Folklore Facts

Collect seven or nine different flowers on midsummer eve and place them under your pillow and it is said that you will dream of your future spouse. (Sweden)

When you speak of good or bad luck, many people knock on wood to ward off misfortune or preserve good fortune. While popular folklore attributes this to ancient Celtic beliefs in wood spirits, the practice most likely evolved from a 19th-century British children's game called 'tiggy touchwood,' where touching wood made players safe from being tagged.

An acorn should be carried to bring luck and ensure a long life.

Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It was a forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It is linked in legend to the Celtic god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the earth.

In Greek legend, mischievous goblin-like creatures called Kallikantzaroi emerge during the Twelve Days of Christmas to play troublesome pranks. To repel them, traditions include burning salt or an old shoe, as the pungent smoke and crackling sounds are believed to drive them away or at least discourage their mischief.

As many as 62% of Iceland's population think it is possible that elves may exist.

In Korea, a child’s first birthday is the most important. In one part of the celebration, several items are placed on a table. The one that the baby picks up first is said to predict their future.

When the road authority drew up plans for a major highway in 2012, Iceland's elf communicators filed objections. The route was rerouted around an "elf church" rock formation in Galgahraun. Surveyors quit. Bulldozers broke. Construction companies hired professional elf mediators to negotiate. Over 50% of Icelanders refuse to deny hidden people exist. The elves have planning permission.

The Coco de Mer grows the world's largest seed - up to 25 kg and half a metre long. For centuries sailors found the giant nuts drifting in the Indian Ocean with no tree in sight, so they decided it must grow on a tree on the seafloor. The palm grows wild on just two islands on Earth, and every nut now needs a government permit to leave.