« Beowulf Dying », c. 1886

Attributed to Hermann Vogel (german, 1854-1921)
Engraving from "Epics and Romances of the Middle Ages", Dr W Wagner, WSW Anson, Swan Sonnenschein, 1886

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To protect someone from evil magic, an English wise woman or cunning man would create a "witch bottle," which contained the person's urine, hair, and nail clippings along with other ingredients. Spells would get sucked into the bottle rather than harm their victim.

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Jack in the Green is an English folk custom, part of the May Day festival. A person is covered in a framework of green foliage, and then marches in a procession with musicians. It began in the 18th century, though some folklorists connect it with earlier imagery (such as the Green Man).

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In the original English ballads, Robin Hood robbed from the rich but he didn't give to the poor - he kept the money. Robin was a folk hero not because he actively helped the poor but just because he harassed the greedy people who the poor wished they could harass.
🎨 H. M. Brock

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In many Robin Hood stories, Robin and his Merry Men enjoy the game of "Buffets," which involves them taking turns punching each other to see who falls over first. It captures their sense of rough, macho comradery, which is often forged by brawling with each other.

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