boar, which was made by the dwarves out of gold. This boar Gullin along with Fro showed the people how to plow the fields and taught them agriculture, using Gullin's tusks as a plow. People eventually learned how to make a more efficient plow themselves, but the teachings of Fro and Gullin remain relevant to this day, Gullin would become the father of all Tusked animals including boars and walruses.-TLK
For anyone who didn't know one of our ongoing projects is "The God of the Day Book" A book intended as a sort of intro into the diverse gods across European cultures. 365 deities one for each day of the average modern calendar. Below is one such example that will be in the book stay tuned as I hope to have it finished by Harvest time ;)-TLK
Puck
Puck “Robin Goodfellow” “The Jester of the Faerie Court” “The King of Faerie” “The Oldest Old Thing in England” Among the fey perhaps no figure is more well known, more infamous, and more representative of them as a whole than that figure known as Robin Goodfellow. Or his much simpler title “Puck”. The figures of the Faerie court were more or less set in stone once, “A Midsummer Night's Dream” was set to pen and ink. Oberon and Titania sat at the top and below them was their court and Robin Goodfellow was the jester at the hand of The King of the Fey, Oberon. Yet it was not always so. The figure of Puck is in fact older than the depiction of Oberon and Titania as his master and mistress. Far older, far darker, far hairier, and far stronger. Puck, is one in actuality one of the most powerful members of the fae. No other work has had more of an impact on Puck's story than that of William Shakespeare's masterpiece “A Midsummer Night's Dream”. From here comes the bulk of Puck's modern personality and abilities, but most of all his station. He is the jester, the servant of Oberon. Yet, in the folklore Puck is far more prevalent than Oberon or Titania who find their origins in German and Roman myth respectively, and has far more claim to the throne of the fae than either of them. The fae are central to the animist practices of much of Europe, and Puck functioned as a prominent fertility spirit in English customs.
While Puck is often depicted as a child or even infant, sometimes with horns, sometimes without them. His much older depictions were more akin to wild men and satyrs. Often with a broom and an immense phallus. Puck's most well known epithet that of Robin Goodfellow is a combination of Robin a word for the devil, and Goodfellow an archaic term for pagan or heathen. He even found himself influencing other figures of folklore such as Robin Hood and Santa Claus. The former received his name as well as his role of May King from the influence of Robin Hood, while Puck's trademark laugh of “Ho, Ho, Ho!” overtime became more associated with Santa than Puck. This trademark laugh often arose after Puck performed a prank, such as posing as a beggar or chimney sweep then running away when someone approached him about a job or alms, cackling like a man man. Puck's association with both May Day and Chimney sweeps, eventually transferred over to the now defunct profession and May Day was known as the Chimney Sweep's Holiday. In this way Robin Hood's role in May Day celebrations could be considered him functioning as godhead or holy man for the much older figure of Puck.
Puck is also associated with the Pooka, a mischievous trickster as well as house spirit. Puck and the Pooka even share a favored prank of pretending to be a horse using their shape-shifting and then throwing people from their backs into a nearby body of water. Puck would often shapeshift to help those in need, especially lovers as he would sometimes play matchmaker. Though at other times Puck would change shape to lead people astray from the path, often as a Will-o-the-wisp. This gave rise to the expression “Puck has visited you this night” for those who have become lost. Puck often appears beside other folkloric figures, such as The Grim, Tom Thumb, and Oberon. Despite his love of performing pranks, he absolutely despises to have them performed on him and will take swift vengeance on those that have wronged him even in good fun. He is said to favor April 1st as a day for pranks by some. Though others will tie him into Samhain (Halloween) traditions as a fertility figure. Puck often wandered England and beyond, having his fun, playing tricks or matchmaker and all the while helping people where he could, his influence stretches far back, to before he appeared in Shakespeare's play and perhaps before The Anglo-Saxon arrival on Great Britain. Perhaps he truly is “The Oldest Old Thing in Britain” and he'll continue to help, hinder, and have his fun with us for ages to come.
Puck “Robin Goodfellow” “The Jester of the Faerie Court” “The King of Faerie” “The Oldest Old Thing in England” Among the fey perhaps no figure is more well known, more infamous, and more representative of them as a whole than that figure known as Robin Goodfellow. Or his much simpler title “Puck”. The figures of the Faerie court were more or less set in stone once, “A Midsummer Night's Dream” was set to pen and ink. Oberon and Titania sat at the top and below them was their court and Robin Goodfellow was the jester at the hand of The King of the Fey, Oberon. Yet it was not always so. The figure of Puck is in fact older than the depiction of Oberon and Titania as his master and mistress. Far older, far darker, far hairier, and far stronger. Puck, is one in actuality one of the most powerful members of the fae. No other work has had more of an impact on Puck's story than that of William Shakespeare's masterpiece “A Midsummer Night's Dream”. From here comes the bulk of Puck's modern personality and abilities, but most of all his station. He is the jester, the servant of Oberon. Yet, in the folklore Puck is far more prevalent than Oberon or Titania who find their origins in German and Roman myth respectively, and has far more claim to the throne of the fae than either of them. The fae are central to the animist practices of much of Europe, and Puck functioned as a prominent fertility spirit in English customs.
While Puck is often depicted as a child or even infant, sometimes with horns, sometimes without them. His much older depictions were more akin to wild men and satyrs. Often with a broom and an immense phallus. Puck's most well known epithet that of Robin Goodfellow is a combination of Robin a word for the devil, and Goodfellow an archaic term for pagan or heathen. He even found himself influencing other figures of folklore such as Robin Hood and Santa Claus. The former received his name as well as his role of May King from the influence of Robin Hood, while Puck's trademark laugh of “Ho, Ho, Ho!” overtime became more associated with Santa than Puck. This trademark laugh often arose after Puck performed a prank, such as posing as a beggar or chimney sweep then running away when someone approached him about a job or alms, cackling like a man man. Puck's association with both May Day and Chimney sweeps, eventually transferred over to the now defunct profession and May Day was known as the Chimney Sweep's Holiday. In this way Robin Hood's role in May Day celebrations could be considered him functioning as godhead or holy man for the much older figure of Puck.
Puck is also associated with the Pooka, a mischievous trickster as well as house spirit. Puck and the Pooka even share a favored prank of pretending to be a horse using their shape-shifting and then throwing people from their backs into a nearby body of water. Puck would often shapeshift to help those in need, especially lovers as he would sometimes play matchmaker. Though at other times Puck would change shape to lead people astray from the path, often as a Will-o-the-wisp. This gave rise to the expression “Puck has visited you this night” for those who have become lost. Puck often appears beside other folkloric figures, such as The Grim, Tom Thumb, and Oberon. Despite his love of performing pranks, he absolutely despises to have them performed on him and will take swift vengeance on those that have wronged him even in good fun. He is said to favor April 1st as a day for pranks by some. Though others will tie him into Samhain (Halloween) traditions as a fertility figure. Puck often wandered England and beyond, having his fun, playing tricks or matchmaker and all the while helping people where he could, his influence stretches far back, to before he appeared in Shakespeare's play and perhaps before The Anglo-Saxon arrival on Great Britain. Perhaps he truly is “The Oldest Old Thing in Britain” and he'll continue to help, hinder, and have his fun with us for ages to come.
Forwarded from GeeDunk Nautica
“The Old Gentleman of Raahe”, is the oldest diving suit in the world, created in Finland sometime in the 1700s.
Forwarded from BC Neanderthal Mindset
The hero Petru, from Romanian folklore.