Category Archives: What Tales Tell

How we showed Homer’s Odyssey is not pure fiction, with a little help from Facebook

Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey may seem like pure fiction, but social media tools reveal that they’re at least partly based in fact.

9 Legends of American Folklore

Folktales show us a lot about who we once were and still are. Check out these descriptions of nine classic characters from American folklore: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Sally Ann Thunder, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, Pecos Bill, Geronimo, and Old Stormalong. Why were they so famous? Why are they still famous today?

A Fairy Tale Influence

In this interview, fairy tale author Jack Zipes discusses why fairy tales matter, who their audience is, and how they influence the horror genre.

Fairy Tales Are Over 6,000 Years Old

Researchers have tracked fairy tales back thousands of years.

Why Black Panther’s representation matters, according to the cast

If tales of superheroes serve to inspire us and reflect what we value, they should represent all of us. Hear from the director and cast of the blockbuster movie.

Why Myths Still Matter: Hercules and His 12 Healing Labors

Explore the plot and significance of a popular Greek myth.

The Pre-Viking Legend of Ragnarӧk

One of the best-known Norse myths about the end of the universe may have originated in a real-world ancient catastrophe.

Loch Ness monster could be a giant eel, say scientists

While scientists don’t believe there is a giant monster hiding out in Loch Ness, they are considering what creatures could live there based on DNA testing.

Multicultural Cinderella Stories

“Yeh-Shen” may be the oldest version we know of the Cinderella story, but it’s far from the only variation on this familiar tale. Find out about other versions that span the globe.

The Atlantis-style myths that turned out to be true

Atlantis isn’t the only myth about a long-lost kingdom beneath the ocean. Read what other lost city myths are told around the world.

Secrets of the Dead: The Real Trojan Horse

Maybe the infamous Trojan Horse wasn’t real, but it could have inspired actual methods used during the Trojan War.

Rainsticks and Folklore

Tibetans attempt to summon supernatural powers to combat the extreme drought.

J.K. Rowling wrote a new fairy tale

The author of the Harry Potter series threw herself a birthday party that featured a “lost manuscript” displayed in an unexpected way.

The Importance of Scaring Children

Most of the stories we remember hearing as young children avoid content that is gruesome or unsettling. But some writers feel that it’s healthier to share stories with a more frightening side.

El Dorado Legend Snared Sir Walter Raleigh

Almost half a millennium ago in the New World, Spanish explorers heard tales of a land filled with gold and treasure. Soon, the myth of El Dorado was born. Read this article to learn the truth behind the myth. Did El Dorado really exist?

How fairy tales have stood the test of time

There’s definitely one of the tales of the Brothers Grimm that you’ve never heard, because it was developed using artificial intelligence after analyzing their works. Find out what that’s all about and why stories about princesses and shepherds still capture us.

16 January 1549 – Thomas Seymour tries to kidnap Edward VI

Mark Twain’s tale about the young Prince Edward may be fiction, but Edward’s true story is even stranger. Crowned king at age 9, he faced the plotting and scheming of his power-hungry uncles.