Uncommon Folk
The world of folklore is a diverse, thriving mix of ancient traditions, old gods, strange beasts and curious tales.
Every land has their own folk traditions, and while some themes are universal, each has something special about them that makes them unique.
Join stand-up comedian, writer, and folklore PhD candidate Dan Mitchell as he dives into the dark oceans of folk, hoping to find a never before found denizen of the deep. Featuring exclusive interviews with academics, folklorists, scientists, poets, magical practitioners, and many more special guests from around the world, Uncommon Folk hopes to unearth the bones of folklore and resurrect them with incantations long forgotten.
From deep dives to short nuggets, Uncommon Folk will enlighten, enthuse, and entertain the folk community.
Uncommon Folk
Uncommon Folk 31 Days of Winter- Mistletoe
Unlock the secrets of an ancient tradition that goes far beyond holiday kisses. Did you know that the mistletoe's romantic legacy has roots in age-old fertility rites? Tune in to explore how this plant's clever survival tactics mirror its enchanting mythological roles, from playing a pivotal part in Norse legends to its revered status in Druid rituals. Whether you're a folklore fanatic or a holiday romantic, you'll find a story worth sharing in every branch of mistletoe lore.
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MISCLE TOE. Now you're all probably familiar with the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time. This tradition actually predates Christianity by quite some time to sort of pre-Christian pagan rituals, partly because of mistletoe representing fertility. Now in Wales the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe was quite important, for if a woman didn't kiss a man under the mistletoe then they would definitely not marry in the next year. At least it didn't seem to bother the men as much, who probably took advantage of this tradition to kiss as many women as possible.
Speaker 1:But mistletoe is more than just a plant for kissing under. The plant itself is actually partly parasitic. It grows on the branches of other trees and sucks up their nutrients to survive. And it's very clever the way it sort of offers its berries to the birds. The seeds in the berries are actually coated in a very sticky goo. So when the bird takes some mistletoe berries, moves on and wipes its beak on the next tree, the seed or two will be left behind and it'll be glued in place and therefore form a new parasitic bond with the tree, with the tree.
Speaker 1:But mistletoe was featured in many, many folklores, the. In norse mythology, mistletoe was the only weapon that could be used to kill the god balder the beautiful, and this was once again, uh, orchestrated by the god loki. In g mythology, it allowed the hero Aeneas to visit his father in Hades, in the abode of the dead and in Druidry. It's used in a lot of ceremonies and in the past, for medicine, so that's where the kissing under the mistletoe and the association with fertility comes from. For medicine, apparently, there's a story of the mistletoe being used to heal a dead snake back to life, which is very impressive. This is probably to do with its evergreen leaves and its ability to bloom even in winter, so it's a lot more than just kissing when it comes to mistletoe.
